0
Agnosticism
Different from atheists, agnostics doubt the existence of God or gods.
500 Questions
What is agnostics?
Asked by Wiki User
An agnostic feels that humans are not equiped to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other religions are concerned. Or, if not impossible, at least impossible at the present time. Whether or not there is a deity, there is no way to know anything about her/him.
Agnostics don't know if there is a God, or gods, or any higher power at all, and they also don't think it can be disproven/proven that there is one. Most don't really care.
Agnosticism is a coherent and reasoned position and it is not the position of people who may be experiencing a crisis of faith. It is natural even for strong believers among the people of faith to sometimes experience doubts. Agnostics are not people who are experiencing pangs of doubt or confusion. They are not 'on the fence' as some characterize them, since they appear to be somewhere between faith and atheism.
In general, virtually all western religions and some eastern religions as well have fundamentalist underpinnings that involve certainty regarding some basic questions. This positional certainty is based on divine revelation. There is certainty in the existence of a deity, and about the purpose and methods of the deity. There is usually certainty about the fate of nonbelievers, and about how to become one of those who will experience heaven after death. There is also certainty about what groups or individuals are hated by the deity and will eventually be brought to doom. These convictions cannot be directly and convincingly connected to any form of physical evidence. It is in the very nature of faith that convictions are held even though the object of faith is hoped for and unseen. Faith is absolute belief in the complete absence of evidence.
On the other hand, atheists are those who claim the same level of certainty held by people of faith, but their certainty is that there is no deity.
Perhaps some atheists don't realize that their certainty puts them in league with those who claim a metaphysical connection, certainty in the complete absence of evidence, that is itself a possible argument in favor of the divine. On the one hand is faith given by the deity that leads to salvation, and on the other is the faith, different in form only and not substance, that no such deity exists. What is the source of such faith? Certainty of this kind cannot come from reason alone, or from physical evidence. Recall the debate over proving that there are NO WMD's in Iraq. "Give me the hard evidence that there are NO WMD's in Iraq!"... What?... The only thing that can be proven is that there ARE WMD's, if indeed there are.
The heart of the dilemma is the nature of knowledge and of certainty. For those who have received saving faith, the reality, experience or 'sensorium' of the spiritual and metaphysical is as undeniable as dirt. For those who have yet to receive such faith, like myself, the spiritual and metaphysical claims of people of faith appear indistinguishable from fantasy, myth or madness. The Greek scriptures talk about this. The things that are spiritually discerned are foolishness to the unbeliever. No argument from me on that point.
So I conclude that it is as foolish to claim certainty that people of faith are completely wrong as it is to believe their teachings. It matters little to me whether I am considered an agnostic or an atheist. What is more important is to wonder about what can be known, and to what extent can we be certain of it.
Perhaps the difference between agnostics and atheists comes down to the approach to spiritual and metaphysical realms, the realms of theology and some philosophy. In the absence of evidence, and knowing that I do not have the faith that people of faith are supposed to possess, I can only conclude that spirituality and metaphysics are largely unknown and currently unknowable, and probably result from the neurological entropy that comes along with our overpowered brains. I cannot conclude with certainty that those realms are completely unreal. I can hold these beliefs without a single urge to force believers or atheists to come around to my way of thinking.
An agnostic is a person who does not know whether or not there is a supreme being - a god - who controls the universe.
The Greek word "gnōstós" means "known: the prefix "a-" means "not". So "agnostic" means "not known", and in generally means "a person who does not know" - and in some cases, "a person who does not care". The word agnostic generally refers to a supreme being, but is sometimes used in technology; a program that is "platform-agnostic" doesn't care what kind of computer it is running on.
What is a person called who is between an atheist and an agnostic?
Asked by Wiki User
These are fine distinctions, but some philosophers define a range of beliefs:
Thiest - certain that god exists.
Weak thiest - acknowledges that one can't be certain, but believes.
Agnostic - neither believes nor disbelieves.
Weak atheist - acknowledges that one can't be certain, but disbelieves.
Strong atheist - certain there is no god.
As you can see, "weak atheists" hold the middle ground - in fact, most atheists are probably weak atheists - they acknowledge that certainty isn't possible, but it is very unlikely that god actually exists.
How many agnostics are there in the world?
Asked by Wiki User
Around 12% of the population are agnostics; that equates to around 720 million people. However, a fair number of people who belong to various religions are actually agnostic - its been estimated that 17% of Church of England ministers are actually agnostic, so perhaps roughly 1000 million people are agnostics.
