Atheistic and Theistic Agnosticism
62I consider myself to be an agnostic atheist, and I've come to realize that there are a lot of people who do not understand what an atheist really is, at the basic level. Read on to learn about the differences between agnostic atheists and agnostic theists.
Before exploring the concepts of Atheistic and Theistic Agnosticism, and for the benefit of the reader, the following groundwork should be laid out.
Agnosticism is the stance and outlook of a lack of knowledge, more specifically a lack of knowledge of the existence of a higher power, deity, God-like figure.
Theism is the stance of a belief in a God or gods, some form of higher power or diety.
Atheism is the rejection of belief in the supernatural, denial of the existence of God.
Atheism holds such a taboo position in society even as those who label themselves as atheists rise in number that it becomes more frequently found that a person will choose the label of agnosticism. The answer of "I don't know" is more readily accepted without offending a person than to strictly state actual beliefs, and this means that atheists become even more taboo. Understanding this concept is fundamental to understanding the reasons that individuals choose to identify as agnostic versus atheist, and even between Theistic and Atheistic Agnosticism.
How does all this stack up against "pure" atheism?
At the basic level, an agnostic person simply claims not to know.
An atheist flat out denies that there is any supernatural deity in existence.
Any other behaviors accredited to atheists depend entirely on the individual, and are nothing but biased stereotypes.
Once the definition of each term is broken down, the difference between a theistic agnostic individual and an atheistic agnostic individual become quite simple. As agnosticism reflects on an actual lack of knowledge of the certainty of God existing in whatever form, an agnostic atheist is someone who does not believe that God exists at all, and further does not claim to have knowledge of God's existance with any certainty. To be plain, an agnostic atheist does not believe in or know if God exists.
On the other hand, a theistic agnostic person may believe in God(s) and yet still not know for sure that the entity they believe in truly exists. These types of people may form loose belief structures based not on a particular dogma, but rather lean on a belief that a higher power may exist but is as yet of unknown style, purpose or - in more simplistic terms - believe that there may be a God or Gods, but reserve applying any existing religion's name or faith style to their beliefs until presented with clear proof of who is right, if any one faith has properly identified the Divine.
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Freethought and Agnosticism: Lies in Literature: Joseph McCabe, Little Blue Book
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The Origins of Agnosticism, Professor Bernard Lightman, Acceptable Book
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PHILOSOPHIES OF RELIGION Theism Atheism Agnosticism
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I do understand. (e.g., Nietzsche and Schopenhauer were both atheists, yet believed in some form of spirituality...)
interesting article - voted up
John
Your article helped me give more definition to the beliefs of myself and others. Thank you.
I appreciate your bravery for coming out as an atheist. voted up.
Good hub, gamegirl. These are issues that demand clarification, and your efforts here are appreciated.
I, too, am an agnostic atheist. I acknowledge it's impossible to KNOW with complete certainty whether or not God exists, but I don't BELIEVE that he does.
I'm also an anti-theist. This means I not only reject theistic belief, I am actively opposed to it, and often debate the topic in public forums like this.
This is just an incredible awesome hub, because you put so much work into it. Personally I am a Humanist and Humanism is often confused with being an atheist. But I feel that I have sound scientific evidence of a Creator or a God. He never joined any man made religion and does not approve his misrepresentation of man-made holy books like the bible, etc. I am definitely not Christian for religions and religious institutions have contributed to millions of deaths with their religious warfare over the centuries. That is why appreciate your hub so much because it is sober and factual in the human belief system. There is so much to discuss about our personal feelings on this matter, your Steffan
This is great, thanks for the awesome read :)
I am a theistic agnostic myself, and oh man... it just doesn't blow over well with the parents who are hardcore "my way or the highway" Christians... but to each their own.
Agnosticism in general is great since it allows room for thought, theories, and logic while still being able to respect and understand other's religions :)
Seek-n-Find Level 5 Commenter 4 months ago
That is clarifying! Never thought of it that way. Thanks for sharing!