Why don't agnostics pray?

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floppit
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Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by floppit » Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:58 pm

I can accept agnosticism is possibly the more rational approach but if I claimed it was my own I'd be fibbing. I don't pray because I don't think there's any chance there's a god but I don't get why agnostics don't pray.

If I thought it was more likely there's no god then it'd be worth a punt on the 'nothing to lose front' - why not pop the odd one off :hehe: .

But seriously if the prayer was dead quick why wouldn't an agnostic do it?
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by colubridae » Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:59 pm

floppit wrote:I can accept agnosticism is possibly the more rational approach but if I claimed it was my own I'd be fibbing. I don't pray because I don't think there's any chance there's a god but I don't get why agnostics don't pray.

If I thought it was more likely there's no god then it'd be worth a punt on the 'nothing to lose front' - why not pop the odd one off :hehe: .

But seriously if the prayer was dead quick why wouldn't an agnostic do it?
I certainly like to 'pop the odd one off'! :hehe:
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by rachelbean » Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:01 pm

I prayed as an agnostic, even when I was pretty far down the non-belief scale. It was a habit and yeah, I figured it couldn't hurt and maybe just maybe I'd get some response. I assumed many others do/would as well. Why are you sure they don't?
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by floppit » Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:04 pm

rachelsinatra wrote:I prayed as an agnostic, even when I was pretty far down the non-belief scale. It was a habit and yeah, I figured it couldn't hurt and maybe just maybe I'd get some response. I assumed many others do/would as well. Why are you sure they don't?
Fair point. I've often heard people I'd say were atheists describe themselves as agnostic, but at the same time I've never heard them say they pray or talk about the part of them that has some doubt over a no god thing. I guess I'm talking about a very slanted example though - selsf selected in saying that they are agnostic in the first place.

I'll rephrase the question though:

Are there any praying agnostics around?
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by leo-rcc » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:07 pm

As an agnostic atheist I have no reason to pray at all. It's not about doubt, it's about being honest that I don't know if a god exists or not, but I'm not convinced that there is, let alone which god.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by maiforpeace » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:20 pm

floppit wrote:I can accept agnosticism is possibly the more rational approach but if I claimed it was my own I'd be fibbing. I don't pray because I don't think there's any chance there's a god but I don't get why agnostics don't pray.

If I thought it was more likely there's no god then it'd be worth a punt on the 'nothing to lose front' - why not pop the odd one off :hehe: .

But seriously if the prayer was dead quick why wouldn't an agnostic do it?
Yes, it makes sense they would pray, might as well hedge your bets. :fp:

That's what my cousin does. She is, in my opinion, more atheist than agnostic most of the time, yet others? She's marrying into a old school catholic family and has relented to letting her daughter get baptized - just in case. :lol:
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by floppit » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:25 pm

That's what my cousin does. She is, in my opinion, more atheist than agnostic most of the time, yet others? She's marrying into a old school catholic family and has relented to letting her daughter get baptized - just in case.
I totally get that. If I thought there was any chance of any god existing you may as well as not.
leo-rcc wrote:As an agnostic atheist I have no reason to pray at all. It's not about doubt, it's about being honest that I don't know if a god exists or not, but I'm not convinced that there is, let alone which god.


But.. but... shit I'd give it a whirl! Sort of 'I don't know which one you are if you are but if you are can you.......' Point is - it you think there's some chance and it costs you nowt why not? The reason to do it is the bit you putt in the dotted bit above.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by Rum » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:25 pm

I suspect that the vast majority of agnostics are simply non-practising, non thinking and un-analytical farties who simply have not taken on the issues in the way that many people here have.

People are pretty intellectually lazy for the most part.

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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by Tigger » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:27 pm

maiforpeace wrote:
floppit wrote:I can accept agnosticism is possibly the more rational approach but if I claimed it was my own I'd be fibbing. I don't pray because I don't think there's any chance there's a god but I don't get why agnostics don't pray.

