What is Agnosticism? Whole lot of people have no clue.

Let me preface this by saying I am not attempting to start an argument here, condemn anyone, or get condemned by anyone (although I would be surprised if some usual suspects didn't show up).

I am attempting to explain, nothing further than that.

Okay, so I'm agnostic. Some of you know what that means, but I bet some of you don't. Three people lately whom I know and who I consider quite intelligent, educated, and well-rounded people, did not know what agnosticism actually means.

So I figure I'll tell you. A theist believes there is a god or gods of some sort. An atheist does not believe there is a god. An agnostic (and there are different types of us running around just like there are different types of theists) believes that it is logically impossible to prove the existence of god or gods, and also that it is logically impossible to disprove the existence of god or gods. Personally, I think the existence of God more unlikely than likely, but that's me. Another agnostic might think that it likely there is a god or gods, but that it cannot be proven.

This is not a position of indecision in any way, shape, or form. At least not for me. Again, other agnostics might disagree. It is not that I am not sure. I am quite secure and quite certain in my ethics and beliefs. It has been a very difficult journey to get where I am philosophically, and not one that I expected nor wanted to make. Having said that, the end result very much works for me. I feel very good about life and the universe and much better about myself as a person. It has brought clarity to me where once I found only confusion.

But that's me. Your mileage may vary (YMMV), and I totally respect your own beliefs, as long as you respect mine. And that's sort of the key here. Frankly, too many people do not respect others' beliefs. They instead try to cajole or encourage you to change your beliefs to match theirs. It seems to me that their faith in their religion must be quite weak for them to feel the need to do that.

I absolutely do not begrudge anyone practicing the religion of their own choice. Go for it. Heck, I encourage it. Go to church, temple, mosque, whatever. Put up placards outside your churches, build monuments, compose songs. I mean, really, how far less of a culture would we have without Christmas, the Sistine Chapel, and Handel's Messiah, just to name three random things religion has given us. I am not hostile to religion.

The only thing that sets me off is when people try to use government to force me to ascribe to their beliefs or use government to promote their own religious propaganda. That I cannot stomach.

I welcome your comments.