Comment Re:Why not? (Score 1) 845
"The Agnostic has a lack of belief, an Athiest believes in a negative. Frankly, Athiesm is far more of a religion than Agnosticism is. At least they are brave enough to admit that they just plain don't know, and tend to not really care either."
The problem with this is that an agnostic person can have a positive belief in something. They don't know what created everything, but they are certain something is out there. This would be called an agnostic theist. What you are describing about atheist would be that of what is referred to as a strong atheist, or gnostic atheist. Not all atheist make that claim. Weak atheist or agnostic atheist can and do hold to the origins of the word atheist. That being the "a" means without. So a theist has a belief in a deity, where the atheist is without a belief in a deity.
Now you can argue that if a person is asked "does god exist". Then that person can answer yes, no, or maybe. However if you change the wording just a little to "Do you have a positive belief in god" With this wording maybe doesn't really cut it. One either does or does not have a belief in god at that time. So maybe does not answer the question.
The problem with this is that an agnostic person can have a positive belief in something. They don't know what created everything, but they are certain something is out there. This would be called an agnostic theist. What you are describing about atheist would be that of what is referred to as a strong atheist, or gnostic atheist. Not all atheist make that claim. Weak atheist or agnostic atheist can and do hold to the origins of the word atheist. That being the "a" means without. So a theist has a belief in a deity, where the atheist is without a belief in a deity.
Now you can argue that if a person is asked "does god exist". Then that person can answer yes, no, or maybe. However if you change the wording just a little to "Do you have a positive belief in god" With this wording maybe doesn't really cut it. One either does or does not have a belief in god at that time. So maybe does not answer the question.
