It's not really practical to argue relation based on common rejection of a third idea. Like, are all Christians, Muslims, atheists, and agnostics related groups because they all reject witchcraft?

But I think 20% of the EU polled that "they don't believe in any god, spirit, or life force".

That sounds about right, given that the number of atheists and agnostics is 23%.

Also, if you mean irreligion, say irreligion. "Atheism" is a very narrow term that only encompasses a small demographic group in most places, such as in america where only 3% of people are atheists.

X you have just won goy of the yr.

Sounds like a great award. How do you get nominated?

Also, if you mean irreligion, say irreligion. "Atheism" is a very narrow term that only encompasses a small demographic group in most places, such as in america where only 3% of people are atheists.

Atheism is not always a very narrow word, 125ch, if you've met him, he says himself as an atheist, and wields the broad sense of the word, though - he doesn't deny the being of Gods, he just doesn't believe in them.

It's really the same thing. If he believes that the idea of God has truth value but doesn't believe, he's an agnostic, and if he believes the idea does not have truth value and also doesn't believe, he's an atheist.

And I'm saying technically here btw. Sure he can self identify as an atheist, it's just that those are the definitions of the words, regardless of his self identification.

How many politicians does it take to change a lightbulb?

2. One to change it, and one to change it back.

If he believes that the idea of God has truth value but doesn't believe, he's an agnostic

You seem to be ignoring the broad meanings totally.

Atheism is, in the broadest sense, the absence of belief in the existence of deities.

No, I'm not ignoring it. In fact, I specifically addressed it. Here it is again, a bit simplified:

If you lack a belief in God, you are either an agnostic or an atheist, and which you are is determined by what truth value you think the idea of God has.

What is "truth value", then? Atheists in the broadest sense and agnostists don't deny that there is a God.

Fox News:
Reagan is God.

What is "truth value", then? Atheists in the broadest sense and agnostists don't deny that there is a God.

If you want you can research this to verify that "truth value" is the right term here (I'm not completely sure). However, My understanding is that if you say something has a truth value, you are saying that there is a possibility that it is true. Thus:

If you are an agnostic, you lack a belief in God, but you believe that God could exist. You don't lack a belief in God due to believing that he doesn't exist, but rather you don't believe in God for some other reason, such as an unwillingness to accept fideism (literally "faithism", which is the idea that belief in God can be justified by faith).

On the other hand, Atheists lack a belief in God with the motivation that they don't believe that God exists. Like agnostics, they lack a belief in God, but it is not backed up by something like lack of evidence, such as agnostics. It is only backed up by the belief that God does not exist.

Atheism meaning "a lack of belief in God" is not contradictory with believing that there is no God, and it doesn't mean that they are not denying the existence of God. If you do not deny the existence of God, you are an agnostic, not an atheist. Atheism specifically encompasses a group of people who are characterized by their denial of Gods existence.

Edited 6/5/2016 01:59:29

Atheists lack a belief in God with the motivation that they don't believe that God exists.

Not necessarily, that's just the narrower meanings of it (which are hyponyms of the broader meaning).

Yes, it is necessary. Otherwise, there would be no reason for demographers to distinguish between these two groups, since that makes literally no sense if they believe exactly the same thing.

Check out this definition:

Atheism is, in the broadest sense, the absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is the rejection of belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism)

The important part is that Atheism, no mater how broad the definition, is contrasted with theism. This is pretty obvious from the name, and this is why it is a different idea from agnosticism.

Edited 6/5/2016 02:43:16

Otherwise, there would be no reason for demographers to distinguish between these two groups, since that makes literally no sense if they believe exactly the same thing.

Demographers have to specify what meaning they have.

Both atheism and agnosticism don't have any belief in gods, contrasted to theism, which is belief in a god.

"Contrasted" just means a striking difference, and agnosticism does not have a striking difference to theism, as agnosticism does not disagree that God exists. The only difference is that agnostics do not believe that it is possible to prove Gods existence.

It's also not accurate to say that agnostics share with atheists a lack of a belief in God; In fact, Many Theists are actually agnostics as well (I even consider myself to be an agnostic theist/fideist).

Atheism definitely does differ from agnosticism and contrast with theism in that it denies the existence of God.

Ah, ok, should have said from the beginning that agnosts can believe in God.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

^Agnostic.

Sorry about that.

This is only half political, and it only makes sense if you speak French, but here goes:

An Arab says: "Je mange beaucoup de grenades; c'est plein d'anti-occident"