-From the etymology for "agnostic" in the OED.
Please note the late date of this event. Many so-called "atheists" in the history of philosophy were actually what we would call "agnostic" today. David Hume is an excellent example.
The answer to these questions lies in proof. If you need to see something to believe it, odds are you follow religion weakly, or choose none and follow Agnostic beliefs. The Bible, the Koran... most holy books for religion offer many answers, but without modern proof to uphold them. Where are God's miracles today? Why aren't blind Christians healed? Who knows?
The ever-popular theory of evolution also plays a major part in religious apathy. Charles Darwin came up with the theory of evolution by means of natural selection. Fossils can be traced back to the point where humans started differentiating from apes. How do creation myths come into play here? I guess you could say that the Creation in The Bible could be meant to be less literal than it is, but still, things don't seem to match up.
Another very good reason why I'm not afraid to act as an Agnostic is because what God is "supposed to be." If God is all-powerful and forgiving, what would he have against investigation and staying true to your convictions. As long as you live a moral life, I think the afterlife (or lack of) shouldn't be effected by choice of religion.
The theory of Athiesm is as unappealing as organized religion is, however. If proof is needed to believe, then shouldn't proof be needed to disbelieve? The point is, with Agnosticism, I feel happy knowing that whatever's out there, I'll accept it. I have no problem with organized religion, other than the fact that I don't prefer it. People need to live their own lives, and whatever makes you happy is great.
A person who believes that the human mind cannot know whether there is a God or an ultimate cause, or anything beyond material phenomena. Thus, because he believes that a human being cannot know whether God exists, an agnostic must believe that he does not know whether God exists. However, a person that believes he does not know whether God exists is not necessary agnostic. An agnostic cannot say whether they positively believe God exists or that they positively believe that God does not exist.
The term is derived from the 'unknown' God in Acts 17:23, and was first used in 1869, by Thomas Henry Huxley. The word is from a-, "without" + gnostic, which is from the Greek gnostikos (γνωστικος), which is from gnosis, "knowledge." In a letter dated March 13, 1881, Richard Holt Hutton wrote that the term 'agnostic' was "suggested by Prof. Huxley at a party held previous to the formation of the now defunct Metaphysical Society, at Mr. James Knowles's house on Clapham Common, one evening in 1869, in my hearing. He took it from St. Paul's mention of the altar to 'the Unknown God.'"
Most atheists are sensible enough to know that there really isn't a way to prove or disprove the existence of god(s). Of course, this kind of view is never actually practiced in the real world, as you would be completely incapacitated.
Say your friend calls you on the phone and asks "I'm going to come pick you up, where are you?"
Do you respond : "I am not really sure. It appears that I am home, but I could really be anywhere. While I have no specific memory of leaving my house, it's very possible that Evie Garland, star character from the 1987 TV Series 'Out of this World' played by Maureen Flannagan, has frozen time and displaced me into a completely different world that is for all intents and purposes the same as the old world, yet different because I have indeed been moved. So I don't know if I'm home or not, in fact, I'm not exactly sure that you're you, and that's kind of scary. I'm going to hang up now, that is, if this is actually a phone that I am holding. I'm not sure."
NO!
You say "I'M FUCKING GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING HOME DAMN YOU"
Maybe without the obscenities, although you should probably leave them in.
It seems to me that the only difference between an Agnostic and an Atheist that I have observed is generally politeness....
If you're agnostic it says to people: "Hey, I'm not really religious, but hey, there could possibly be a god, so you could be right, and I could be right, hey guy, who really knows? Lets go get a soda, an orange soda, it's on me."
Whereas being an athiest kind of says to people: "Hey, I sure am right, and you sure are wrong. I don't believe in god, and by extension of that, I don't believe in your god, or any god for that matter. As a matter of fact, your god is fake, and you are wrong. You get no orange soda. In fact, I'm going to go to your house and check your refridgerator for orange soda, and if you have any... I'm going to take it. That's right, you heard me. I'm going to take it. You will have no orange soda left."
It is unfortunate that I probably appear to be a very impolite person.
This is only what I've observed, mind you. I think i've met a few real agnostics and they stick out from the atheists in general because they state that they really don't care either way. That's cool with me
Agnostic can also be a person:
If, in a role playing game (or real life, depending on how you spin), everyone else begins to pray to their respective god or goddess and you feel remarkably out of place, it is a great release to improvise a prayer service to the great Lord Agnostic. Feel free to:
An example using EverQuest would be:
Shadow Knight: "Come to me, Innoruuk. Let my hatred of this pretender Dragon flow through my strikes! Bwhahah!" Druid: "..and may Tunare smile upon our attempt to slay the vile Lord Nagafen, for he hath bad breath, and hath not a single Shadow Knight eaten in several minutes." Cleric: "Tunare, may your loving hand guide our arrows to fly true and strike deep. Your wisdom grant our..." Guy Who Is Agnostic: "Hey Lord Agnostic! I just wanted to chat with you for a bit, before we go whack this dragon. I've got some spare time, since these idiots are busy putting messages on Tunare's answering trash can. Anywho, Agno, see that wood-elf over there? Think she'd be interested after the battle? If she's alive, that is. How're the odds for that?" Cleric: "...spellshapers the concentration to weave their mystic rites during the melee, and strength to those who will be in the dragon's breath and must suffer direct his fangs and claws. We ask this in your name." Guy Who Is Agnostic: "That bad, eh? What if I sacrifice the Cleric to your divine meat grinder, will that help? Hmm.. Okay." Warrior: "RARRRRRR! Rallos Zek, give me aid in TEARING THE HEADS OFF EVERYTHING I SEE! HAHA!" Guy Who Is Agnostic: "Inside this cave here, it's hard to tell if it's going to rain tomorrow. Can you give me some of that divine wisdom of yours? Ahh, interesting. Thanks: want me to light a cow on fire for you? Oh, right, it may upset Tunare, and Lord Agnostic, you know that would be a crying shame..."
Ag*nos"tic (#), a. [Gr. priv. + knowing, to know.]
Professing ignorance; involving no dogmatic; pertaining to or involving agnosticism.
© Webster 1913.
Ag*nos"tic, n.
One who professes ignorance, or denies that we have any knowledge, save of phenomena; one who supports agnosticism, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity, a future life, etc.
printable version chaos
Everything2 Help
