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Author Topic: Agnosticism vs. Atheism  (Read 831 times)

catowoman

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Agnosticism vs. Atheism
« on: December 07, 2011, 08:05:29 AM »
I thought this two are just one and the same. I thought before that an atheist is someone who is against God. I think that way because that's how it was explained to me by those who have ideas about it.  And from Matthew 12:30, it is written, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”

Then a friend introduces himself as an agnostic but not an atheist. It just confuses me because both the atheist and agnostic don’t believe in God. Where does the difference lay?
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lellipses

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Re: Agnosticism vs. Atheism
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2011, 03:56:38 PM »
Technically, agnosticism and gnosticism speak of one's knowledge on whether or not a god or gods exist, and theism or atheism speak of one's belief.  So you can be a gnostic theist, gnostic atheist, an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist.  But many people use the term agnostic to describe themselves when they're not sure whether gods exist or not.
An atheist is not someone who is against God or religion.  Anti-theist is a better term for that.  There are atheists (and theists for that matter) that are anti-theist, but being atheist or agnostic does not imply that.
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roxanne_101

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Re: Agnosticism vs. Atheism
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2011, 05:08:53 PM »
I'm glad to have this somewhat clarified. I also thought the two were the same for a long while.  They do seem to imply the same thing, but I can see how knowledge and belief are different. I guess for some people that are Christian, anyone who doesn't believe is perceived as an Atheist. It makes sense, but then it doesn't.
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