Wow! I’ve rarely met anyone who probably thinks I’m an idiot (being a Christian) without having even met me. Let’s never meet, that way you can never be sure. On the other hand, I think it would be time well spent to go for coffee and have a chat.
Actually the first poll is for you to rate whether you think I’m an idiot.
BTW: I won’t think your’e an idiot based on your religion, but rather on how you think or rationalize. The religion poll is to merely gage how many readers from different religions/belief systems read my blog. There’s nothing sinister there.
Depending on your blog traffic and content, Here’s a quick guide on how you can install Ad – Sense in your Word – Press blog. This Blogger guide shows you how to fix the problem of your Blogger blog being mistakenly marked as a spam blog.
I stumbled upon your blog and I am thankful for it. I think it is always valuable to hear other views on “Religion.” Your content and responses are educated and thought out…I can respect and appreciate that. I would like to think I am not religious. I am a follower of Jesus. I say this because I think Jesus and religion are totally different. But I do have a question for you: Can you kindly tell me the difference between agnostic and atheism? Preferably in your own words or understanding.
(This is not a condemning question, please understand: I simply want to hear it from a proclaimed atheist.)
The reason I post on this part of your site is because I see “agnostic/atheist” grouped together and I also see “Christian Denominations” grouped together. I respectfully disagree as they are not the same thing. I completely understand this page tracks the traffic on your blog, so I don’t want to assume you do group these together. (you may group all “religion” together which I would understand you doing that((from reading your blog)), but the other two you grouped… I’m in question.) So I thought I would ask. Thanks for the time. And trust me this isn’t a ill-motive debate I am setting you up for. Just a simple question.
I grouped them together for the sake of simplicity, although there is a difference. An atheist asserts that there is no god or gods in the absence of evidence, while an agnostic does not know for sure and is not willing to commit one way or the other. In essence both don’t worship any form of deity. Off course these terms have been known to be used interchangeably by people, and incorrectly so.
I grouped Christian denominations together because for all intents and purposes these believers follow the same doctrine in different ways. I know that there may be huge and irreconciliable diferences between the different denominations, but that does not change the core doctrine of Christianity. I’ve come accross people who claim that Catholicism is different to Christianity even, but generally scholars don’t recognise this.
Thanks for the response. Since I have stumbled across your blog I have researched and found many other blogs/websites that speak about the topics you also enjoy. Some sites have been informative while others ignorant. I do appreciate your response. I choose to listen and hear others beliefs and/or non-beliefs because personally I think there is a lot to gain. I have studied many world religions and I am know embarking on agnosticism and atheism. For some reason “Religion” has always interested me and it actually has became a passion to understand or at least try to understand others thoughts or beliefs.
I understand atheist do not believe in a god or deity. I also understand the definition of the word “Religion.” My questions are: Is Atheism an organization or something you subscribe to? or is it just simply a claim/belief on a personal level? Are there different types or forms that atheism? Do atheist tend to agree on all things or just few things?
Maybe these questions are not on point, but again I would rather hear from someone on a personal level comparatively to “googling” it, so I appreciate your time.
Off course there are many atheist organizations which allow membership, but while atheists my agree on a lot of topics related to religion itself, not all agree totally with one another on a wide variety of topics. It’s fot this reason I subscribe to skeptical organizations, rather than to any atheist one’s. Skepticism is far more encompassing, and not confined to just religion. Note however that not all atheists are skeptics, because some atheists while not believing in a higher power, may have some pretty strange other beliefs such as that climate change and global warming is untrue.
Back to atheists. Yes you do have a variety of atheist beliefs ramging from strong to weak. You can Google to find out more. These days I prefer to stick to skepticism which advocates for the necessity for scientific proof before acceptance of anything.
Do you find most, not all, skeptics/atheist/agnostic are defensive, or a guess a better word: judging comparatively to a “religious” person in their beliefs?
It seems a sceptic if backed by scientific proof isn’t closed minded to anything. But does an atheist believe the same?
If you were to throw out a percentage, what amount of skeptics, atheist or agnostic to go in depth with studying a religion or the existence of a god? Or is that just a personal feeling/emotion and they just believe there is no god. (I have read most of your stuff and scripture is not what I am necessarily referring to as research.) There is a documentary called “Case for Christ” which spurred this question. It seems there are many intelligent people on both sides of the fence as far as “religion” goes.” Maybe all three percentages are different. I’m not sure.
Again, thanks for your time, responses and honesty. Greatly appreciated. I won’t take up to much more of your time.
Not all atheists/agnostics are skeptics, but just about all skeptics are by default atheist. We’re individuals so we don’t follow the herd mentality. Expect opinions and “judgements” to differ, even widely. Generally I find religious people to be dogmatic in their beliefs.
For skeptics, the only tool is science, so if the science supports a particular position, skeptics will adopt that position… until science changes that position upon receipt of new evidence. That’s the beauty of science, it changes and is never static (as opposed to religion.
I tend to find that skeptics and atheists/agnostics have more general knowledge of comparative religion, than adherents of a particular religious sect. Skeptics, atheists, agnostics are generally widely read, and do a lot of investigative work. You must have heard this said before “The quickest route to becoming an atheist, is to read the bible (substitute religious book of your coice here – wroks just as well).” There are variations on this theme such as “I became an atheist because I read the bible.”
Hope that helps. Thanks for participating this discussion.
Lenny Says 
Wow! I’ve rarely met anyone who probably thinks I’m an idiot (being a Christian) without having even met me. Let’s never meet, that way you can never be sure. On the other hand, I think it would be time well spent to go for coffee and have a chat.
