Hi, agnostic here :)

[Erin27]

I guess I'm currently agnostic, although that sounds like I've decided that we can't know whether God exists, which I haven't!
But I just have a lot of questions for both sides of the theism/atheism debate, and I'm hoping that joining forums like this one will help me find some answers.

For some background: I was raised as a Christian, but there seemed to be a lot of inconsistencies that bugged me, like the whole Trinity thing and the existence of suffering. So now I'm trying to start from the beginning and talk to people with lots of different beliefs on this topic. I also study philosophy, so naturally I'm interested in how far logic supports/undermines religious belief.

So, hi I'm looking forward to some interesting discussions with you all!

[The Industrial Atheist]

Welcome, Erin, hope you enjoy our forums.

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

[brewer]

Welcome Erin. Woof!

We have some answers, you may not like them all, or their delivery.

Jump in, the water is fine.

[Mystic]

Welcome!

I want you to one good rule of doubting and it's the most important rule of it without it is useless and detrimental: "The first rule about doubting is to know when to stop doubting".

To know when start doubting without knowing when to end cannot but end in confusion. It's good also to know when to start to doubt something, but it is useless without knowing when to stop.

Without knowing when to stop, you may start to doubt things you should not have even started to doubt!

And if you know when to stop, you will know when to start as well (ie. when conditions of knowing when to stop are not met).

I pray God guides you to himself and his chosen guides!

[Brian37]

I guess I'm currently agnostic, although that sounds like I've decided that we can't know whether God exists, which I haven't!
But I just have a lot of questions for both sides of the theism/atheism debate, and I'm hoping that joining forums like this one will help me find some answers.

For some background: I was raised as a Christian, but there seemed to be a lot of inconsistencies that bugged me, like the whole Trinity thing and the existence of suffering. So now I'm trying to start from the beginning and talk to people with lots of different beliefs on this topic. I also study philosophy, so naturally I'm interested in how far logic supports/undermines religious belief.

So, hi I'm looking forward to some interesting discussions with you all!

Hi, and welcome. 

If you know any history behind the word "agnostic" it was a horribly cobbled together prefix and suffix by Thomas Huxley.

"a" is the Greek prefix meaning "without" and "gnostic" meaning "knowledge" when taken as it really should neither tell you what you are "without knowledge" of. So to be used in a real pragmatic way it really should only be treated as qualifying word. 

"Agnostic theist", is basically someone who isn't sure that a god exists and would not give it a specific name or specific attributes, but lean to the "on" position.

An outright theist would be someone who calls themselves a Christian or Muslim Or Jew or Hindu.

The problem with his bad creation of that word is that he never considered time issues, in past claims, current claims and future possible discoveries. 

My current position is "off" . My "God/god/gods/diety/supernatural light switch is currently "off" on all past and current claims. I see no evidence for anything currently claimed much less anything of the past. I am only semantically or "technically" "agnostic" about the future. I am an atheist in "off" now but cant say if something in the future "might" change my mind, although I see that as fleetingly unlikely in my current lucid state.

I call myself an "agnostic atheist". 

Other than that, welcome. Be sure to barbecue kittens, record the NFL without their permission and rip the tags off of your mattress.

[Mister Agenda]

Welcome Erin! Thanks for introducing yourself. I hope you like it hear and look forward to experiencing your contributions.

[Isis]

[TheoneandonlytrueGod]

Erin

[mlmooney89]

Welcome!

As you see you will see both sides of the fence here. Stick around and there are some pretty heated debates which get into a lot of deep stuff. I'm sure a few convos in and you will pull to one side or the other. Unlike the religious ones though a lot of the atheists just hope you come to your decision through your own logic and feelings. Most of us won't care if you pick to be religious.

[Brian37]

Welcome!

As you see you will see both sides of the fence here. Stick around and there are some pretty heated debates which get into a lot of deep stuff. I'm sure a few convos in and you will pull to one side or the other. Unlike the religious ones though a lot of the atheists just hope you come to your decision through your own logic and feelings. Most of us won't care if you pick to be religious.

When faced with "That was then, this is now" I do care, politically and globally yes. But individually no. I won't disown family or my neighbor if they believe no, but if you vote and everyone does, I do pay attention. 

I have no desire to stab any believer to death, but if you ask me what I think of invisible friends, please don't ask me to lie to you. If you ask me what I think of injecting more religion into government, history shows why that it NOT a good idea and I'd say our most current examples of why that is not a good idea would be Saudi Arabia and Iran.