(June 26, 2014 at 3:38 pm)MindForgedManacle Wrote:(June 26, 2014 at 2:12 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: That's part of the problem when discussing atheism with people, because there is the misconception that atheism is antitheism. I simply do not accept the claims about God's existence, what would classify me as?
Anti-theism usually just means something like anti-religious. People can't have a misconception about what an atheist is (on the topic of belief in gods) if all they mean by 'atheist' is something like "one rejects the existence of gods", which is what most people mean by 'atheist'. And since words really have usage, not meaning (or essential meaning, rather), atheist "means" one who thinks gods do not exist.
You sound more like an agnostic to me.
No... I'm an agnostic atheist. Gnosticism addresses the epistemological quesiton, "can it be known". No, I don't think it can be known. Theism or atheism or antitheism address the theological quesiton "does one believe".
I don't claim to know about the existence/nonexistence of God(s), but I do not accept or believe the claims that they do. Agnostic atheist.
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson
- Thomas Jefferson