Ignostic

July 6, 2009 in Faith by Chris | 3 comments

What then, brethren, shall we say of God? For if thou hast been able to understand what thou wouldest say, it is not God. If thou hast been able to comprehend it, thou hast comprehended something else instead of God. If thou hast been able to comprehend him as thou thinkest, by so thinking thou hast deceived thyself. This then is not God, if thou hast comprehended it; but if this be God, thou has not comprehended it.

-St. Augustine

Share

3 comments

Comments feed for this article

Trackback link: http://thelastchancetexaco.com/2009/07/ignostic/trackback/

Casey Cabler on July 6, 2009 at 6:44 am

That’s what I’m saying!!!!!
Chris on July 6, 2009 at 9:02 am

LOL@Casey – I know. I’m actually saying more than that here. St. Augustine just says this part of it in such a nice way. I’m also saying that the question of the existence of God is meaningless because it has no verifiable (or testable) consequences and should therefore be ignored.

Ignosticism is often considered synonymous with theological noncognitivism.

In the entry under “God” in the Guide to Humanistic Judaism, published by the Society for Humanistic Judaism, ignosticism is defined as “finding the question of God’s existence meaningless because it has no verifiable consequences.” This use of the term verifiable is consistent with the usage of logical positivism and indicates that the word “God” is meaningless because theism is incoherent. This doesn’t have to imply, however, that the idea of God is emotionally or aesthetically meaningless. It is sufficient to say that the idea of God as a being makes no sense.

For most purposes, this view may be considered a form of agnosticism (sometimes referred to as “apathetic agnosticism”), and falls under the general category of nontheism. But it is a particular form. From this approach, the “I don’t know” of agnosticism ceases to mean “I don’t know if God exists or not” and becomes “I don’t know what you’re talking about when you talk about God.” This underlies the form of the word: ignosticism, indicating an ignorance of what is meant by a claim of God’s existence. Until this ignorance is cleared up, the ignostic is justified in ignoring putative arguments for or against.

So, when the word “God” is spoken, the ignostic may seek to determine if something like a child’s definition of a god is meant or if a theologian’s is intended.

A child’s concept generally has a simple and coherent meaning: a big powerful man in the sky responsible for the weather and other such matters. The ignostic is probably atheistic toward this notion, regarding the balance of evidence to deem against it. In taking this view the ignostic is in agreement not only with all atheists but, ironically, with any serious modern theist.

A theologian’s concept is more complex and abstract, often involving such concepts as first cause, sustainer, and unmoved mover and claiming such attributes for God as omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. To the ignostic these abstractions, taken singly or in combination, cannot be said to be false; rather, they are muddled, self-contradictory, linguistically empty, or perhaps poetic. Hence, one cannot meaningfully expound on the existence or nonexistence of God.

I’m comfortable with this. It allows me to be not believe in the Magical Santa Clause Jesus at all – and still allow that there may be truth that is impossible to describe or fully know.
the other cj on July 8, 2009 at 5:17 am

If you haven’t watched Sarah Silverman’s “Jesus is Magic,” I recommend it. But that’s because I’m going to hell ().

I’m as likely to believe in the Easter Bunny as I am to literally believe what I read in the Codex Sinaiticus (it’s all Greek to me, heh heh &etc).

I’m glad you’re sober. I’m glad I’m sober. I believe in us. I believe in the program.

The fact that I am sitting at this computer without a meth pipe in one hand and a cigarette in the ashtray is proof for me that there is a power greater than me.

For me, that’s enough.

Ignostic

3 comments

Reply

The Last Chance Texaco salutes . . .

Back Seat Drivers

Fuel Jockeys

Last Chance Snack Bar

Search the experience, strength and hope of over 150 recovery bloggers.

Historical Markers – The Last Chance Archives

Manager’s Office

Recent Articles

Another Case of Cannot

Travel Kicks My Ass

Adventures in Sobriety

Nothing That Three Million Dollars Won’t Fix

A Spiritual Foundation

Three

This Page is Intentionally Left Blank and Other Self Contradictory Stuff

Unmixed Attention

I Don’t Want to Pray for Him.

Wishful Thinking