Was Aristotle an agnostic?
Asked by Wiki User
No- he believed that the material world was a pale example of what Paradise is like. That we experience lovely and profound things and see great beauty all around us, but that this is just a pale shadow of the Eternal and Immortal world. He also believed that we have immortal souls.
What is an Agnostic Deist?
Asked by Wiki User
An Agnostic Deist is someone who believes it is impossible to prove that god exists (agnosticism) yet believes that god does exist but does not intervene in human affairs (deism). It is a combination of agnostic theism and deism.
How do you put the word agnosticism in a sentence?
Asked by Wiki User
does agnosticism count? if so,
His agnosticism prevented him from accepting any form of religion.
Where did agnosticism start?
Asked by Wiki User
The apostle Paul used the term when he gave his famous speech to the Athenian philosophers atop the Areopagus hill. He said that he had noticed a shrine to the unknown God (Gr agnostos theos) Acts 17:23
Agnosticism is not a religion; it is the conviction that there is no way to prove one way or another whether God exists. A=without; gnosis=knowledge. An agnostic is without knowledge of God.
Agnosticism is a necessary component of gnosticism. It is in fact a guiding "goat", in that one doubts the nature and evidence of knowledge, and certainly of absolute truth. As such, Agnosticism does not normally exist as a religion on it own, but as a component of a growing faith that still accepts the believer cannot be sure they know what they think they do. It is also a necessary component of sciences as well as philosophy.
In either case, the accousticoi or gnosticoi who thinks they have all the answers is afraid they don't, and are allowing their ignorance to lead them into unnecessary suffering.
How can someone become an ordained minister in Texas?
Asked by Wiki User
First, determine that God has called you to the ministry.
Second, decide what sort of minister you would like to become.
Third, connect with that group of people and find out what they require.
For Christians, here is a link to a great interdenominational ordination body: http://www.nacministers.com
Become a Jehovah's Witness as all Baptized Active Publishers are legally considered ministers. On occasion, they have to remind the older ladies of the congregation not to use their credentials to see one of them whose hospitalized and in ICU, where only family members and one's minister can visit.
What symbol does Christianity have?
Asked by Wiki User
That's a big question...
Well, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1)
That would be the start...
But, real, real fast:
I guess I will start with Christ, though I really could start with Creation and then Israel, since that's Christianity's roots, and as much a part of Christianity as it is for the Jews. You can find this recorded in the Bible.
Christ was born and died in about 33 A.D. during that period to the fall of Jerusalem in 72 A.D. (about 40 years period, which is symbolic). That period is known as the Apostolic period in which the Apostles were living, and writing the New Testament. By the time of the Fall of Jerusalem, the New Testament was complete.
After this we enter into the Roman period in which there is lot of persecution of the Christians by the Romans, but for every drop of blood spilled from a Christians, it seemed there was a new convert. It was spreading fast. Then Constantine became emperor and converted to Christianity. This marked the beginning of the Christian Roman Empire.
Around the year 100 (give or take a few) the first Christian church was founded in Lyon, France (where I am from). It was founded by merchants coming down the Rhone River. St. Irenaeus was the bishop of Lyon, and he was a disciple of Polycarp (martyred in Lyon) who was a disciple of the apostle John.
Next, in about the year 300, (if I remember) we come to St. Augustine of Hippo. During this time Rome was sacked by Vandals. He was the start of the Christian age of writings and philosophy/theology that continued on through the middle ages.
A noteworthy event in the Medieval ages was the coronation of Charlemagne in 800, as Christian Emperor. The Medieval ages were the age of cathedrals, community, and faith, though there were some "rough" periods and some immature Christian thought (Crusades come to mind). Nevertheless, the Medieval Ages were a strong period for the church.
Next we come to the Reformation which happened in Europe in the 1500's. The most renowned leader was a Frenchman named John Calvin, born in Nyon, France, but who spent his most influential years in Geneva, Switzerland. This period was a time when a group of men realized the heresy that had been creeping into the Catholic (Roman) Church, and decided to do something about it. The Reformers rejected indulgences, Baptismal Regeneration, and many other excesses of the Roman Church. Instead, they believed that all men ought to have the bible in their own hand. From this point on, we have the Roman Church, and the Protestant Church.
Then the enlightenment came, and it "dimmed" things a bit for the church. Much weird thinking was introduced which account for a lot of the "fluffy" Christians and Christian theology today.
