Re: irrational atheists

Dick.Gray@bull.com
Tue, 22 Dec 1998 15:32:17 -0700

>I haven't thought of myself as an agnostic, because I don't
>say that "I haven't decided." or "I'm not sure." Instead, I say,
>"I currently don't see any rational way I can accept the notion
>of god." So what am I?

Technically, by definition you're an atheist. Don't be afraid of the word. It simply means "absence of belief in a god or gods".

You're also technically correct in not referring to yourself as an agnostic, since agnosticism is a position regarding the possibility of knowledge: specifically that knowledge about a given topic is unattainable in principle. This, I assume, is not your opinion.

Yet common usage gives rather different - and confusing - meanings to both of these labels. Instead of fighting a semantic battle against popular usage, you might be better off avoiding both terms, perhaps calling yourself a "nonbeliever". Depends on your patience and that of your interlocutors.

Dick