weak atheist agnostic

Can someone please tell me if I am what people say I am?

Question:: 
Hello, I have a question and I really hope someone can answer. I consider myself an agnostic. Many people tell me I am really a weak atheist and after reading the rrs article I am wondering. So, I will explain my outlook here and hope someone answers. Forgive me this will be a bit long. I'm quite a skeptic (and that is the term I like most) although I am sometimes spiritual and attend a Unitarian-Universalist church from time to time, but I am not religious and go back and forth on the whole god" issue-if you ask do I believe in "god" my answer is honestly, "I don't know". I would like to, but I've seen little to no evidence to convince me. If someone asked do I deny the holy spirit, I would hesitate to use the word "deny", but I would say "I doubt the holy spirit". Is doubt the same as deny? I do have a fondness for pantheism and deism, but I hesitate to call myself either b/c while they make more sense that outright theism and religion, there is little to no evidence for either of those either. Sometimes I do think there might be a god (I hesitate to say "I believe", just "I think there might be"), but when I do I think of the deist or pantheist conception of a higher power, as the religious theistic one makes little sense to me-I think there is quite a low probability that one exists. Other days I think there is no god. I literally go back and forth, although I will never say "I know" on either. Which way I "lean" literally depends on my mood and my research. I grew up liberal catholic and I still like some of the rituals (though they are just rituals to me now), as well as some of the meditative aspects of Buddhism. Does this really make me a weak atheist? Is doubt really the same as a lack of belief? I ask b/c it just sounds weird-an atheist who sometimes thinks there might be a god? That sounds kind of odd to me. I do think religion (especially the fundamentalist form and Islam) is a big problem in this world, but I do have many liberal religious friends as well as non-religious friends, and we get along fine. I support separation of church and state, obviously. I'm not someone who says I'd like to get rid of all religion, but I would certainly like to see the most fundamental forms gone or at least have no power. Honestly liberal religion doesn't bother me, I don't care as long as it doesn't infringe on my rights to not be religious. I like many of the points the "4 horsemen" make and am glad I do not live in the bible belt-I feel very sorry for the nonbelievers there and I do think speaking out about stuff like that is good. Anyways, what in the hell am I? I use agnostic (though I prefer skeptic) b/c I doubt seriously and my answer to god claims is "I don't know-I would like it if there was, but I see little to no evidence for one". Maybe this makes me a "fence sitter" but it is honestly how I feel and who I am, at least right now. I live my life this way: I try to be the best person I can be and help people. I figure if there is a god, hopefully he/she/it will judge me by my actions. If there is not one, then I still will have lived a good life. Sorry for the long post. Just this has really been on my mind and would really appreciate an answer. Thanks.
Atheist Answer: 

To begin with, "weak atheist" definitely does not apply. It means someone who does not believe in gods simply because he/she has not been exposed to religion. Young children, some remote tribespeople and the mentally impaired can be weak atheists, but you can't be one if you've been to a church service and understoood what was going on.

Your answer, "I would like it if there was [a god], but I see little to no evidence for one," is absolutely atheist. You can be an atheist and either wish there were a god or be glad there isn't.

During periods when you do think there's a god, however, you are definitely not an atheist. You don't accept the truth of any particular religion, so I would suggest "agnostic spiritualist": someone who believes in spite of the lack of evidence that there is SOMETHING out there.

You accept at all times that there is no evidence for gods. I'd say therefore that you are an atheist when this premise leads you to the conclusion that there are no gods, and an agnostic spiritualist when you're nevertheless inclined to believe there is one. These terms are just too tightly bound to specific positions for just one term to apply to someone who swings back and forth.

For the sake of conversation, I would regard you as an agnostic on the verge of a decision.

- SmartLX

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