Recently I came across this article called “An Agnostic Manifesto: At least we know what we don’t know.” and it made me realize that there are just not enough articles, videos, dictionaries, or blogs on the internet yet explaining what agnostic means and what atheist means. By not knowing what these terms mean, the arguments the author makes (as like others who don’t know the definitions) are based on numerous faulty assumptions.
Lets start at the basics: the definitions of agnostic, atheist and their antonyms, gnostic and theist, respectively. From the Oxford Dictionary:
Theist – belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.
Atheist – a person who does not believe in the existence of God or gods
Agnostic – a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God
Gnostic – relating to knowledge, especially esoteric mystical knowledge
In summary, theism/atheism deals with holding a belief (positive or negative) and Gnostic/agnostic deals with holding knowledge in such a belief. A theist believes there is a god and an atheist disbelieves. An gnostic KNOWS their belief is true (thinks they can prove it) and agnostic doesn’t. Any person holds a position in both belief and knowledge of that belief. So…
- If you believed in a god and claim to know there is a god, you are a gnostic theist. (“I believe in God and I know he exists because the bible proves it.”)
- If you believe in a god and can’t claim to know there is a god, you are an agnostic theist. (“I believe in a god, but it is based on faith because I can’t prove it/it is beyond human understanding.”)
- If you can’t say you believe in a god and can’t claim to know there is a god, you are agnostic atheist (aka weak atheist). (“I don’t believe/know if there is a god because there isn’t enough evidence to prove or disprove god’s existence.”)
- If you can’t say you believe in a god and claim to know there is no god, you are a gnostic atheist (aka strong atheist). (“There is no god and I can prove there is no god.”)
When you take into account the hundreds (thousands?) of different gods out there, many theists would actually be gnostic atheists to those gods they don’t believe in, possibly cited their belief and knowledge in their god as evidence that the other gods do not exist. Even some religious groups, like Buddhism holds members that are atheists.
But WAIT! You say .. “but I don’t know if I believe or not because I have no knowledge, which is why I am an agnostic, not an atheist!” I don’t know either. So yes, you and I are agnostics, and so are many theists out there that , but unless you can say with confidence “I believe in god”, then you hold a position of disbelief. Still not clear. Let’s look at what belief, disbelief mean.
Belief – an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof; something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion; (belief in) trust, faith, or confidence in (someone or something.)
Disbelief – inability or refusal to accept that something is true or real.
So, if you do not have the confidence to believe something is true regardless of proof, you have the inability (or refusal) to believe, making it a disbelief and in the case of god, an atheist.
Try it out. It isn’t a bad word.
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