Even if you don’t know if there is milk in the fridge?
“I don’t know” is an answer. It’s long been the answer of those who recognize that it’s beyond the capability of man, in our corporeal state, to definitively answer the question of a God’s existance.
I, as an atheist, have taken a leap of faith similar to that taken by Christians, Muslims, Jews, Coptics, LDS and what have you. When you consider the plethora of beliefs active in the world today, you must consider that whatever the real deal is, (at the least) almost all of us are wrong.
But that’s not the point of the OP. I think Alan Smithee answered the question.
The operative word in the question “Do you believe in God?” is “believe,” not “know.” A belief does not hinge on knowledge. More precisely, belief is in dependent of knowledge.
There are two answers to the question, either “yes” or “no.” “I don’t know” is merely an evasion.
This is incorrect. It takes no faith not to believe in something.
Hunh. That makes perfect sense. I never actually dissected this question very carefully, and I should have. I know nothing about the existence of God, but I believe there must be something beyond simple biological cell division that makes us what we are.
Now I don’t know if I am an agnostic anymore.
I’d say you’re an atheist. Sure not everything is knowable, but some stuff just sounds made up and you can tell.
If someone tried to convice you of the Greek myths and Mt. Olympus, you’d laugh, not doubt.
You have the same feelings about modern religions, that people wanted an answer so bad they made one up.
What do modern religions have to do with God? :rolleyes:
I played with the idea of agnostic v’s atheist. I came down on the atheist side as I just don’t see how there could be anything supernatural about the world. Unexplained phenomenon, yes but no “god” etc.
I’d say that you are an agnostic atheist, as I am.
To be sure, belief is simply the self’s perception of knowledge.
It depends on which definition you pick.
I consider myself a weak (soft) atheist, which means that I lack belief in any and all gods. It does not mean that I defy god(s) or deny their existence, but that I have no evidence to say either way. This is a position that is usually called agnostic, but I disagree with that usage.
The term agnostic as meaning a-(not)-gnostic would mean a belief that the nature-not the existence-of god is not knowable.
This allows for the curious state of Theistic Agnosticism, where one can believe in a diety, but state that the nature of that diety is beyond human comprehension. It also allows for the state of Atheistic Agnosticism which, according to George H. Smith in Atheism - The Case Against God is a awkward position that implies intellectual cowardice.
If you weigh the same as a duck then you are an atheist. If not, they you’re an agnostic.
Now, about how ram’s bladders can be used to prevent earthquakes…
Keep it simple.
If you’re going to hell because you assert there is no god, you’re an atheist.
If you’re going to hell because you assert we can never know if there’s a god, you’re an agnostic.
Devout atheist here. See you in the hot place.