Agnosticism TOTW [15.01.07 - 21.01.07]

[CPL]

Being agnostic myself, I find it weird how in Lebanon there are only religious and atheists and no agnostics at all.

However, agnosticism is from what I find, the most rational spiritual decision.

Here are some related issues to know more about it:

Ag`nos´ti`cism
1. agnosticism - a religious orientation of doubt; a denial of ultimate knowledge of the existence of God; "agnosticism holds that you can neither prove nor disprove God's existence"

2. agnosticism - the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge

Ag`nos´tic
Noun 1. agnostic - a person who doubts truth of religion

Adj. 1. agnostic - uncertain of all claims to knowledge

Philosophy of Agnosticism

If there is anything as misunderstood and misrepresented as atheism, it must be agnosticism. There are many misconceptions about agnosticism, agnostics, and the reasons why anyone would adopt a position of agnosticism in the first place. This is unfortunate, because whether agnosticism is conceived of as a philosophy or simply an isolated position on the existence of gods, it is eminently reasonable and defensible.

Agnosticism plays an important role in the philosophy of religion because it poses a serious challenge to those theologians and philosophers who argue that knowledge about gods is possible. If agnosticism can be successfully defended as being at least rational, then the efforts of many religious apologists (especially those who try to prove the existence of God) can be called into serious question, if not rejected entirely as a castle built upon sand.

Agnosticism & Thomas Henry Huxley
The term "agnosticism" itself was coined by Professor T.H. Huxley at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society in 1876. For Huxley, agnosticism was a position which rejected the knowledge claims of both "strong" atheism and traditional theism. More importantly, though, agnosticism for him was a method of doing things.

Agnosticism & Robert Green Ingersoll
Robert Green Ingersoll was a famous and influential proponent of secularism and religious skepticism during the mid- to late 19th century in America. He was a strong advocate both of the abolition of slavery and women's rights, something that was rather unpopular. The position which really caused him problems, however was his strong defense of agnosticism and his stringent anticlericalism.

Philosophic Origins of Agnosticism
Although Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term agnosticism, it did not spring fully-formed from his mind. On the contrary, Huxley was relying upon a long philosophic tradition of religious and epistemological skepticism when he argued that we should approach the question of the existence of God in the "agnostic" fashion he described.

Source: http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQ...philosophy.htm

[Omega_leb]

u're not the only one ya cpl...that dosen't mean i am 2!

[violin]

how can u be in doubt for so long ?

[CPL]

how can you be in faith for longer?

[violin]

hehe i expected heik reply

bass the thing is that faith is so easy and relaxing
while "doubt" for me is like being lost between 2 things.
anyway it could be different for you
.......

[confirm password]

Originally Posted by violin

hehe i expected heik reply

bass the thing is that faith is so easy and relaxing
while "doubt" for me is like being lost between 2 things.
anyway it could be different for you
.......

Yes, faith is easy and relaxing because you don't have to think. You just accept without questioning :) While I myself do not follow an organized religion, I believe every person whether believer or non-believer should question pre-existing ideas. Personally, I'd rather torment myself with questions rather than live like a sheep.

[violin]

Originally Posted by confirm password

Yes, faith is easy and relaxing because you don't have to think. You just accept without questioning :) While I myself do not follow an organized religion, I believe every person whether believer or non-believer should question pre-existing ideas. Personally, I'd rather torment myself with questions rather than live like a sheep.

well if one believes in God this doesnt mean he is followin a religion.

one can start with a point of faith (that God exists) and then question other things concerning God, his nature, the point of our existence; there are many questions.

what i meant concerning being in doubt all the time
is that i my self can be in doubt for a period of time but not all the way.

i dont see why u consider Faith as being like a sheep
some might argue that relying too much on logic is like having faith in logic (can u prove that logic is true without using a logical argument)
if u look around, every person has at least faith in one thing (maybe faith in his own power or ...)

[confirm password]

Originally Posted by violin

well if one believes in God this doesnt mean he is followin a religion.

one can start with a point of faith (that God exists) and then question other things concerning God, his nature, the point of our existence; there are many questions.

Well I agree with you and these are the things I think about!

what i meant concerning being in doubt all the time
is that i my self can be in doubt for a period of time but not all the way.

True, but how do you know you'll stop being in doubt and you reach an answer you're satisfied with? I could finally find spiritual comfort in a year, five years, fifty or never. I really don't know, and it seems odd you're confident you won't always be in doubt.

i dont see why u consider Faith as being like a sheep
some might argue that relying too much on logic is like having faith in logic (can u prove that logic is true without using a logical argument)
if u look around, every person has at least faith in one thing (maybe faith in his own power or ...)

I did not mean to make it sound like I was ridiculing people who have faith in their religion. But it is much more probable that you find believers who don't question and accept blindly (and are led easily- think Lebanon with all its sects and leaders) rather than believers who do not take things literally and might even disagree with some aspects of the religion.

And logic can't solve everything :) I never made that claim. If it could then we would have solved a lot of the answers that have been plaguing us since the dawn of mankind, and end of story. I believe there is some supreme higher being out there (or more) responsible for why we're here. I don't believe that any of the religions are the "right and only" one. I haven't found any religion I'd like to follow as there is always something about a religion that would **** me off. So I'm trying to make sense of things on my own. Hope this explained it better.

[violin]

Hope this explained it better.

yep :D

[Incognito]

I view Agnosticism as the easy way out.

Understanding faith requires considerable devotion of the brain and will. You are not free if you worship God, you are bounded by moral obligations.

Why bother with it when having no answers and no restrictions is easier?

Agnosticism proves that ignorance and laziness is bliss. For some.

Frankly, I see one who lives without a sense of spirituality or faith as being void of something incredibly important to humanity.

I reiterate that the above is merely my own opinion.