Why is agnostic confused so much with atheist?

[jonikx]

AliKat1988

Dieu des hommes

I've rarely found much difference between an atheist and an agnostic beyond some pandering to semantics.

This. As far as I am concerned both equivocating the two and insisting their distinct is all about word games. Who actually cares what someone calls themselves? It doesn't tell you much about them either way.

thats the thing, people think that does tells you everything. If you are a believer then you are good, kind and will be pink. but if you say you're an agnostic you are probably going to burn for the rest of eternity.

[jonikx]

Blood Valkyrie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

This is probably why.

wow that is sooo not right. i dont think its like that

[jonikx]

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Fermionic

Do you believe in [a] (G/g)od?

I believe that it doesnt make a difference in my life if there is the presence of [a] (G/g)od. but I do believe it is important to other, like for example, it helps them live with a purpose.

That wasn't the question that was asked. The question was "do you believe in god(s)." It is a binary question...you either do, or you do not. And if your response is "I don't know"...that would go in the "do not" category...as it doesn't seem possible to believe something and not be sure if you believe it. So, if you believe, you are a theist. If you don't, you are an atheist. A/gnosticism answers an entirely different question...no matter how many times people try to assert that they are mutually exclusive, they simply aren't.

Well this is an example here. Life isn't Black and white. There is room for gray, blue, pink, red, etc.. I believe it doesnt make a difference if there is [a] (G/g)od or not. im still a human and i know my values as one.

[Blood Valkyrie]

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

This is probably why.

wow that is sooo not right. i dont think its like that

So, you don't think people like this exist?

[jonikx]

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

I think a lot of it has to do with what the terms mean and how people interpret them...and the fact that people don't realize that the two aren't mutually exclusive.

exactly. There is a lack of understanding the meaning of agnosticism

Eh...yes and no. There is misinformation for both agnosticism and atheism. People who claim they're agnostics tend to claim that atheists are making a positive statement that gods don't exist...and that's not true. Agnosticism is not a middle ground between atheism and theism. It is an answer to an entirely different question.

what question?

[jonikx]

Blood Valkyrie

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

This is probably why.

wow that is sooo not right. i dont think its like that

So, you don't think people like this exist?

of course they exist. there is a rainbow of people out there, its so wonderful. But i think agnosticism is a diffrent thing

[Rumblestiltskin]

jonikx

Well this is an example here. Life isn't Black and white. There is room for gray, blue, pink, red, etc..

While that's true, that analogy is faulty. The question is a binary one. A more proper analogy would categorizing everything into "black" and "not black." And everything falls into those categories. The same is true for a/theism and a/gnosticism.

Quote:

I believe it doesnt make a difference if there is [a] (G/g)od or not. im still a human and i know my values as one.

I understand that...however, that didn't answer the question. The question was "do you believe"...and you either do (theist) or you do not (atheist).

[Blood Valkyrie]

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

This is probably why.

wow that is sooo not right. i dont think its like that

So, you don't think people like this exist?

of course they exist. there is a rainbow of people out there, its so wonderful. But i think agnosticism is a diffrent thing

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agnostic

Well, here are the accepted definitions.

[Rumblestiltskin]

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

jonikx

Blood Valkyrie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

This is probably why.

wow that is sooo not right. i dont think its like that

So, you don't think people like this exist?

of course they exist. there is a rainbow of people out there, its so wonderful. But i think agnosticism is a diffrent thing

It isn't. A/gnosticism answers to knowledge....more specifically, "do you think it is possible to know if a god exists"...if you do, then you are a gnostic. If not, agnostic.

[Blood Valkyrie]

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

I think a lot of it has to do with what the terms mean and how people interpret them...and the fact that people don't realize that the two aren't mutually exclusive.

exactly. There is a lack of understanding the meaning of agnosticism

Eh...yes and no. There is misinformation for both agnosticism and atheism. People who claim they're agnostics tend to claim that atheists are making a positive statement that gods don't exist...and that's not true. Agnosticism is not a middle ground between atheism and theism. It is an answer to an entirely different question.

what question?

The question is, "Do you have a belief and knowledge in any god or gods at all?" (at least that's how I understand it, and I could be wrong)

[Fermionic]

jonikx

Fermionic

Do you believe in [a] (G/g)od?

I believe that it doesnt make a difference in my life if there is the presence of [a] (G/g)od. but I do believe it is important to other, like for example, it helps them live with a purpose.

How many positions can one adopt in response to the statement; "I believe God exists"

[jonikx]

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Well this is an example here. Life isn't Black and white. There is room for gray, blue, pink, red, etc..

While that's true, that analogy is faulty. The question is a binary one. A more proper analogy would categorizing everything into "black" and "not black." And everything falls into those categories. The same is true for a/theism and a/gnosticism.

Quote:

I believe it doesnt make a difference if there is [a] (G/g)od or not. im still a human and i know my values as one.

I understand that...however, that didn't answer the question. The question was "do you believe"...and you either do (theist) or you do not (atheist).

Well then I have no answer for that question for I believe i can't know and it doesnt make a differense. (can't not as in don't)

[Rumblestiltskin]

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

I think a lot of it has to do with what the terms mean and how people interpret them...and the fact that people don't realize that the two aren't mutually exclusive.

exactly. There is a lack of understanding the meaning of agnosticism

Eh...yes and no. There is misinformation for both agnosticism and atheism. People who claim they're agnostics tend to claim that atheists are making a positive statement that gods don't exist...and that's not true. Agnosticism is not a middle ground between atheism and theism. It is an answer to an entirely different question.

what question?

I kind of explained it in a different post, but I'll explain it in full here:

A/gnosticism is the answer to "do you believe it is possible to know if god exists." If you do, you are a gnostic. If not, agnostic.

A/theism is the answer to "do you believe god exists." If you do, you are a theist. If not, atheist.

The two are not mutually exclusive...as everyone falls into one of four categories:

Agnostic Atheist- doesn't believe in god/doesn't believe it's possible to know
Gnostic Atheist- doesn't believe in god/believes it's possible to know
Gnostic Theist- believes in god/believes it's possible to know
Agnostic Theist- believes in god/doesn't believe it's possible to know

Now, what you decide to label yourself is entirely up to you...however, this is what the terms mean, and this is how they're related.

[jonikx]

Blood Valkyrie

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agnostic

Well, here are the accepted definitions.

sounds good, but what do you think about it?

[Rumblestiltskin]

jonikx

Rumblestiltskin

jonikx

Well this is an example here. Life isn't Black and white. There is room for gray, blue, pink, red, etc..

While that's true, that analogy is faulty. The question is a binary one. A more proper analogy would categorizing everything into "black" and "not black." And everything falls into those categories. The same is true for a/theism and a/gnosticism.

Quote:

I believe it doesnt make a difference if there is [a] (G/g)od or not. im still a human and i know my values as one.

I understand that...however, that didn't answer the question. The question was "do you believe"...and you either do (theist) or you do not (atheist).

Well then I have no answer for that question for I believe i can't know and it doesnt make a differense. (can't not as in don't)

Just for the record, there is a difference in "not believing" and "claiming the opposite." Atheism isn't claiming gods don't exist...it is the lack of belief that they do. So if there isn't a god claim that you do believe, you're an atheist. The fact that you don't think you can know makes you an agnostic. And that you don't care makes you apathetic.