Hi Bill,
Actually the first poll is for you to rate whether you think I’m an idiot.
BTW: I won’t think your’e an idiot based on your religion, but rather on how you think or rationalize. The religion poll is to merely gage how many readers from different religions/belief systems read my blog. There’s nothing sinister there.
Depending on your blog traffic and content, Here’s a quick guide on how you can install Ad – Sense in your Word – Press blog. This Blogger guide shows you how to fix the problem of your Blogger blog being mistakenly marked as a spam blog.
Thanks Helena, should have deleted Blogger a long time ago.
Hi Lenny,
I stumbled upon your blog and I am thankful for it. I think it is always valuable to hear other views on “Religion.” Your content and responses are educated and thought out…I can respect and appreciate that. I would like to think I am not religious. I am a follower of Jesus. I say this because I think Jesus and religion are totally different. But I do have a question for you: Can you kindly tell me the difference between agnostic and atheism? Preferably in your own words or understanding.
(This is not a condemning question, please understand: I simply want to hear it from a proclaimed atheist.)
The reason I post on this part of your site is because I see “agnostic/atheist” grouped together and I also see “Christian Denominations” grouped together. I respectfully disagree as they are not the same thing. I completely understand this page tracks the traffic on your blog, so I don’t want to assume you do group these together. (you may group all “religion” together which I would understand you doing that((from reading your blog)), but the other two you grouped… I’m in question.) So I thought I would ask. Thanks for the time. And trust me this isn’t a ill-motive debate I am setting you up for. Just a simple question.
Hi Rob,
I grouped them together for the sake of simplicity, although there is a difference. An atheist asserts that there is no god or gods in the absence of evidence, while an agnostic does not know for sure and is not willing to commit one way or the other. In essence both don’t worship any form of deity. Off course these terms have been known to be used interchangeably by people, and incorrectly so.
I grouped Christian denominations together because for all intents and purposes these believers follow the same doctrine in different ways. I know that there may be huge and irreconciliable diferences between the different denominations, but that does not change the core doctrine of Christianity. I’ve come accross people who claim that Catholicism is different to Christianity even, but generally scholars don’t recognise this.
Hope this answers your questions.
Hi Lenny,
Thanks for the response. Since I have stumbled across your blog I have researched and found many other blogs/websites that speak about the topics you also enjoy. Some sites have been informative while others ignorant. I do appreciate your response. I choose to listen and hear others beliefs and/or non-beliefs because personally I think there is a lot to gain. I have studied many world religions and I am know embarking on agnosticism and atheism. For some reason “Religion” has always interested me and it actually has became a passion to understand or at least try to understand others thoughts or beliefs.
I understand atheist do not believe in a god or deity. I also understand the definition of the word “Religion.” My questions are: Is Atheism an organization or something you subscribe to? or is it just simply a claim/belief on a personal level? Are there different types or forms that atheism? Do atheist tend to agree on all things or just few things?
Maybe these questions are not on point, but again I would rather hear from someone on a personal level comparatively to “googling” it, so I appreciate your time.
Thanks
Rob
Hi Rob,
Off course there are many atheist organizations which allow membership, but while atheists my agree on a lot of topics related to religion itself, not all agree totally with one another on a wide variety of topics. It’s fot this reason I subscribe to skeptical organizations, rather than to any atheist one’s. Skepticism is far more encompassing, and not confined to just religion. Note however that not all atheists are skeptics, because some atheists while not believing in a higher power, may have some pretty strange other beliefs such as that climate change and global warming is untrue.
Back to atheists. Yes you do have a variety of atheist beliefs ramging from strong to weak. You can Google to find out more. These days I prefer to stick to skepticism which advocates for the necessity for scientific proof before acceptance of anything.
Thanks Lenny.
Three more questions if you don’t mind?
Do you find most, not all, skeptics/atheist/agnostic are defensive, or a guess a better word: judging comparatively to a “religious” person in their beliefs?
It seems a sceptic if backed by scientific proof isn’t closed minded to anything. But does an atheist believe the same?
If you were to throw out a percentage, what amount of skeptics, atheist or agnostic to go in depth with studying a religion or the existence of a god? Or is that just a personal feeling/emotion and they just believe there is no god. (I have read most of your stuff and scripture is not what I am necessarily referring to as research.) There is a documentary called “Case for Christ” which spurred this question. It seems there are many intelligent people on both sides of the fence as far as “religion” goes.” Maybe all three percentages are different. I’m not sure.
Again, thanks for your time, responses and honesty. Greatly appreciated. I won’t take up to much more of your time.
Hi Rob,
Not all atheists/agnostics are skeptics, but just about all skeptics are by default atheist. We’re individuals so we don’t follow the herd mentality. Expect opinions and “judgements” to differ, even widely. Generally I find religious people to be dogmatic in their beliefs.
For skeptics, the only tool is science, so if the science supports a particular position, skeptics will adopt that position… until science changes that position upon receipt of new evidence. That’s the beauty of science, it changes and is never static (as opposed to religion.
I tend to find that skeptics and atheists/agnostics have more general knowledge of comparative religion, than adherents of a particular religious sect. Skeptics, atheists, agnostics are generally widely read, and do a lot of investigative work. You must have heard this said before “The quickest route to becoming an atheist, is to read the bible (substitute religious book of your coice here – wroks just as well).” There are variations on this theme such as “I became an atheist because I read the bible.”
Hope that helps. Thanks for participating this discussion.