This is not me questioning the definition, im just interested in people's point of view, Im agnostic atheist in the sense that i dont believe there is a god, but if you can find me cold hard proof (not in the form of a book or blessing, or $25 phone call blessing at 4am in the morning, i hate those things.) then i just might believe it.

We've yet to uncover anything in physics or the nature of the universe that requires any sort of god. Unless your definition of god is the physical laws of the universe there's no reason to think one exists. In addition we have some biological wiring that makes us "flawed" in this area, just as our eyes are flawed.

There's no reason to believe any god exists. All the gods anyone has ever posited to me are at best ambivalent, but frankly seem insidiously evil to me. I'm not even sure there's a reason to wish there was a god (I suppose it's mostly the fear of death that causes it).

At any rate, atheist if I must pick one.

Interesting question, but I have to say none of the above. I just don't really care if there is or isn't a higher being. Some might say that's agnostic but I think agnostics are people who want proof yes or no. I don't care either way.

A lot of religious elements and beliefs are quite silly, but religion makes a lot of people happier and convinces them to strive to be better, so who am I to judge?

One can be nonreligious and still be a theist.
Also, one can be religious and an atheist.
The title seems to imply that is not the case.

Also, the title implies that agnosticism and atheism are mutually exclusive, though you do call yourself both so I'm thinking you just worded it poorly there or something.

Anyway, I'm a nonreligious agnostic atheist.

Agnostic or Gnostic here. The idea is that I don't know whether or not if there are any higher powers, but if there are, I find it highly unlikely that they would have much interest in humans - the Milky Way Galaxy is puny compared to the universe, let alone a possible multiverse, and any genuine deity would be hardly bothered sentience that is so tiny like us. At best, I think our galaxy would be considered a petri dish.

Yeah, I agree completely with this. I don't like the term atheist very much, though, because there shouldn't even have to be a word for it. I mean, is there a word for people who don't believe in ghosts?

The first thing he said was that he didn't want to argue definitions. Arguing semantics will add nothing to this discussion. People aren't going to be dictionary or academic precise in casual, open ended threads. I can't imagine that the OP was implying what you inferred. He probably just didn't want to write out a 3 page essay explaining the exact and precise differences between all the different types of belief systems and definitions, just so he could ask "what do you believe?" Easier to just let people answer for themselves using whatever terms, phrases, and definitions they choose...

In response to the prompt:

I would like my consciousness to continue after my body dies, but I am sure it will not. I do not believe that human sentience continues after death. We just stop thinking, forever. Whether there is a god or not is irrelevant to me. The only thing that matters to me is whether my consciousness will continue on. One form of this continuation would be "heaven." I do not believe such a continuation occurs. I hope it does, but I do not think it does.

Do you remember what it was like before you were born? That's what it's like after you die, except you are never born again. If I see convincing proof of God, I will next ask for convincing proof of a continuation of my consciousness after death, ie "heaven." Only then will I care or become a believer in some kind of deity.

Intelligent?

Unfortunately one has to define the terms (especially since the terms - especially agnostic - have become twisted from their original definitions) to make sense of someone's answer - otherwise someone's response has no meaning without explanation.

So classically the definition of agnostic has little to do with atheism - one can be agnostic and a theist - in fact most who believe in God do not believe they have definitive proof or that definitive proof is possible. They are agnostic theists. Likewise most atheists don't believe God exists (different more than semantically from believing God doesn't exist) and would say there is no proof either way. Further proof of the supernatural under an atheist worldview is definably unattainable (if one studies natural forces and natural causes one cannot find proof of the supernatural). Therefore it is logically impossible to be anything other than agnostic atheist. In today's parlance the meaning of the word agnostic has been butchered to be a wishy-washy response to the query do you believe in God? Agnosticism/Gnosticism has nothing to do with belief, only with knowledge and proof. However, some people try to use it as a middle ground between atheism and theism - unfortunately such middle ground doesn't really exist. Either one believes in the existence of God or gods or ... one doesn't. It's binary (okay one could believe in the non-existance of God I suppose, but I don't know any atheists who actually subscribe to that - I think that definition of atheism is where the mistaken, odd modern idea of agnosticism comes from).

Who is it who replied to the accusation that atheism is a religion with, "Atheism is a religion just like 'not collecting stamps' is a hobby!"?

I swear the term only exists because we must put people in little "buckets" and the religion or "what do you believe?" bucket is so important to so many people.

+1 for everything.

i love jesus

I'm pretty sure you'll find his girlfriend a lot more loveable.

I love carpet...


k sorry for trolling its just religion treads, they're awesome. period.

I didn't really think he meant that either, as he did call himself agnostic and atheist. Just felt like pointing it out. A lot of people seem to think of agnosticism as some middle ground between theism and atheism and it is a bit of pet peeve of mine, so I decided to throw that into there.