Am I an atheist?

[amyrose2712]

I do not believe, but I can't say for sure. I still think ANYTHING is possible. Just because I know there are many things we don't know or can not understand. Even in science. Gravity. Quantum mechanics. Dark Matter. I call myself agnostic, but I keep reading arguments that that is an answer to a different question. What say you? And why? Can I just say I don't know and don't think I know so I can't say 10)% that there is no god of any kind. It could just be something science has not proven or understand. I dunno. I know I am not such a deep thinker but I am curious.

[lazarus]

1. I think you misunderstand atheism a bit

atheism is simply the absence of a belief in god. It doesn't require you to believe that there is no god.

Two different statements:

1. I believe there is no god (strong atheism)
2. I do not believe there is a god (weak atheism)

The vast majority of atheists fall into category 2. If you don't believe, welcome to the club. Bring snacks next time. :hi:

[salvorhardin]

2. You're an agnostic atheist.

You don't believe, but you don't know. That's what most atheists are. Gnosticism has to do with knowledge, theism has to do with belief in god(s).

But honestly, you can call yourself anything you want and a lot of atheists will answer to different labels depending on who's doing the asking (nosy religious neighbor, work mates, other atheists, family, etc.).

You may also want to look into ignosticism and apatheism as well.

Ignosticism, or igtheism, is the theological position that every other theological position (including agnosticism) assumes too much about the concept of god and many other theological concepts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igtheism

An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism

[rrneck]

3. Good info. Thanks. nt

[laconicsax]

4. Yes.

Atheism: a-theism. Without gods.
Agnostic: a-gnostic. Without knowledge.

If the question is, "Do you believe?" the answer, no matter how nuanced, boils down to either "yes" or "no."

"There's no way to know" doesn't answer the question.

There are four basic possibilities here:

Agnostic atheist: "I don't believe and I don't think it's possible to know for sure."
Agnostic theist: "I believe and I don't think it's possible to know for sure."
Gnostic atheist: "I don't believe and it's possible to know for sure."
Gnostic theist: "I believe and it's possible to know for sure."

You sound like the first category: Agnostic atheist. You don't think it's possible to know for certain and you don't believe, so congratulations! Stalin loves you.

[realisticphish]

5. fantastic outline

the fact that atheism and agnosticism are two completely separate categories is something that many people, even atheists, can't seem to grasp

[laconicsax]

6. It doesn't help that they're (almost) always offered as different choices to the same question.

Most people don't actually think about what the words they use actually mean. Why else do people say "I could care less" when they mean the exact opposite.

[realisticphish]

7. god, I hate that so much

I don't know why that one particular thing gets me (along with nuke-you-ler), but it does

It's always posed as

theist: yay god!
atheist: boo god!
agnostic: meh

[amyrose2712]

8. Can't it be that I don't know if I believe or not because

I don't have enough knowledge? I tend to see myself right around a 6 on the Dawkin's Spectrum.

Dawkins' formulation
Richard Dawkins
Dawkins posits that "the existence of God is a scientific hypothesis like any other." He goes on to propose a continuous "spectrum of probabilities" between two extremes of opposite certainty, which can be represented by seven "milestones". Dawkins suggests definitive statements to summarize one's place along the spectrum of theistic probability. These "milestones" are:<2>
1. Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God. In the words of C.G. Jung, 'I do not believe, I know.'
2. Very high probability but short of 100 per cent. De facto theist. 'I cannot know for certain, but I strongly believe in God and live my life on the assumption that he is there.'
3. Higher than 50 per cent but not very high. Technically agnostic but leaning towards theism. 'I am very uncertain, but I am inclined to believe in God.'
4. Exactly 50 per cent. Completely impartial agnostic. 'God's existence and non-existence are exactly equiprobable.'
5. Lower than 50 per cent but not very low. Technically agnostic but leaning towards atheism. 'I do not know whether God exists but I'm inclined to be sceptical.'
6. Very low probability, but short of zero. De facto atheist. 'I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there.'
7. Strong atheist. 'I know there is no God, with the same conviction as Jung "knows" there is one.'

It seems use agnostic and atheist as answers to the same question. I'm not really so big on labels but have been reading many arguments about it lately Also, I feel that some people will put you down if you say agnostic rather then atheist. Not that it matters to the religious-they see it the same - HEATHENS. Well that is what my "my church on the internet is the one true church in the world" calls us. (But to be fair she is EXTREMELY bipolar w/ magical thinking so I don't fault her. Now, my former best friend, on the other hand, who told me "I feel like I failed you as a friend because you are going to hell" Now she and her " I don't think I believe in dinosaurs anymore are a different story.)

[rrneck]

9. I guess that works.

You might also apply the "Duke Ellington Scale" as well though:

"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfMRhyzu3g