“A rose by ANY other name”
Ok Knoxville,
I’m here to set the record straight… on this whole “Atheism” thing (!!!).
Most people hear the word Atheist and they immediately envision evil, morally devoid individuals who want nothing more than to evangelize you with opposition Christian research; at least, that’s been my experience. However, if you’ve ever actually encountered someone who was brave enough to admit their atheism — probably through a stumbling, bumbling expression of errrr… agnosticism, then you may very well realize just how kindness and empathy are characteristics shared by atheists (most of them anyway…). So, why the stigma around atheism?
It seems that living in an area of the country where “what church do you belong to?” is a more popular question than “what do you do for a living,” “what part of town do you live in,” or “what’s your name?” Yes — I’ve been asked, on multiple occasions, whether I was a christian BEFORE that same individual asked me what my name was. For many, our identities, in these situations, are our beliefs; well, I have news for you; what I believe is far grander than “do I believe in a personal God.” I believe in empathy, the power of positive thinking, critical thinking, the scientific method, social justice, and love! None of that, however, has anything to do with a personal God, for me. So, what IS an ATHIEST?
First, let’s deconstruct the myth that an atheist must be someone who states the following: “There is no God.” This is not a requirement, nor, do I believe, is it common of Athiests. …But then that means your agnostic, right?? Not exactly.. you’re likely BOTH.
Agnosticism is about knowledge || Atheism is about belief.
If you make the claim that you KNOW for certain what exists in the supernatural world, quite specifically, than congratulations – you’re a Gnostic. If you can’t say for certain, but you carry some beliefs about what happens that you consider to be most likely, well, I have news for you — you are Agnostic. To be clear, MOST people in today’s world fit this definition.
Now, because I remain unconvinced of any God claims out there: i.e. God exists in three persons, the wine I drink on Sunday turns into Jesus when I drink it, or Krishna was born miraculously on December 25th, so I must celebrate him along with other hindus — this, makes me an atheist. Carl Sagan said it best:
“extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
Although personal testimony may be considered evidence for some, we must admit that there’s a lot of conflicting personal testimony out there. I reject claims of big foot sightings and loch ness sightings the same way I reject personal testimonial claims of Krishna, Thor, Zeus, Jesus and any other of the 4,200 gods that people worship today. I can reject a claim while still being respectful, but the fact remains – it is an extraordinary claim, and I am still awaiting evidence other than personal testimony or eyewitness; I have yet to be presented with any.
Soooo… If you’re still reading, and you’re telling yourself that this makes a bit of sense, then maybe it’s worth examining your belief as well.
At the end of the day, when people ask me — “what do you think happens when you die?” I confidently respond:
“I don’t know.”
If you say the same, then you might be an Agnostic Atheist like me.
Knoxville's Friendly Atheist 