If I thought it was more likely there's no god then it'd be worth a punt on the 'nothing to lose front' - why not pop the odd one off :hehe: .

But seriously if the prayer was dead quick why wouldn't an agnostic do it?
Yes, it makes sense they would pray, might as well hedge your bets. :fp:

That's what my cousin does. She is, in my opinion, more atheist than agnostic most of the time, yet others? She's marrying into a old school catholic family and has relented to letting her daughter get baptized - just in case. :lol:
Another child not given a choice :nono:
I wasn't baptised/Christened, whatever it's called, and I'm over the moon about the fact. :biggrin:
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by leo-rcc » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:34 pm

floppit wrote:
That's what my cousin does. She is, in my opinion, more atheist than agnostic most of the time, yet others? She's marrying into a old school catholic family and has relented to letting her daughter get baptized - just in case.
I totally get that. If I thought there was any chance of any god existing you may as well as not.
leo-rcc wrote:As an agnostic atheist I have no reason to pray at all. It's not about doubt, it's about being honest that I don't know if a god exists or not, but I'm not convinced that there is, let alone which god.


But.. but... shit I'd give it a whirl! Sort of 'I don't know which one you are if you are but if you are can you.......' Point is - it you think there's some chance and it costs you nowt why not? The reason to do it is the bit you putt in the dotted bit above.
What makes you think it costs me nowt? It costs me time and effort that has zero return of investment. Agnosticism has dick all to do with believing one way or the other, it is about knowing. You've been looking at agnosticism as some kind of middle ground position and that is patently false.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by floppit » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:36 pm

Another child not given a choice
All the teaching and fear mongering is one thing but I honestly doubt many kids in the absence of that would give a flying rats bahooey if they were baptised. I was baptised - this, right now, is probably the first time I've thought about that ever (and I did get the fear mongering)!
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by floppit » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:39 pm

What makes you think it costs me nowt? It costs me time and effort that has zero return of investment. Agnosticism has dick all to do with believing one way or the other, it is about knowing. You've been looking at agnosticism as some kind of middle ground position and that is patently false.
I very much doubt I can fully understand the agnostic position of each individual but while I was being a little tongue in cheek it was also a question, had I presumed to know the answer I think your summary would be correct.

I suppose against some of the potential things I could dream up to wish for I think of the cost of 2 seconds thought as nowt, maybe there's sides to it I don't get but I'd be willing to listen.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by leo-rcc » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:43 pm

floppit wrote:
What makes you think it costs me nowt? It costs me time and effort that has zero return of investment. Agnosticism has dick all to do with believing one way or the other, it is about knowing. You've been looking at agnosticism as some kind of middle ground position and that is patently false.
I very much doubt I can fully understand the agnostic position of each individual but while I was being a little tongue in cheek it was also a question, had I presumed to know the answer I think your summary would be correct.

I suppose against some of the potential things I could dream up to wish for I think of the cost of 2 seconds thought as nowt, maybe there's sides to it I don't get but I'd be willing to listen.
If there was a question there perhaps you can rephrase it? Because I have no idea what you meant then.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by Tigger » Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:48 pm

floppit wrote:
Another child not given a choice
All the teaching and fear mongering is one thing but I honestly doubt many kids in the absence of that would give a flying rats bahooey if they were baptised. I was baptised - this, right now, is probably the first time I've thought about that ever (and I did get the fear mongering)!
You've just heard from one. My sister is another. Mousy is another. Why do it at all? Why not allow the child its own choice? Admittedly it's not as bad as involuntary circumcision, but accepting baptism is the same as saying moderate religious belief is ok. It gives credence to the nonsense.
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Re: Why don't agnostics pray?

Post by colubridae » Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:40 pm

I only ever prayed when I was made to...

And that stopped fairly early on...

Somehow I just knew it didn't make sense...
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