Enlightened [Elitist] Agnosticism

[Delysid]

The reverse argument would be just as strong: "Technically an atheist is either a gnostic atheist or an agnostic atheist; so if someone says she's an atheist, she's not really saying anything at all."

I'm both an atheist and an agnostic. I choose to self-identify as an atheist, but I don't see any reason to belittle people who self-identify as agnostic.

Eh, not necessarily. It really depends on which definition of the word agnostic you choose to use. If you're going by the actual definition of agnostic which is to not have knowledge of or to be unsure about something, then saying you're just an agnostic means nothing. You're agnostic to what? Cars? Bicycles? Cheesecake? What are you lacking knowledge of?

Atheist simply means one who is not a theist, or one who lacks belief in god. So it is obvious, by the base word theist, that ones lack of belief is pertaining to the word theist or theism. One is an A-THEIST which means they are not a theist, or they lack belief or have disbelief in god. One who is gnostic means they have knowledge of something. One who is agnostic is one who has no knowledge of or is unsure of.

It is only recently, and through common usage alone, that the term agnostic has become a way to describe a position on the idea of god, as much of a misconception that it may be. But if you want to be technical, theist or atheist would describe ones position on god. You either believe in god or you don't. Technically theists and atheists are both agnostic, since no one can technically know whether or not there is a god. So agnostic alone, unless you are going by the more modern, common usage definition of the word, really answers nothing.

However we're arguing semantics and I see the point you're attempting to make. But the idea here is you're either an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist, or maybe even an agnostic deist I suppose.

But the point I'm attempting to make is that to me, and to many other agnostic atheists or, atheists, claiming you're agnostic does not really mean anything. You're agnostic to WHAT? So many people who simply go by the common usage definition seem to think that they're elite or smarter by claiming agnosticism because who can REALLY KNOW, right? Well I call bullshit, because obviously no one really knows and no one is really claiming to know besides many of the theists. So to consider atheism an arrogant position because we can't really know, all the while having this air of snobbishness while calling yourself, "just an agnostic" is the real arrogant position. Almost more arrogant than claiming to be a Christian who KNOWS there is a god. Almost.