Theism-atheism spectrum

Read the opening post. Where are you on the spectrum?

  • Very strong theist

    Votes: 4 10.5%

  • Strong theist

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • Moderate theist

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • Weak theist

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Agnostic theist

    Votes: 2 5.3%

  • Truly undecided

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • True agnostic

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • Agnostic atheist

    Votes: 8 21.1%

  • Weak atheist

    Votes: 2 5.3%

  • Moderate atheist

    Votes: 5 13.2%

  • Strong atheist

    Votes: 6 15.8%

  • Very strong atheist

    Votes: 5 13.2%

  • Not telling

    Votes: 2 5.3%
  • Total voters
    38
Am I the only one that has issue with the choices?

JamesR - you have tried to wrap both an epistemological and ontological stance on the same 1-dimensional scale... when you clearly need 2 dimensions.
You also seem to see "atheism" as the positive belief that God does not exist - which I disagree with.


I am an agnostic - in that I consider God (original cause etc) is an unknowable.
This would seem to put me as a "True Agnostic", right?

But then this speaks nothing at all of my ontological position regarding God.
I certainly do not have the belief that God exists. So I am an atheist, right?

I certainly lead my life as though God does not exist. So am I a "strong" atheist?
But this is because an unknowable object (e.g. my epistemological position on God) is logically akin to something that does not exist. (Note that this is not saying it does not exist, only that it is consistent with something that does not).

So, to sum, I am an agnostic. I do not have the theistic belief that God exists. I lead my life as though God is logically consistent with something that does not exist.

I consider myself an Agnostic Atheist (as I am both agnostic and not a theist) but I lead my life as a far stronger atheist than the description you have put for Agnostic Atheist.

So where should I put my vote?
 
Put your vote where you think it fits best in my imperfect poll, Sarkus.

If you think you can do better, be my guest and make your own poll.
 
Sarkus said:
Am I the only one that has issue with the choices?

JamesR - you have tried to wrap both an epistemological and ontological stance on the same 1-dimensional scale... when you clearly need 2 dimensions.
You also seem to see "atheism" as the positive belief that God does not exist - which I disagree with.


I am an agnostic - in that I consider God (original cause etc) is an unknowable.
This would seem to put me as a "True Agnostic", right?

But then this speaks nothing at all of my ontological position regarding God.
I certainly do not have the belief that God exists. So I am an atheist, right?

I certainly lead my life as though God does not exist. So am I a "strong" atheist?
But this is because an unknowable object (e.g. my epistemological position on God) is logically akin to something that does not exist. (Note that this is not saying it does not exist, only that it is consistent with something that does not).

So, to sum, I am an agnostic. I do not have the theistic belief that God exists. I lead my life as though God is logically consistent with something that does not exist.

I consider myself an Agnostic Atheist (as I am both agnostic and not a theist) but I lead my life as a far stronger atheist than the description you have put for Agnostic Atheist.

So where should I put my vote?
Click to expand...

Agreed. I did put a small mention about it but if it helps Sarkus I was happy to go with agnostic atheist myself as true agnostic fails to convey that I am also an atheist, and strong atheist fails to convey my agnostic position on the subject. :shrug:
 
Strong atheist. I'm as certain that God is an unnecessary hypothesis as I am that the sun will rise tomorrow.
 
James R said:
Then, shall I put you down as "Very strong theist" or "Very strong atheist"?
Click to expand...

Neither. Plain old 'atheist' is all there is to say on the matter.

Saying 'strong atheist' is rather absurd, it's like saying 'I am strongly not a gerbil'.

I don't like baggage being attached to the term. It is beautiful in it's simplicity. Too often theists attach baggage to the term, and then snipe at their straw man. Let's not fall into this trap. Atheism is simply a lack of belief. Let's keep it simple, so theists can understand it.
 
James R said:
Put your vote where you think it fits best in my imperfect poll, Sarkus.
Click to expand...
I tried but I find I fit with parts of too many of your classifications / descriptions and not sufficiently within any one of them. Therefore I abstain, as I wouldn't like to mislead anyone as to my position (which I set out previously).

And I have only just seen the "Not telling" option (my bad!) so i shall put my vote there, but more in the spirit of abstention.
 
phlogistician said:
Neither. Plain old 'atheist' is all there is to say on the matter.

Saying 'strong atheist' is rather absurd, it's like saying 'I am strongly not a gerbil'.

I don't like baggage being attached to the term. It is beautiful in it's simplicity. Too often theists attach baggage to the term, and then snipe at their straw man. Let's not fall into this trap. Atheism is simply a lack of belief. Let's keep it simple, so theists can understand it.
Click to expand...

So you're a very strong atheist, then.
 
Enmos said:
Phlog, just pick one dude. It obviously doesn't matter to you what 'kind of atheist' your are :p
Click to expand...

Ah, no, it matters a lot to me. I'm an atheist type of atheist. I don't recognise subdivisions, as I feel that's a theist tactic of dividing and conquering, which we should not be drawn into.
 
phlogistician said:
Ah, no, it matters a lot to me. I'm an atheist type of atheist. I don't recognise subdivisions, as I feel that's a theist tactic of dividing and conquering, which we should not be drawn into.
Click to expand...

You know I agree with you on that :)
The terms in the poll are meaningless to me. I just picked one based on the sentence next to them in the OP. In my case: "I can't be 100% sure that God does not exist, but I live my life confident in the assumption that God does not exist. It is almost inconceivable that my opinion on this could be changed."
I have to say though that the explanations of 'Strong atheist' and 'Moderate atheist' look pretty much the same to me.
 
James R said:
Strong theist: "I can't be 100% sure that God exists, but I live my life confident in the assumption that God does exist. It is almost inconceivable that my opinion on this could be changed."

Moderate theist: "God most probably exists. It would take a lot to change my mind."
Click to expand...

Somewhere between these two. I voted "strong theist" in the poll, but I'd prefer to strike the last sentence in your description. I am confident in the existence of the gods more than just "probably", but I am still open to changing my mind if given sufficient reason.

Additionally, I'd use "gods and related entities" rather than "God", since I am a polytheist.
 
Where's the option for "not swallowing theists claims of the supernatural" which is what it all boils down?
 
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