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Whats with all the Agnostics?

Ive noticed quite a few agnostics becoming quite vocal and opinionated recently with statements like "I dont know...and neither do you!". To me, agnosticism is exactly like any religion, twisting and rationalizing excuses for religion to be a viable alternative to reason, albeit with agnosticism a "live and let live" seems to more be the idea. What really gets me, though is that insipid argument in which they state that atheism requires as much faith as religion, and that Agnosticism is the only non-faith movement. Its BULLSHIT, of course. We are all atheists about the flying spaghetti monster and a celestial teapot, and yet we do not have "Faith" those things do not exist. Faith is a positive action where you believe in something that clearly does not exist. (the more clear it is that something exists, the less faith is required)

Anyway, I am as passionately anti agnostic as I am anti theist, because I see agnosticism as a gateway drug to religious delusion, and it only aids religion by turning a blind eye to it.

Thoughts? Am I alone in this? Should we ridicule agnostics on A/N until they leave or change their minds?

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Permalink Reply by Techninja on May 3, 2010 at 12:49pm

I agree with one of the first replies that Agnosticism is basically fence sitting, but I'd rather have a bunch of those than theists. Agnostics are at least questioning their faith or lack of. They're trying to use their critical thinking, and I don't see anything wrong with that. You must remember that there are still millions of "sheep" out there that are afraid to question their faith, or to even be brave enough to say "I don't know". To lots of people, saying "I don't know" is unacceptable, because it makes them feel like a leaf at the mercy of the wind. To them, their God is stable, and that's comforting to them. That's a hard thing to let go of, so for an agnostic to admit they don't know is pretty stellar to me. Good for them.

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Permalink Reply by Carrot Hare on May 3, 2010 at 8:59pm

I'm anti anything that has to do with the supernatural so i'm totally on the boat with you. Funny enough I don't really think people who "know" god exists are really believers at all. Isn't believing in god about faith? Having faith means you're putting your passion into following god but keeping an open mind to the idea that he might not be there. Keeping your love for god beyond all doubt (and proof) that he doesn't exist. When people start to insist that YES there is a god and he definitely does exist? Well what part of that is faith?

Man religious people piss me off....

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Permalink Reply by Alex Clarke on May 4, 2010 at 2:10am

The problem is that so many people misunderstand what an agnostic really is, it's just someone who believes there is insufficient evidence to know for sure that god does or doesn't exist. You can be agnostic and a theist or agnostic and an atheist I for one am an agnostic atheist because I know that if somehow an omnipotent being did exist they could disguise their own existence, however I consider that to be so far fetched as to be impossible so I still don't believe in any gods, atheism is the default position. So no we don't have faith, the problem as I see it is that some people are too scared to actually label themselves as an atheist because of the persecution we suffer and so label themselves agnostic without really understanding what it means.
Hope that helped.
Alex

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Permalink Reply by Bex Holmes on May 4, 2010 at 7:38am

Hi,

I agree with your stance, but I reckon Agnosticism is better from our point of view. You wont see agnostic fundamentalists blowing up cars because of their beliefs, therefore I reckon its better to leave them to it rather than overtly being pushy to get them to come around to atheism as it could send them back to religion. Also for religious individuals who are doubting their beliefs agnosticism in many instances is a stepping stone to atheism, therefore it has good uses.

What do you reckon?