# Atheist or Other? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437 "2011-10-12T17:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/1 "2011-10-12T17:26:46Z")
Want to see how many Atheists we have here. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/2 "2011-10-12T17:27:53Z")
Atheist checking in, although I don’t go to the meetings. I just don’t believe in them. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/3 "2011-10-12T17:43:12Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Atheist checking in, although I don’t go to the meetings. I just don’t believe in them. No toaster oven for you! ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/4 "2011-10-12T18:17:00Z")
Funny, whenever I’m asked my religion I always answer “other.” Every questionare I’ve seen that asks about religion has an “other” catagory, including yours. That is my religion. Whatever known religions you put on a list, my answer would still be “other.” But the bottom line is that I don’t believe there are any supernatural beings interacting with us, which probably means I would fit the Athiest mold, except I don’t want to join that group either. So I checked other. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/5 "2011-10-12T18:18:42Z")
If “other” = “religious to some degree” then I think “agnostic” would have been a good third choice. Because I consider myself [agnostic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism) - I am not in any flavor religious or even “spiritual” but can’t quite muster up the arrogance or certainty to declare that there is NO such thing as a god, goddess or some other entity in the universe. I voted “other” perhaps hastily but if that choice doesn’t include agnoticism then really my vote shouldn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/6 "2011-10-12T18:22:57Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > Funny, whenever I’m asked my religion I always answer “other.” Every questionare I’ve seen that asks about religion has an “other” catagory, including yours. That is my religion. Whatever known religions you put on a list, my answer would still be “other.” But the bottom line is that I don’t believe there are any supernatural beings interacting with us, which probably means I would fit the Athiest mold, except I don’t want to join that group either. So I checked other. It’s not like you’re joining a group. If you aren’t spiritual and don’t believe in anything supernatural… it does sound like you’re an Atheist. Or at least a Agnostic. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/7 "2011-10-12T18:32:06Z")
Actually, on re-reading that wiki link that includes a breakdown of different types of agnosticism, I guess I am an agnostic atheist. > [@](#): > > Agnostic atheists are atheistic because they do not have belief in the existence of any deity, and agnostic because they do not claim to know that a deity does not exist Basically - I don’t believe there is convincing proof for the existence of a deity or multiples thereof, so I don’t personally believe in one. However, there is also no irrefutable proof to my knowledge that there\* isn’t\* a deity. And there is certainly thousands of years’ worth of anecdotal data. Plus I think it’s sort of rude and presumptuous of me to utterly deny the reality of the collective belief of millions of people without any real evidence. Agnosticism feels either wishy-washy and concommital, or respectful and realistic, I can’t decide which. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/8 "2011-10-12T18:37:06Z")
I’m Buddhist. Buddhism allows for the existence of gods, but doesn’t consider them relevant to core Buddhist teachings. > [@chiroptera](#): > > Agnosticism feels either wishy-washy and concommital, or respectful and realistic, I can’t decide which. Penn Jillette argues in _Oh God_ that if you’re an agnostic then ‘you don’t know’. If you don’t know, then clearly you don’t believe. If you don’t believe, you’re an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/9 "2011-10-12T18:42:28Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > If “other” = “religious to some degree” then I think “agnostic” would have been a good third choice. > > Because I consider myself [agnostic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism) - I am not in any flavor religious or even “spiritual” but can’t quite muster up the arrogance or certainty to declare that there is NO such thing as a god, goddess or some other entity in the universe. > > I voted “other” perhaps hastily but if that choice doesn’t include agnoticism then really my vote shouldn’t count. I was personally just looking for atheists… I think many agnostics are really atheist that just have to point out that there MIGHT in some unfathomable way that’s beyond us, be a “God” or, “Gods” or, “Goddesses” or, “Gods that worship their own Gods”. I called myself a ‘hard agnostic’ at times times, and would wonder how cool it would be if we were all just simulations… But I know there’s no reason to believe in that because there’s no evidence. That’s why I am an atheist. There’s no reason to believe in God. (IMHO) ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/10 "2011-10-12T18:46:07Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Atheist checking in, although I don’t go to the meetings. … Don’t go to the meetings!? What the hell’s the point of being an atheist? With the moral degeneracy and wanton indulgence, it’s like an ice cream flavored orgasm. