Agnostic or Athiest--which makes more sense?

by whyizit 33 Replies latest jw friends

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  FlyingHighNow

  I believe in God. My god is so loving, grace filled and merciful, he wouldn't condemn people for being atheistic or agnostic or not accepting Jesus or what have you. Who would want to love a God who would condemn anyone with good in him/her? I wouldn't. I figure God understands that people have good reasons for their lack of belief or being unsure of his existence or interest in humankind. He knows there is so much confusing religious crap slung around and he knows of all the evil committed in God, Jesus, Allah and whatever's names.

  Proof to me? When I see a graceful ballet dancer dancing. I took ballet classes for several years. I know how hard it is to dance that gracefully and do the things they make look effortless. When I see a runner or a figure skater or the amazing things men and women create, I know there's a God.

  The one thing that kept me from ever being an atheist is the love we all feel for our families and friends and the way we grieve when one of them dies. I also can't see how a talent like that of Jimi Hendrix or Vincent Van Gogh just somehow happens and then is gone forever when they stop breathing.

  If a person is comfortable with non belief in God or being an agnostic, so be it. I believe in the inherent good in most people. And people who seem to do mostly evil? Who's to say there isn't some genetic problem or mental illness that is only known to God?
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  whyizit

  In response:

  As a matter of fact, I WAS raised to believe (just as you were) that evolution was a fact. Evolution is a religion. It may not be commonly called that, but that is what it is. If being indoctrinated with that BS from kindergarten to adulthood is not indoctrinization, then I guess I don't know what it is.

  Yes, I DO believe a flood consumed the earth, I believe in the Biblical account of that There is more proof to support that, than any other theory I've heard.

  I wish you well, I pray that one day your bitterness will be gone. I do know that God loves you and wants a reltionship with you, whether you believe it or not. I hope one day you will come to know Him and you will finally have some peace in your life. God is not about religion, He is about relationships. You can't have a reltaionship with someone you never keep in contact with. The choice is your's. I'd be lying if I told you that it doesn't matter to me, because it really does. If you ever change your mind about God, I hope you will let me know.

  God bless you and keep you.

  In Christ,

  Whyizit
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  greendawn

  Science hasn't yet progressed nearly enough to convincingly prove that there is no God, what scientists know at present merely scratches the surface of the total knowledge. It would therefore be wiser to be agnostic rather than a strong atheist.
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  done4good

  This argument largely depends on semantics, and how one defines the terms "atheist" and "agnostic". If traditional definitions are applied, that is, Atheist: One who does not believe in a god, (gods), as for the lack of emperical evidence to prove a god's existence; and Agnostic: One who doesn't know if a god exists or not, or doesn't care; then I would consider myself an atheist. However, most people don't adhere to the "traditional" definitions of these terms.

  To most people, agnostic simply means to not know if THEY believe in a god or not. The concept of god cannot be proven or disproven. Emperical evidence cannot "prove" any such thing either way. A person who calls himself "agnostic", often consdiers other factors than simple emperical lines of evidence. These are usually not very well defined, and vary from person to person. If I were to use this line of reasoning, I would call myself an agnostic, if, for no other reason, it leaves the door somewhat ajar to other possibilities that science alone has not yet considered.

  j