Are you a Theist, an Agnostic, or and Atheist?

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

Or donate directly via Paypal

This message board is The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum's SMF Archive Board. It is closed to new memberships and to posting, but there are over 250,000 messages here that you can still search and read -- many full of interesting and useful information. (This board was open from February 2007 through June 2011).

Our new vBulletin discussion board is located at http://www.ecauldron.com/forum/ -- if you would like to participate in discussions like those you see here, please visit our new vBulletin message board, register an account and join in our discussions. We hope you will find the information in this message archive useful and will consider joining us on our new board.

[RandallS]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

[Odjn]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

After some deliberation I chose this:

Very low probability, but short of zero. De facto atheist. 'I cannot know for certain but I think deities are very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that none exist.'

I could have chosen the very last one but because I cannot adequately defend my view to explain why I feel -in a more absolute manner- that there are no "gods" I left the window open, albeit slightly.

Of course one must ask how one defines "gods/goddesses". Is it restricted only to personified and/or anthropomorphized forms or are more vague, semantic based versions taken into consideration?

It will be interesting to see what the polls reveal. Thanks Randall

[Melamphoros]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

I picked:

"De facto theist. Very high probability but short of 100 per cent. 'I cannot know for certain, but I strongly believe in deity/deities and live my life on the assumption that deities exist.'"

While I do think I interact with deities all the time, there is still a part of me that thinks I may be crazy(-er than I already know I am).

[EverFool]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

I feel slightly stronger than the 6 rating, in that I feel quite sure that there are no Gods, but intellectual honesty requires me to admit that I don't know.

[Lykaios]

I feel slightly stronger than the 6 rating, in that I feel quite sure that there are no Gods, but intellectual honesty requires me to admit that I don't know.

I'm exactly opposite of that, but I like how you put it.  I feel more or less certain that there are gods, but I recognize that it is a fallacy for me to say I 'know' because I can't prove it and there is a possibility that I could be wrong.

[Thorn]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

I'm pretty firmly agnostic - but experiences over the last couple of years make me lean more towards theism.  Used to be I'd be somewhere between 3 - 4, but these days it's more 2 - 3.

[Kasmira]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

Ummm.... The ever-present "Other"? I picked the middle option because that is my approach to distinct, conscious deity which is what people generally seem to be referring to when they ask this question. Or rather, my response is "couldn't care less either way..." I go on and live my life and if they do exist they'll probably make sure I know it when I die or they'll thwap me up the side of the head some time before then. Till then I don't see any reason to worry about it.

On the other hand, I know, with every fiber of my being, that the 'deity' I worship exists. It is not conscious, it has no plan for the universe, it didn't even create the universe, it simply is. It is the universe. I experience it and it is amazing, awe-inspiring, heart-wrenching, beautiful, and agonizing all at the same time. It is life, and I know it exists because I live.

Make any sense to you? It certainly doesn't to me .

[Nyktipolos]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

I picked 1. Now, I may not truely know what they are (I don't think you wholly can, and Dionysos is even harder), but I believe they exist, whether people want to believe they do or not. But like Everfool said, intellectual honesty requires me to say I don't know for sure. 

[Juni]

I almost picked the first (strong theist) but I am not infallible, so I had to go with the second option. I do feel like I know, though.

[Darkhawk]

I picked the 'agnostic, leaning towards theism' thing even though the concept of conflating theism/atheism and agnosticism pisses me off.   Different axis entire, thanks.

[Artur]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

I chose the "De Facto Theist" option.

I have never met, spoken with, or otherwise interacted to my certain knowledge with a god, goddess, or other divine being.  Feelings and impressions in such matters carry no weight with me, since they are so easily swayed by needs, wants, etc. and are open to any interpretation one chooses.

However, ever since I was very little, I have spoken to "god" (or goddess, or gods/goddesses) with absolutely no doubt that someone is listening.  Long before my ill-fated journey into the labryinth of Christianity, and continuing after being set free from it, I did and continue to believe someone is there.  It must be hard-wired in some way within me.  I can disbelieve any volume of rot about gods/goddesses, but I can't bring myself to believe he/she/it/they are not there.

[loneash]

This Theist-Atheist scale was created by Richard Dawkins and seems mainly for monotheist belief. I've modified the descriptions a bit to make it more polytheism-friendly.

De facto theist.  With my back ground in science I can not say 100% there are Deities.  To do that I would have to have verifiable and repeatable proof.  Maybe even then I might hedge a 1/1000of a %.

On the other hand I'm very much in the dark as what my deities are (not who they are per se).  Matter? anti matter, or pure essence of spirt.

[Nehet]

I chose 2, de-facto theist.  There really is no way to "prove" that the voices in my head are gods, though I operate from that assumption.  I have had my moments when Jung's words have a strong resonance.  

[Aisling]

While I do think I interact with deities all the time, there is still a part of me that thinks I may be crazy(-er than I already know I am).

Same here.  I have to concede that there's always a tiny sliver of doubt that my interactions with deity might be my imagination, a chemical imbalance, or some other mundane explanation.  The other 99% of the time, I'm certain they exist.  De-facto theist it is.

[firefly124]

Same here.  I have to concede that there's always a tiny sliver of doubt that my interactions with deity might be my imagination, a chemical imbalance, or some other mundane explanation.  The other 99% of the time, I'm certain they exist.  De-facto theist it is.

That's my rationale as well.

[Tags:]

Jump to: Please select a destination: ----------------------------- About The Cauldron ----------------------------- => Rules and Regulations => Cauldron Announcements ===> Volunteers Needed: Site Assistants and Projects => Introductions => Board Questions, Suggestions, and Feedback => Chat and CauldronMUX Support => Test Board ----------------------------- Religion and Philosophy ----------------------------- => Paganism For Beginners => Books and Other Resources => Pagan Religions => Pagan Spirituality => Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology => Worship and Ritual => Holidays and Festivals => History and Religion => Faith in Everyday Life => Philosophy and Metaphysics => Non-Pagan Religions and Interfaith Discussions => Miscellaneous Religious Discussions ----------------------------- Magic and the Occult ----------------------------- => Magic and the Occult for Beginners => Witchcraft, Hoodoo, and Folk Magic => The Western Magical Tradition => Chaos Magic => Lodges and Other Magic Organizations => Miscellaneous Magical Discussions ----------------------------- Special Interest Groups & Special Discussions ----------------------------- => Special Topic Discussions => Chavi Memorial Chronic Illness SIG => General SIGS ===> College Pagans SIG ===> Cooking SIG ===> Divination SIG ===> Home and Garden SIG ===> Pagan Parents SIG ===> Teen Pagans SIG => Religious SIGS ===> Asatru and Heathenry SIG ===> Cauldron Cill ===> FlameKeeping SIG ===> Hazel and Oak: A Celtic Polytheism SIG ===> Neo-Druidry SIG ===> Reformed Kemeticism SIG ===> Ta Hiera Hellenic Polytheism SIG => Book/Media Discussion Boards ===> Academic Book Discussions ===> Pagan Religion Book Discussions ===> Magick Book Discussions ===> Fiction Book Discussions ===> DVD/Video Discussions ----------------------------- Life, the Universe, and Everything Else ----------------------------- => Pagan Announcements => Prayer and Energy Requests => News and Politics ===> Religious News ===> Non-Religious News ===> Political Discussions => Social Discussion Boards ===> Art, Poetry and Writing ===> Books ===> Computers and the Internet ===> Crafts and Hobbies ===> Family Life ===> Gaming ===> Health and Medicine ===> Humor and Quizzes ===> Music, Television, and Film ===> Pets ===> Science and Technology ===> Sports and Recreation