Agnostics

[Excited Penguin]

Since I declare as agnostic, let me answer.

First of all, I don't agree with the concept of soft atheism.  I don't think it's useful to declare that I lack a particular belief.  I respect that others think that's a meaningful view, and it's one of the two legitimate ways to express the triadic (a + theos + ism).  But for me, I will declare as atheist only when I have an active belief that there is not any kind of God in the universe, or a Deity which created it.  I'm not 100% there yet.

Second, in order to answer a question, it must be well-formed.  If you ask me if the Biblical God exists, I'd say I'm atheist-- I believe that God does not exist.  If you ask me if ANYTHING that could be called a GOD exists-- a super-massive nebulous intelligence, or a philosophical principle that guides human history, or a universe-creating Deity, an immortal living thing, or any of maybe dozens of other possible definitions I may not have thought of-- then I'm open to the possibility of those things, and have insufficient information to know whether they do or don't exist.  Some people call this "ignostic," but I prefer the more general term, "agnostic."

But in the end, "agnostic" means "I don't know."  And my response to "Is there a God" isn't "I lack that belief," it's "I don't know."  I'm literally agnostic on that issue.

First of all, I don't agree with the concept of soft atheism.

What does that mean, exactly?

I don't think it's useful to declare that I lack a particular belief. 

Yet you think it's useful to declare you lack a certain sort of beliefs in general? How is that any different?

I respect that others think that's a meaningful view, and it's one of the two legitimate ways to express the triadic (a + theos + ism).

Do you mean atheism? 

But for me, I will declare as atheist only when I have an active belief that there is not any kind of God in the universe, or a Deity which created it.  I'm not 100% there yet.

So, what you're telling me is, you are in the same boat as the rest of us atheists you just declared dumb for "disagreeing" with the concept that defines them (respectfully, of course), but you just choose to be pretentious about a bunch of words everyone else agrees with for no particular reason I can see either than a possible desire to stand out. Not that you provided any legitimate reason I could see.

Second, in order to answer a question, it must be well-formed.  If you ask me if the Biblical God exists, I'd say I'm atheist-- I believe that God does not exist.  If you ask me if ANYTHING that could be called a GOD exists-- a super-massive nebulous intelligence, or a philosophical principle that guides human history, or a universe-creating Deity, an immortal living thing, or any of maybe dozens of other possible definitions I may not have thought of-- then I'm open to the possibility of those things, and have insufficient information to know whether they do or don't exist.  Some people call this "ignostic," but I prefer the more general term, "agnostic."

But in the end, "agnostic" means "I don't know."  And my response to "Is there a God" isn't "I lack that belief," it's "I don't know."  I'm literally agnostic on that issue.

Again, this is something pretty much every atheist in the world would agree with. You just like to pretend you're somehow special, when you're not, by using a bunch of words very few use. Not to mention you're confusing the shit out of everyone involved, which is a very bad thing indeed, and not commendable at all.

As for that second paragraph, simply saying I don't know makes you an atheist. Why? Because your agnosticism on the issue directly points to a lack of belief. I lack a belief in aliens as well as in God, does that mean that I think there are no aliens in the Universe? No, it simply means I don't believe there are aliens in the Universe, since I don't have any reason to believe so(it's pretty much impossible to believe something as true or real without any reason).

I do not lack a belief, however, in the human brain, even though I've never seen one in real life.

See the difference?