Re: virus: atheism and agnosticism

ken sartor (sartor@lanl.gov)
Mon, 15 Apr 1996 09:06:12 -0500


>In fact, belief is only possible AS LONG AS there is no possibility
>of knowing. If we could KNOW whether there is a God, we would no
>longer have to BELIEVE; indeed -- belief would be no longer an option.

Gee, i don't agree with this definition of belief... in particular
i think belief comes in when knowledge is uncertain but _not_
unknowable. Todays uncertainties are tommorrows textbook facts.
But maybe this is splitting hairs...

>Atheism and Agnosticism are very similar idealogies. I think that many
>"agnostics" say that they are agnostic just so they will not be called
>atheists. Thanks to Christianity, "Atheist" has become a loaded word,
>bringing endless negative connotations. When people hear the word

I feel more comfortable with the word agnostic myself. If implies the
type of uncertainty any belief on this topic already has, thus some may
find it redundant and weak. I also think the word heathen is quite
descriptive (altho lacking in completeness)... in particular it can be
useful when discussing religion with a 'believer'.