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Agnosticism Quotes

Quotes on doubt and belief

These agnosticism quotes trace the term back to T. H. Huxley's idea that it means honestly not knowing whether a God exists, a stance some came to Believe was reasonable.

I may have had a prejudice against agnosticism as a body of thought: sort of a fence-sitting theory, where you can't make up your mind one way or another.

Quotes by S. T. Joshi

You go back to T. H. Huxley, who coined the term, what he said - and I came to believe he is right - is that agnosticism asserts not only that he himself didn't know if there was a God...

Quotes by S. T. Joshi

America's freedom of religion, and freedom from religion, offers every wisdom tradition an opportunity to address our soul-deep needs: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, secular humanism, agnosticism and atheism among others.

Quotes by Parker Palmer

I went with agnosticism for a long, long time because I just hated to say I was an atheist - being an atheist seemed so rigid. But the more I became comfortable with the word, and the more I read,...

Quotes by Julia Sweeney

Averse Quotes

I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure - that is all that agnosticism means.

Quotes by Clarence Darrow

I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure - that is all that agnosticism means.

Quotes by Clarence Darrow

I won't say that I'm an agnostic, since agnosticism maintains that one cannot know... but I'm not averse to the idea of some intelligence or some organizing force that set up the initial conditions of the universe in such a...

Quotes by B. F. Skinner

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is credited with coining the term "agnosticism" in these quotes?
T. H. Huxley is credited, with one quote explaining his view that it means honestly not knowing whether a God exists.
Is agnosticism presented as different from atheism here?
Yes, one quote describes moving toward agnosticism specifically because calling oneself an atheist felt too rigid by comparison.
Do any quotes criticize agnosticism?
Yes, one calls it a kind of fence-sitting theory, suggesting it avoids fully committing to a position.
Is there a quote about religious freedom in America?
Yes, one frames America's freedom of and from religion as an opportunity for every faith and non-faith tradition to address deep human needs.
Did any speaker come to accept the term "agnosticism" over time?
Yes, one describes becoming more comfortable with the word the more they read, eventually coming to Believe it fit their outlook.

Others are more skeptical of the label, calling it fence-sitting, while a broader quote frames America's freedom of and from religion as room for every tradition and doubt alike.