A recent survey on religion caused a stir when it revealed that many Americans lack some basic knowledge about their own religious faiths. Another provocative finding indicated both atheists and agnostics are surprisingly knowledgable about a variety of religions. <\/p>\n
This prompts us to address a commonly-asked question: What is the difference between someone who defines themselves as atheist and a professedagnostic? <\/p>\n
There is a key distinction. An atheist doesnt believe in a god or divinebeing. The word originates with the Greek atheos, which is built from the roots a- without + theos a god. <\/p>\n
(You may also be interested in our explanation of what amen, one of the key words of faith and prayer, literally means. The answer is here.) <\/p>\n
However, an agnostic neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. Agnostics assert that its impossible for human beings to know anything about how the universe was created and if divine beings exist. <\/p>\n
Agnosticism was coined by biologist T.H. Huxley and comes from the Greek agnostos, which means unknown or unknowable. <\/p>\n
To complicate matters, atheists and agnostics are often confused with theists and deists. <\/p>\n
A theist is the opposite of an atheist. Theists believe in the existence of a god or gods. <\/p>\n
(One place where science and spirituality intersect is the concept of the God Particle. Learn what that means, here.) <\/p>\n
Like a theist, a deist believes in God. But a deist believes that while God created the universe, natural laws determine how the universe plays out. <\/p>\n
Deists are often connected to Isaac Newtons Clockwork Universe theory, where the universe is compared to a clock that has been wound up and set in motion by God but is governed by the laws of science. <\/p>\n
Are there any questions of religion or spirituality you would like us to define or explore? Let us know. <\/p>\n
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\nHow do atheism and agnosticism differ? | Dictionary.com Blog<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"