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RE: What is in a label?
January 1, 2009 at 2:50 pm
(January 1, 2009 at 9:37 am)Kyuuketsuki Wrote: (January 1, 2009 at 1:29 am)puglover Wrote: I have been thinking about what I believe and don't believe. At times I find it difficult as to whether to call myself atheist or agnostic. I am starting to look rather silly on my blog because one minute I will say I am atheist and another agnostic. At times, I might rather say I have no religion. I disbelieve in God without knowing for sure - agnostic atheism!
Given that the fucker won't come out and play, how can anyone know for sure? In a nutshell that's the problem I have with people who seem reluctant to classify themselves as atheist.
Kyu
Some days I'm a 'atheist' if you want the truth, but I know that's when I'm pissed off that He's not coming out to play, as you put it. Why do you have to classify yourself as anything? If you're unsure, you're unsure. 
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RE: What is in a label?
January 1, 2009 at 3:43 pm
(January 1, 2009 at 2:50 pm)CoxRox Wrote: (January 1, 2009 at 9:37 am)Kyuuketsuki Wrote: Given that the fucker won't come out and play, how can anyone know for sure? In a nutshell that's the problem I have with people who seem reluctant to classify themselves as atheist.
Some days I'm a 'atheist' if you want the truth, but I know that's when I'm pissed off that He's not coming out to play, as you put it. Why do you have to classify yourself as anything? If you're unsure, you're unsure.
Maybe I'm being picky but let's just make it clear that I never referred to your god or any other as "He" since I feel it gives greater weight to the concept than it deserves.
Because it's a label nothing more ... if you believe in a god you're a "theist", if you don't you're an "atheist" and I really don't accept the validity of "not knowing" in this context.
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RE: What is in a label?
January 1, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Out of curiosity, why do you not accept the validity of 'not knowing'? Does this only apply to a would-be supernatural being/thingymebob/absent fucker or to anything at all?
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RE: What is in a label?
January 1, 2009 at 4:33 pm
No no, he means the knowledge issue is separate from the theism/atheism label. Theism is believing in supernatural deities, atheism is not believing it. It is not the belief that supernatural deity doesn't exist. Knowledge is the gnostic factor, you either know it or you don't know if one exists, gnostic or agnostic. So being sure or not does not come into play for the theistic atheistic question.
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RE: What is in a label?
January 1, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Ok, I get you. Sorry. I'm still interested in Kyu's statement:
''In a nutshell that's the problem I have with people who seem reluctant to classify themselves as atheist.''
What are you getting at here Kyu? Sorry if I've missed your point here.
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RE: What is in a label?
January 2, 2009 at 1:45 am
(This post was last modified: January 2, 2009 at 4:33 am by puglover.)
Labels at times work to my advantage and sometimes to my disadvantage. I often get asked what my beliefs are and often to save a long discussion (i might not have the time to answer) I give just a label. A label also helps me relate to others and makes me feel included. In a sense saying 'I don't know' it also a label and I don't feel that is completely fits me either. Some parts I do know and others I do not. I don't know it all and I think I've met someone that does.
Agnostic Atheist is an unheard of term to me. I told somebody today that I was an agnostic atheist and they gave me an odd look.. she didn't understand what I meant and thought that 'atheist' and 'agnostic' were seperate words.
[And blargh after thrashing with my housemate with many games of chess my ego got ahead of me and I wasn't concentrating when I played some games with anoter mate.. I lost so bad  ]
![[Image: geelong_football_club.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.prowess.com.au%2Fimages%2Fgeelong_football_club.jpg) My site: http://puglover.org
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RE: What is in a label?
January 2, 2009 at 4:34 am
Of course they are separate words, and agnostic atheist is in fact pretty much the default position for most atheists. Labelling yourself that way is not wrong at all. If I wasn't a Pastafarian I would be an agnostic atheist as well. 
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RE: What is in a label?
January 2, 2009 at 4:36 am
(This post was last modified: January 2, 2009 at 4:42 am by puglover.)
why would an atheist take a default poisition?
what is the difference between an agnostic atheist and an atheist?
oh God.. now i am back to not knowing who I am.. can't I just say my name is Rebecca!
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RE: What is in a label?
January 2, 2009 at 4:44 am
(This post was last modified: January 2, 2009 at 4:47 am by leo-rcc.)
You don't get it is seems. The default position is agnostic (because you dont really KNOW if a deity exists or not) atheist. The other position for an atheist would be a gnostic (he/she claims that he KNOWS a deity doesn't exist) atheist (therefore not believing).
Gnostic= what do you know
Theism= what do you believe.
On the other side there are agnostic theists (don't know for sure but believe anyway) and gnostic theists (knowing for sure and therefore believing)
And you knowledge and beliefs on a single matter do no define who you are, so you will always be Rebecca.
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RE: What is in a label?
January 2, 2009 at 4:47 am
(This post was last modified: January 2, 2009 at 4:57 am by puglover.)
do I exist? lol
(edit: I just asked this question to hide the fact I don't really understand all these terms and I have to go google rofl but it still is an alright question i suppose lol)
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