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/11 "2011-10-12T19:00:46Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Penn Jillette argues in _Oh God_ that if you’re an agnostic then ‘you don’t know’. If you don’t know, then clearly you don’t believe. If you don’t believe, you’re an atheist. That just made my head hurt. But I get it, nonetheless! > [@](#): > > I was personally just looking for atheists… > I think many agnostics are really atheist that just have to point out that there MIGHT in some unfathomable way that’s beyond us, be a “God” or, “Gods” or, “Goddesses” or, “Gods that worship their own Gods”. > > I called myself a ‘hard agnostic’ at times times, and would wonder how cool it would be if we were all just simulations… But I know there’s no reason to believe in that because there’s no evidence. That’s why I am an atheist. There’s no reason to believe in God. (IMHO) Aha. Me too - but just because I _personally_ have no reason to believe in god, or a higher power, or whatever, doesn’t mean it/he/she does not exist. In other words, I don’t consider myself smart or all-knowing enough to make the global assumption that there is no such creature. Could be there is, if only in some vague, Jungian collective-consciousness sort of way. I just cannot take the cognitive leap in presuming that my reality is the only true reality and anyone that disagrees with me and believes is, basically delusional. Because turn that around and a true atheist starts sounding like a fundie. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/12 "2011-10-12T19:02:33Z")
I don’t have a problem proclaiming my atheism, however, others certainly will. Because you decided to identify the responders, I suspect your numbers won’t be anywhere near an accurate account of atheists on this board. You had to know this when creating the poll, so what’s the real agenda? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/13 "2011-10-12T19:09:18Z")
Athiest atheist (twice as athier as the average atheist!) checking in here. I find the poll options extraordinarily hilarious. Extraordilarious? Yes, I do think. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/14 "2011-10-12T19:10:06Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I don’t have a problem proclaiming my atheism, however, others certainly will. Because you decided to identify the responders, I suspect your numbers won’t be anywhere near an accurate account of atheists on this board. You had to know this when creating the poll, so what’s the real agenda? No agenda… I started telling my friend about this board, (and he’s a believer), so I told him there were a lot of atheists on this board. I didn’t think people would mind being open about it, specifically since the Atheists are leading. I guess I WAS curious on who is and who isn’t, but I know it won’t effect the way I treat people. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/15 "2011-10-12T19:13:29Z")
Pantheistic Hedonist (Reformed), so I chose “Other.” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/16 "2011-10-12T19:15:52Z")
I also like the term apatheist: one who doesn’t know if there is a god and doesn’t particularly care. ---
**Author:** ![Sea\_Creature\_Turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Sea\_Creature\_Turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sea_Creature_Turner)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/17 "2011-10-12T19:23:19Z")
Agnostic. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/18 "2011-10-12T19:26:00Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I also like the term apatheist: one who doesn’t know if there is a god and doesn’t particularly care. OK, I officially love this and may use it in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/19 "2011-10-12T19:26:48Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Penn Jillette argues in _Oh God_ that if you’re an agnostic then ‘you don’t know’. If you don’t know, then clearly you don’t believe. If you don’t believe, you’re an atheist. I’m not sure I agree with the reasoning there, but I did once hear someone say that ‘agnostic’ is just a polite way of saying atheist. Either that or it was that an agnostic is just what someone calls themself when they’re to scared or too worried about offending other people to say Atheist. Again, I don’t agree 100% with that, but I’m quite sure it is the case for some people (that they say Agnostic just to not offend or have to defend themselves) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437/20 "2011-10-12T19:32:53Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Atheist checking in, although I don’t go to the meetings. I just don’t believe in them. I don’t believe in the meetings either. You did get your anti-rapture beanie, didn’t you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-or-other/599437.md?page=2)