• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Debate Politics Religion Census

What religion are you


  • Total voters
    110
Which is dramatically below the 85% who claim Christianity in the U.S. alone.

Yep, but relatively high I would think for this type of place.
 
Maybe more, because "other" doesn't necessarily equal agnostic.

And unless those agnostics still actively believe in some sort of deity, they're atheists to boot.
 
Atheist means you believe there is no God .... Agnostic means you don't know.

Agnostic means you claim no knowledge, atheist means you claim no belief. It is quite possible to be an agnostic atheist.
 
One couldn't be both an Agnostic and an Atheist, as an Atheist would deny even the possibility.

It makes as much sense to claim Agnostic Atheism as it does Agnostic Theism. These terms are exclusive of each other, or why the distinctions at all?
 
One couldn't be both an Agnostic and an Atheist, as an Atheist would deny even the possibility.

It makes as much sense to claim Agnostic Atheism as it does Agnostic Theism. These terms are exclusive of each other, or why the distinctions at all?

Agnosticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agnostic theism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agnostic atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


No. Both terms make perfect sense. Agnostic means "without knowledge". If one has faith in God, but doesn't pretend to have verifiable proof, then one is without knowledge. An agnostic maintains that the truth or falseness of god can't be known. That's what "faith" is. Taking it without being able to "know" it's true.

An Agnostic Theist is someone who believes in a god, but doesn't claim to have knowlege of that god.
An Agnostic Atheist is someone who believes there is no god, but doesn't claim to have knowledge of that.

It's fair to say that when we use the word "agnostic", it's short for "agnostic atheist".
 
Agnosticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agnostic theism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agnostic atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


No. Both terms make perfect sense. Agnostic means "without knowledge". If one has faith in God, but doesn't pretend to have verifiable proof, then one is without knowledge. An agnostic maintains that the truth or falseness of god can't be known. That's what "faith" is. Taking it without being able to "know" it's true.

An Agnostic Theist is someone who believes in a god, but doesn't claim to have knowlege of that god.
An Agnostic Atheist is someone who believes there is no god, but doesn't claim to have knowledge of that.

It's fair to say that when we use the word "agnostic", it's short for "agnostic atheist".
Contingent upon empirical definitions that render such distinctions meaningless, the substance of faith being something intangible.
 
Contingent upon empirical definitions that render such distinctions meaningless, the substance of faith being something intangible.

But some people aren't working in terms of faith. They think they have knowledge. They think that, because the feel it so strongly and believe it with such determination, that those feeling and beliefs are equal to knowledge. Those people are annoying. They're convinced they know things that they cannot know.

That's a different thing than someone working on faith, without the militant belief that they've personally solved the oldest question in the universe. Theism is with god. Atheism is without god. Gnostic is with knowledge. Agnostic is without knowledge. Those mix up pretty well.
 
But some people aren't working in terms of faith. They think they have knowledge. They think that, because the feel it so strongly and believe it with such determination, that those feeling and beliefs are equal to knowledge. Those people are annoying. They're convinced they know things that they cannot know.

That's a different thing than someone working on faith, without the militant belief that they've personally solved the oldest question in the universe. Theism is with god. Atheism is without god. Gnostic is with knowledge. Agnostic is without knowledge. Those mix up pretty well.
No one claims to know something they don't know. To the faithful, faith is knowledge. Only, not in any empirical sense, which frustrates Atheists who claim that nonesuch is possible without an empirical yardstick.

My point about Agnosticism is that, since it allows for inclusion in both Theistic and Atheistic senses, it is meaningless in combination, or there's no difference between a Theist and an Atheist. I'm surprised Wiki doesn't make that clear.
 
If you believe in the Christian "god" then you're an atheist towards the Greek deities, the tribal deities, etc. That makes one an atheist.

After evidence is presented, you don't "believe;" you accept the evidence or you don't.

No it doesn't, because you still believe in the Christian God, so you're a theist, an Atheist means ... NO GOD, not no specific god, no god period.

THe agnostic doesn't believe the evidence is there either way, that's why he with holds judgement.
 
Agnostic means you claim no knowledge, atheist means you claim no belief. It is quite possible to be an agnostic atheist.

Atheist means "no God" meaning you claim there is NO GOD.
 
Atheist means "no God" meaning you claim there is NO GOD.


No it doesn't. It's no belief. Theism is the belief in god, atheism is no belief in god.

Sorry, but that's the definition. You don't get to redefine terms of English to fit them into a presupposed argument.
 
OMG! This ridiculous semantics "Oh yes it is!" "Oh no it isn't!" debate is still going on? I know it's a slow news week, but surely there are better things to debate than that.
 
Still, 66.6 % profess some faith.

I can't speak for Risky, but I think it's fair to say that if you're trying to recruit Buddhists into an us vs. them, faithful vs. faithless dualistic set-to, you probably need to count us out.
 
OMG! This ridiculous semantics "Oh yes it is!" "Oh no it isn't!" debate is still going on? I know it's a slow news week, but surely there are better things to debate than that.

And here you are commenting on it. I know it's a slow news week, but surely there are better things to do than comment on repetitive arguments.
 
I don't think "religious" accurately describes my faith so I didn't vote. Religion to me is a man-made culture or community where much of the time extra-Biblical human rules and customs are imposed upon people but presented as God ordained in order to control people. Jesus gave a description of religion in Mark 7:7 trough 7:14. I don't think religion just applies to fake Christianity or in the example Jesus cited, fake Judaism but any group that exploits people's desire to seek, serve and have a relationship with God or a desire to embrace "truth", whatever they think truth to be, by offering a counterfeit control club that either completely ignores the truth, which is God's Word the Bible, or in practice relegates it to being less significant than the club's rules, teachings and customs.
 
