Consider the proposition: God exists.
Anybody who accepts the proposition as true is a theist. Anybody who rejects the truth value of the proposition is an atheist (including those who "don't know," as that is a rejection of the proposition's truth).
Anybody who is not a theist (i.e., affirmatively accepts the truth of the proposition "God exists") is an atheist (hence the prefix). Within atheism, one can take a couple of different positions. Consider the proposition: God does not exist.
A "strong" or "positive" atheist accepts the proposition as true. A "weak" or "negative" atheist rejects the truth of the proposition.
Agnosticism and atheism address separate propositions, as the roots clearly indicate. Gnosticism/agnosticism addresses the propositions: knowledge of God's existence is possible vs. knowledge of God's existence is not possible.
One can therefore be any of the following combinations: (1) an agnostic atheist; (2) an agnostic theist; (3) a gnostic atheist; or (4) a gnostic theist. Most Christians, obviously, are (4). I happen to be (1), although I would still consider myself to be a "positive" atheist. I see no reason not to accept the proposition "God does not exist" as true, just as I accept the proposition "leprechauns do not exist" as true, even as I maintain that *knowledge* (i.e., absolute certainty) of either's nonexistence is not possible.
In short: I affirmatively believe that God does not exist (positive atheist), and I believe that I can't know this with certainty (agnostic). Just like I feel about leprechauns.
-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of frank scott Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:33 PM To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Subject: [lbo-talk] Re: theism, atheism and dont give a fuckism
>
>
>"Atheism" simply means "without a belief in God" [or
>theism]. It doesn't mean "asserts there is no God,"
>
sounds like agnosticism ...
simply not believing differs from what atheists i've interacted with claim...they are as certain that there is no god as theists are that there is a god...
are they the radical fringe of atheism?
and what the hell does being agnostic mean?
fs
>
>
>
___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk