Comments on: Coming Out http://40yearoldatheist.com/coming-out/2008/06/ Ramblings of a Middle Aged Guy Who Found Relief Through Non-Belief Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:27:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Christina http://40yearoldatheist.com/coming-out/2008/06/comment-page-1/#comment-389 Christina Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:55:24 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/?p=3#comment-389 I realize I have found this post nearly a year after it was posted, but I still wanted to comment on the difference between atheists and agnostics. I've discussed this quite a bit with both the religious and non-religious and I've read a bit about it as well. The most effective way for me to describe these labels is to not necessarily separate them. For instance, think of being as agnostic as a state of certainty in the mind--not sure, which would be the opposite of gnostic--sure. And a theistic label would have to do with one's actual belief. (This is better explained by others, of course, for I am still figuring it out for myself). This would allow the description of agnostic theists (those who are not sure if a god exists-but believe there is), gnostic theists (those who know that god exists and believe in him/her), agnostic atheists (those who are not sure if a god exists but believe there is no god) and gnostic atheists (those who know god does not exist and do not believe in him/her). For some reason, I think I heard Dawkins describe himself as an agnostic atheist--we can never be certain, but we can certainly not believe in something that has no evidence for its existence. I realize I have found this post nearly a year after it was posted, but I still wanted to comment on the difference between atheists and agnostics. I’ve discussed this quite a bit with both the religious and non-religious and I’ve read a bit about it as well. The most effective way for me to describe these labels is to not necessarily separate them.

For instance, think of being as agnostic as a state of certainty in the mind–not sure, which would be the opposite of gnostic–sure. And a theistic label would have to do with one’s actual belief. (This is better explained by others, of course, for I am still figuring it out for myself).

This would allow the description of agnostic theists (those who are not sure if a god exists-but believe there is), gnostic theists (those who know that god exists and believe in him/her), agnostic atheists (those who are not sure if a god exists but believe there is no god) and gnostic atheists (those who know god does not exist and do not believe in him/her). For some reason, I think I heard Dawkins describe himself as an agnostic atheist–we can never be certain, but we can certainly not believe in something that has no evidence for its existence.

]]> By: Jason R http://40yearoldatheist.com/coming-out/2008/06/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Jason R Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:21:08 +0000 http://40yearoldatheist.com/?p=3#comment-249 Its an old blog post, but I want to say that coming out as an Atheist is very mind opening experience.  Congratulations Its an old blog post, but I want to say that coming out as an Atheist is very mind opening experience. 

Congratulations

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