I never shifted the burden...I never even mentioned the word "certainty"...Paul did.
The "conclusively established" section of the description, like the "belief" or "disbelief" stance, is a personal conviction. Think of it this way:
1) Do you believe that gods exist?
- If Yes, goto 2.
- If No, goto 3.
- If Uncertain, you are an Apatheist.
2) Do you hold that the existence of gods can be conclusively established (by any means you know of)?
- If yes, you are a Gnostic Theist.
- If no, you are an Agnostic Theist.
3) Do you hold that the non-existence of gods can be conclusively established (by any means you know of)?
- If yes, you are a Gnostic Atheist.
- If no, you are an Agnostic Atheist.
Some people will argue that various theological arguments conclusively establish God exists (i.e. Cosmological, Argument from Design, etc). These people are Gnostic Theists. Others will reject these arguments and say they are not conclusive, but say that they still believe in a deity. These people are Agnostic Theists.
Same with the atheism side of the argument.
It doesn't matter if you are amazingly 99.9999% certain that Gods exist; if you don't think there are any arguments that conclusively establish the existence of Gods, you are agnostic.
The "conclusively established" section of the description, like the "belief" or "disbelief" stance, is a personal conviction. Think of it this way:
1) Do you believe that gods exist?
- If Yes, goto 2.
- If No, goto 3.
- If Uncertain, you are an Apatheist.
2) Do you hold that the existence of gods can be conclusively established (by any means you know of)?
- If yes, you are a Gnostic Theist.
- If no, you are an Agnostic Theist.
3) Do you hold that the non-existence of gods can be conclusively established (by any means you know of)?
- If yes, you are a Gnostic Atheist.
- If no, you are an Agnostic Atheist.
Some people will argue that various theological arguments conclusively establish God exists (i.e. Cosmological, Argument from Design, etc). These people are Gnostic Theists. Others will reject these arguments and say they are not conclusive, but say that they still believe in a deity. These people are Agnostic Theists.
Same with the atheism side of the argument.
It doesn't matter if you are amazingly 99.9999% certain that Gods exist; if you don't think there are any arguments that conclusively establish the existence of Gods, you are agnostic.