Today Christianity is spreading a great speeds, even inside Muslim or communistic countries. While still recovering from the enlightenment, from the feminist movement, and from Pietism (the "ism" part being the problem), Christianity is on good footing!
As a Reformed Christian, I believe that the power of the Gospel will indwell all nations, and the Christianity will ultimately bring peace on earth. The coming of Jesus was "Peace on earth good will towards man" as we hear at Christmas. It is not happen over night, but as Jesus said, "Like an mustard seed planted in the ground" It will slowly grow and fill the earth.
It won't happen through any kind of political process however, as some would believe, but rather through individuals, families, communities, etc. being touched by the Gospel message: that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and that we can do nothing but accept His gift of salvation that He offers, and, trusting in Him, follow Him. To all those who trust God for the forgiveness of their sins, and who call on Him as Lord and Saviour, He has promised eternal life.
Can an agnostic go to heaven?
Asked by Wiki User
He/she does not know if there even is a heaven. But he/she might, if there is one. We can't know.
What is the holy book for the agnostic religion?
Asked by Wiki User
Atheism is discussed in many books. However none of these are regarded as "holy" as that would require a god(s) to inspire the book. Atheism has as its only principle that there is no god(s). Atheism does not have any of the other attributes of a religion such as beliefs other than the absence for a god(s)), secret handshake, meeting halls, tax exemptions, salvation, miracles, prophets, a hierarchy, leaders, traditional costumes etc.
What are the Tools and techniques of Data analysis?
Asked by Wiki User
There are several data analysis tools on the market, each with its own set of features. The choice of tool should always be based on the type of analysis being performed and the type of data being processed. Here is a list of some interesting data analysis tools.
Excel, Tableau, Power BI, Smooth Reports, R & Python, SAS.
Data analysis depends on the questions, the type of data and the amount of data collected. Each is about gathering new data, uncovering insights, and digging for deeper information to turn facts and figures into decision-making parameters. Thus, various data analysis techniques can be categorized as follows:
- Engineering based on mathematics and statistics
- Techniques based on artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Techniques based on visualization and graphics
SPSS is also used to perform a variety of data analyses and tests. SPSS makes this type of data analysis easier for researchers. You can check some professional websites like SPSS-Tutor, and SilverLake Consult where you will find many important types of analysis which are performed by using SPSS. In fact, you can contact them to know in-depth about SPSS.
How many combinations can you make out of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0?
Asked by Wiki User
If you are looking for how many different ways to can arrange the ten digits (using each one exactly one time), there are 3,628,800 ways. You can get this by assuming :
1. There are ten choices for the first digit. Once you have picked that one...
2. There are nine remaining digits that you can choose for the second one. For two digits, then, there are 90 possibilities.
3. For each subsequent digit, multiply by the remaining number of possible choices. So:
10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
What is the name of the group of islands to the nourth west of Jamaica?
Asked by Wiki User
the answer to this beauitiful question is stefan osman. stefan osman is an island just north west of jamaica. he also likes men.
What is the proverbs where it says not to be awaken by a loud noise?
Asked by Wiki User
There is this, which is more subtle: Proverbs 27:14: If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
What does 'because of the increase of wickedness the love of many will grow cold 'mean?
Asked by Wiki User
It may mean ( I am a lay person) that people will become cynical and suspicious and harden their hearts. Because of so much sin and brokenness they may have difficulty trusting God and other people. They may forget "Love believes the best , hopes for the best ".
They may grow discouraged because they see so little love... It is my understanding that LOVE is the sign of true fellowship between Christians . Christians have clay feet (
they are still imperfect ) and often fail to love well and wisely .
I hope that the Church remembers that knowledge puffs up( gets proud or egotistical at times ) but love edifies, meaning BUILDS UP or encourages .
Use expertise in a sentence?
Asked by Wiki User
Experience is the knowledge by virtue of committed mistakes.
Why the scientific explanation of the word leads some people to become atheists or agnostics?
Asked by Wiki User
Religion basically states "the world is as it is because God made it that way". If you prefer an answer that has a bit more of reasoning to it, then you'll probably like the scientific explanation - which tries hard to do away with the "because" answer - better.
Does believing in the idea of Universal Intelligence conflict with Strong Agnosticism?
Asked by Wiki User
Sort of, if your agnostic you aren't really sure if therwe is a god.
But if you believe in a higher power (doesn't have to be a god from a religion) then you are no longer agnostic
Is Utah north or east?
Asked by Wiki User
utah is in the western part of the u.s, it is in the northern hemisphere if that helps.
