<p>My parents are Lutheran. I even teach at a Lutheran Sunday School, but I don't believe in God.</p>
<p>I'm somewhere between an atheist and an agnostic.</p>
<p>Religion really isn't that important to me. Maybe I'll "rediscover" my faith as I get older.</p>
<p>Another thread gave me the idea for this one. </p>
<p>How religious or how important is religion in your life?</p>
<p>Also, what religion are you?</p>
<p>I'll start. I'm Hindu. I'm not that religious although I try to be. I do believe in the various Gods, but don't really go to temple that much. I try to have a lotta morals though as that's what I think is most important.</p>
<p>wow, that was weird. I guess I replied to the thread before it even existed :D</p>
<p>book_worm that was indeed weird!</p>
<p>Anyway, I believe. I have very set beliefs that I totally believe in. (wow did that sentence sound dumb... lol)</p>
<p>I don't think I fall into any one major "category" but I definitely believe in God. I just don't feel that any one religion is "the way" or that there's a "hell" and people who don't believe will burn. I believe in God and all the forces of the universe. </p>
<p>I don't go to church though. When I do go (my family is Catholic), I absolutely love it. But we go 1-2 times per year.</p>
<p>I was never religious to began with , but I was stuck somewhere between atheist and agnostic for a long long time. Then a few years ago, I started reading the news on a daily basis, that was when I became atheist.</p>
<p>The very fact that there is more than one religion makes the whole idea of religion dubious. If religion was what it's supposed to be, then there would only be one... hope that made sense.</p>
<p>I'm a very devout Christian. :) my religion is very important to me.</p>
<p>I identify as an atheist, although I suppose I am more of an agnostic. However, many of my friends are intensely religious and I often go to church/temple with them.</p>
<p>I was raised Lutheran, and my parents are both devout Christians, but I consider myself to be agnostic. I definitely don't like the idea of organized religion.</p>
<p>i'm <em>secular</em>...i simply don't get why people choose to go the way of organized religion and delude themselves</p>
<p>I'm Christian, but I'm not nearly as religious as before. I guess the Fundamentalists and TV Pastors really disgusted me.</p>
<p>I play in the youth band and I believe in Jesus Christ. I understand how my faith could be wrong, but many of my friends are in my church. It also connects the Chinese community in our city.</p>
<p>Oooo I hate to sound dumb but I want to hear the first-hand answers:</p>
<p>What is the difference between an Atheist and an Agnostic?</p>
<p>MetdethGNR,
My understanding is that an atheist has no belief in God, while an agnostic doesn't believe it's possible to determine whether or not there is a God.</p>
<p>Others probably have more elaborate explanations.</p>
<p>^An atheist doesn't believe in any higher being, an agnostic doesn't make any judgment either way.</p>
<p>I'm not active in a church right now- my family's Catholic, but I stopped going to church some time ago. I'm a more liberal Christian now- I believe in Jesus, undoubtedly, but not every little thing in the Bible. My faith is important to me, though, and I'd like to find a church I could feel at home in. I just want to wait until I'm out of my father's home before I do that, out of respect for the way he wanted to raise me.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm a very devout Christian. my religion is very important to me.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I second that but I'm fairly on the liberal side of it.
I'm also fascinated by learning new religions, at times I do pick up ideas here and there.</p>
<p>somewhat important. im roman catholic, but i dont go to church. although, i do believe in god.</p>
<p>I'm a devout Pastafarian.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^</p>
<p>On the semantic issues regarding a-theism and a-gnosticism:</p>
<p>Atheism refers, through its greek etymology, to non-theism, or no positive assertation of a deity in question, and agnosticism, also Greek, implies non-knowledge, or the inability to assess an a posteriori claim absolutely. Given that these terms are usually entrenched in turmoil regarding their definitions, I find it useful resort to their original etymologies, where no consolidated common-use can be found.</p>
<p>Atheism is therefore an ontological position and agnosticism an epistemological one. Ditto for theism and gnosticism.</p>
<p>One can be an:</p>
<p>Agnostic atheist, Agnostic theist, Gnostic atheist, or Gnostic theist.</p>
<p>Most "agnostics" and "atheists" fall in in first position, whereas most theists (and all theistic dogmatists) fall in the last. I am well acquainted with some who fall in the second (the uber-moderate, non-religiously-conservative, "I'm not entirely sure" bunch) and partially acquainted with some in the third (the dogmatic atheist, the "non-contradictory deity is still rejected a priori, where no such position can be made").</p>
<p>I consider myself to technically be "an atheist" and a-religious (to common ostensive), possibly anti-religious (with certain categoricals), although there exists a wealth of philosophical terms which one could attribute to me which detail my positions with far greater clarity.</p>
<p>I was raised in the Methodist Church... still go to youth group an everything.</p>
<p>However, I would consider myself agnostic (my loose definition being that I believe in some higher being, but really don't care, and have no desire to actually follow any religion).<br>
On that matter, I truly believe in spirits/ghosts/whatever you want to call them. It's the one thing that keeps me from claiming to be an atheist.</p>