Why don't agnostics pray?

[tattuchu]

Why do you think agnosticism is more logical, floppy I dunt make much sense to me. There's no evidence and no rational reason to believe in a god. I guess you could say the possibility exists, but the probability is so low as to be virtually nonexistent. I mean, we don't believe in unicorns or fairies or dragons either, but do we say we're agnostic about them? They could exist. But they probably don't. So of course we don't say we're agnostic in that regard. We just say that they don't exist. We're pretty goddamn certain they don't exist. So certain that we don't pussyfoot around and mince words. We just say that they don't exist. Same with God

[leo-rcc]

I mean, we don't believe in unicorns or fairies or dragons either, but do we say we're agnostic about them?

Yes I do. The thing is, no one ever asks me about those.

[Svartalf]

Simple... we don't know if there's a god, and if there's one, we haven't the foggiest idea who it might be or how it wants to be addressed or propitiated, so no point in wasting time, and possibly effort in doing so. If it's so great and whatnot, it's going to know anyway and will help us if it wills, like the prayers of such puny creatures as ourselves could have any power over such supernatural beings...

Now, if I were into sorcery, I WOULD study the best ways to make demons, elementals and yeah, gods do my bidding and avoid being screwed over by them.

[RuleBritannia]

Agnostics are more annoying than theists. Agnosticism is not the middle ground!

[Ele]

I don't pray simply because I don't worship anything or anyone. But I have communicated with dead people. Life on Earth is an illusion and if some people want to believe in rational and irrational illusions, it's no care of mine. There's no middle ground or hedging of bets for me. There's just pure skepticism of others' purported understanding of reality and a sense of reassurance in not knowing anything. And I'm still too young to commit myself to any rational or irrational fantasy realities just yet.... gotta be careful what you wish for in case you wish it true.

[Ele]

Agnostics are more annoying than theists. Agnosticism is not the middle ground!

militant atheists get up my nose more

[RuleBritannia]

Agnostics are more annoying than theists. Agnosticism is not the middle ground!

militant atheists get up my nose more

"Militant atheist" is a propaganda term. Someone who is hostile towards religion is an "antitheist".

[RuleBritannia]

Anyone and everyone, believers and non-believers are all agnostic when it comes to god, anyone who claims to be a gnostic is a fucking lier.

Agnosticism though says nothing about what you believe. When it comes to what you believe about god (or anything) there are only two options, they are jointly exhaustive and mutually exclusive i.e. a dichotomy.

If you can not say "I believe in a god", then you, by default, do not believe. You are an atheist whether you like it or not.

[Svartalf]

But that's the fucking POINT.
You can't seriously believe in something you have no way of ever KNOWing the truth about.

[RuleBritannia]

But that's the fucking POINT.
You can't seriously believe in something you have no way of ever KNOWing the truth about.

Just because it's unknown it doesn't mean it's unknowable. However, you can't apply that to god until god is defined.

[Svartalf]

Sure I will... unless you can explain me cogently why and how the divine has never been witnessed reliably, or demonstrated by religion, philosophy, magic or science in the at least 50 000 years we've been looking for it.

[RuleBritannia]

Sure I will... unless you can explain me cogently why and how the divine has never been witnessed reliably, or demonstrated by religion, philosophy, magic or science in the at least 50 000 years we've been looking for it.

Probably because it doesn't exist, obvious really.

[Svartalf]

but without definite proof of absence, and given the weird nature of the subject, concluding definitely in the non existence of the divine is as large a leap of faith as worshipping some magic man from the sky.

The only logical solution is to admit you don't know, and most likely won't ever know, if it's even possible to have definite knowledge (positive or negative) on the matter.
and of course that still frees you to act as if it didn't exist since it doesn't ever factor in the equation of actions and consequences.

[RuleBritannia]

but without definite proof of absence, and given the weird nature of the subject, concluding definitely in the non existence of the divine is as large a leap of faith as worshipping some magic man from the sky.

The only logical solution is to admit you don't know, and most likely won't ever know, if it's even possible to have definite knowledge (positive or negative) on the matter.
and of course that still frees you to act as if it didn't exist since it doesn't ever factor in the equation of actions and consequences.

Not knowing is not believing. If you can't say "I believe" then you, by default, fall into the not believing category. If you say "There is no god", then that is a positive belief, it is not, not believing.

[Tigger]

I don't pray simply because I don't worship anything or anyone. But I have communicated with dead people. Life on Earth is an illusion and if some people want to believe in rational and irrational illusions, it's no care of mine. There's no middle ground or hedging of bets for me. There's just pure skepticism of others' purported understanding of reality and a sense of reassurance in not knowing anything. And I'm still too young to commit myself to any rational or irrational fantasy realities just yet.... gotta be careful what you wish for in case you wish it true.

Back up a bit here. What?