An essay against agnosticism

(Originally written June 2, 2007 in Book 14)

Against Agnosticism
Christopher Linehan

The Atheist and the religious man are two in the same, yet opposed of every end. They are but men of thought and faint. One has faint that this is all that is and as such is paramount of the pinnacle. The other has faith that this is but the base and the summit is attainable only by pursuit. Both confuse their faith with indubitable knowledge, if only subconsciously.

The atheist views the world through a green-colored lens whereas the religious man sees the world through his red-tinted spectacles. The atheist swears the beach is green and the religious man swears it is red. There can be no agreement reached and arguments or proofs are futile, though readily offered.

The religious man must forsake his entire memory of existence to become an atheist. No single event can trigger a conversion. Likewise, the atheist must deny his entire history to bow before a God. It is rare and unlikely for a man of green sight to change to red or a man of red sight to change to green. Here I am speaking of critical examining men and women, and not those who take the fables of the corner Darwinist or priest as the ultimate say on all subjects. Those who blindly accept "truths" of other men are foolish infants not deserving of the title of maturity. Of these I will speak no further because they are neither of value nor significance in intellectual pursuit.

The atheist exclaims with avowed power and insight that there is no God because of some continued personal experience. The religious man exclaims that there is God with equal force because of their experience. They are common because they first rely on experience.

From that they choose their arguments. There are admittedly forceful arguments of rational quality on both sides. But, I believe that no proofs have been offered to rationally rule out the possibility of God whereas numerous proofs of God can stand the test of rationality. But in today's atmosphere the rational is not always considered the real.

What then are we to do? As thinkers we must pursue this question of God's existence because it is not one that can be ignored. Our posture and stance on this question precedes and colors our entire perception and comprehension of the phenomenal world. If we be Atheist then the phenomenal is ultimate, if we be religious men and women then the phenomenal i not the ultimate. It is plain and simple, we cannot in good intellectual conscience be neutral on this point.

The atheist may despise the religious man and regard him as superstitious. The religious man may loathe the atheist as a usurper guilty of treason and hubris. But in favor of both they have owned up to their responsibility and duty. The agnostic, however, is rightly hated for his lack of courage.

In the scope of things, the agnostics are worse than the intellectual infants. The infants may be lazy or unequipped to render an intellectual effort to come to a decision, but the agnostic is studied enough to render a decision and lacks the wherewithal to make such a decision.

The agnostic chooses his position in the guise of intellectual honesty. We know not whether God exists nor can we prove or disprove his existence. Therefore, we shall abstain from judgment. Seemingly a good course of action, agnosticism is the greatest type of lie. It is a lie that seems as plausible or more plausible than the truth. It however renders them completely and utterly intellectual impotent.

The atheist grounds their worldview in the phenomenal world. While this may provide ample philosophical problems for the religious to attack them on, they at least find a grounding. The religious man grounds his truth ultimately beyond the phenomenal world. Again this provides groins and an attack for their opposite. While grounding can be disputed amongst them, the agnostic is left with no grounding whatsoever.

The agnostic cannot ground his claim int he phenomenal world because he readily admits that there may or may not be something more. But, he cannot ground his truth in something beyond this world because he knows not if it is real or not. The agnostic's claims are merely conjectural and hypothetical which can find no basis in reality because he is impotent in discerning what reality is.

In summation I offer a challenge and a plea to all of those who seek to be intellectually virtuous. Find grounding somewhere. There is too much at stake to render yourself completely useless in the search for truth. Reflect upon yourself on the question of God's existence. Consult experience and rational arguments from both sides and earnestly seek the truth. Do not be swayed by charisma, eloquence, or emotive utterances. Truth is not without such things, but it is not its sum either.

Seek the truth and you shall find Glory. Seek wisdom and you shall find the Wise. Seek with patience and virtue, abstain from rashness and hubris. Abstain from ignorant fools, pompous critics and infantile obsessions. Abstain from wicked practices and evil follies. But do not abstain from judgment on this issue or the Truth will surely abstain from you.