And here you are commenting on it. I know it's a slow news week, but surely there are better things to do than comment on repetitive arguments.

I commented because I'm subscribed to this thread which is, potentially, a very interesting thread, and it was, until the question of angels dancing on pinheads was raised.
 
I can't speak for Risky, but I think it's fair to say that if you're trying to recruit Buddhists into an us vs. them, faithful vs. faithless dualistic set-to, you probably need to count us out.

Not sure that's what I'm doing. Merely noting the number who profess a faith.
 
No it doesn't, because you still believe in the Christian God, so you're a theist, an Atheist means ... NO GOD, not no specific god, no god period.

THe agnostic doesn't believe the evidence is there either way, that's why he with holds judgement.

You're an atheist towards all gods but that one "god." It's really not a hard concept to grasp.
 
Not sure that's what I'm doing. Merely noting the number who profess a faith.

But to what end? What's the point of noting a point of difference so arbitrary? Couldn't you point out that participating in this poll shows us that we all share an interest in theological matters? Which we must, to have bothered to participate, right?

It's also pointless trying to include Buddhists in any 'coalition of the faithful against the atheistic hordes'* given that it's perfectly possible to be a deist, theist or an atheist and still be a Buddhist.

*I'm not saying that's what you were doing, I'm exaggerating a little for rhetorical purposes.
 
You're an atheist towards all gods but that one "god." It's really not a hard concept to grasp.

Jesus christ, ok look, if I'm asexual, that means I'm not into sex period, If I'm attracted to women it doesn't mean that well I'm striaght but I'm asexual to men, I'm NOT asexual ....

If I'm an anarchist, it means I'm against all governments, it doesn't mean I'm an archist when it comes to republicanism but an anarchist when it fascism, it means I believe in NO GOVERNMENT.

If I'm apolitical, it means I'm NOT political, not I'm political when it comes to some countries and not to others.

If you're an Atheist, it means A-THEOS ... NO GOD(S), none, 0 zilch. Look it up. It means you believe there ARE NO GODS.

If you're Agnostic, it means you are without knowledge, when it comes to Gods ... you DON'T KNOW, you don't disbelieve .... you don't believe.

If you're a Theist, you believe there IS at least 1 God.
 
Jesus christ, ok look, if I'm asexual, that means I'm not into sex period, If I'm attracted to women it doesn't mean that well I'm striaght but I'm asexual to men, I'm NOT asexual ....

If I'm an anarchist, it means I'm against all governments, it doesn't mean I'm an archist when it comes to republicanism but an anarchist when it fascism, it means I believe in NO GOVERNMENT.

If I'm apolitical, it means I'm NOT political, not I'm political when it comes to some countries and not to others.

If you're an Atheist, it means A-THEOS ... NO GOD(S), none, 0 zilch. Look it up. It means you believe there ARE NO GODS.

If you're Agnostic, it means you are without knowledge, when it comes to Gods ... you DON'T KNOW, you don't disbelieve .... you don't believe.

If you're a Theist, you believe there IS at least 1 God.

You either have to change theist to an statement of knowledge or atheist to a statement of belief to get your definitions to match.
 
But to what end? What's the point of noting a point of difference so arbitrary? Couldn't you point out that participating in this poll shows us that we all share an interest in theological matters? Which we must, to have bothered to participate, right?

It's also pointless trying to include Buddhists in any 'coalition of the faithful against the atheistic hordes'* given that it's perfectly possible to be a deist, theist or an atheist and still be a Buddhist.

*I'm not saying that's what you were doing, I'm exaggerating a little for rhetorical purposes.

Point? Not sure there is a large one. Mostly just surprising to me.

And yes, you're right concerning a Buddhist, which is actually something I like about that ideology. ;)
 
You either have to change theist to an statement of knowledge or atheist to a statement of belief to get your definitions to match.

Both theist and atheist are claims of knowledge/belief .... the 2 are not mutually exclusive,

Agnostic is witholding belief since you claim knowledge cannot be had on the matter as of now, or you don't have access to enough knowledge to take a stand.

But this thing where you're saying "you're an atheist about other Gods" is as rediculous as saying "your asexual but only for certain people."
 
Jesus christ, ok look, if I'm asexual, that means I'm not into sex period, If I'm attracted to women it doesn't mean that well I'm striaght but I'm asexual to men, I'm NOT asexual ....

If I'm an anarchist, it means I'm against all governments, it doesn't mean I'm an archist when it comes to republicanism but an anarchist when it fascism, it means I believe in NO GOVERNMENT.

If I'm apolitical, it means I'm NOT political, not I'm political when it comes to some countries and not to others.

If you're an Atheist, it means A-THEOS ... NO GOD(S), none, 0 zilch. Look it up. It means you believe there ARE NO GODS.

If you're Agnostic, it means you are without knowledge, when it comes to Gods ... you DON'T KNOW, you don't disbelieve .... you don't believe.

If you're a Theist, you believe there IS at least 1 God.

Asexual can also mean without sexual organs and reproduction without conjoining of male + female gametes.

And yes, you could be an anarchist when it comes to a preference over certain other political systems. Too, you could be apolitical to Bahrain, but political in the USA's matters.

And no, atheism is a lack of belief in a god. You may adopt that silly Christian one, but you're still an atheist when it comes to the rest of them.

I'm not sure why you keep adding agnostic to the list, I'm not going to argue with you on that one.
 
Back
Top Bottom