I think Dave's point is that the way those options are framed presupposes a believer's point of view. There should, for example, be categories like "I don't know and I don't care," and "the evidence militates against the existence of God but I don't know everything so I'm agnostic."
With a survey like that, you can intentionally or unintentionally skew the results through the options you present. I think, perhaps like Dave, that the creator of that list had such a prejudice.
Agreed...& my sincerest apologies to all...truly didn't mean to pigeon-hole anyone with that chart.
I'm just confused sometimes as I'm actually excited to find myself gravitating towards a full on Atheism from my agnosticism and/or vacillating between the two.
I used this chart recently with an extended TBM family member who I thought was straddling the Mormonism fence more than he actually was. I felt it would give him a good idea of where I was headed in embracing my Agnosticism and Atheism as it appeared simple for people to understand especially those who do believe.
Boy was I wrong...he came back at me and asked me if I was now a Communist too!!!
Oh well...learned that lesson the hard way!
And I agree whole-heartedly with Lot's Wife that... "there should, for example, be categories like "I don't know and I don't care," but what then is the label for that person exactly?
Perhaps it is best explained as Done & Done has suggested... [That category is significant and usually just called non-religious or no denomination which is code for "not even interested."]
I guess my confusion arises when someone says they're an "Atheist" as to me it seems to imply they have actively taken a stance to NOT believe in a deity or supernatural figure???
Shouldn't the nom de plume for someone claiming to be Atheist and yet doesn't ascribe to any "god" belief or couldn't care less either way be more descriptive in using the additive term "Non-Religious" or "Humanist" or "Secularist"?
Oh well...still figuring things out on my end...but what I have learned for sure in the inimitable words of one of my favorite contrarians and authors is that indeed "Religion poisons everything" !!!
Many thanks for your herculean patience with me & my shortcomings thus far!
Why does god make believing in him so confusing? With all the different churches that say they are the only one that is right it gets very confusing.
With all the technology today he could just break into every TV and internet feed at the same time around the world and proclaim his existence and tell us what he really wants us to do. Then he could go back on that extended vacation he's been on for so long.
Notice how Atheists are burnt orange and Theists are true blue? Agnostics are the color of custard.
This is no accident. Color talks. Color is powerful.
I don't doubt Dave is right when he says it looks like something a theist would concoct. Also because I don't see an atheist or agnostic interested enough to bother with such a thing.
And the "I don't care" category should be there as LW says. That category is significant and usually just called non-religious or no denomination which is code for "not even interested."
Following on this being made up by a theist, I would also say it was made by a monotheist. See how it starts out using the term "gods", then as it moves down to theist, it uses the term "god". What about people who believe in multiple gods? And, what type of god, exactly? Judeo-Christian omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent? or like the rest of the religions who do not believe in those attributes for their gods?
Defintely made up by someone who believes at least in the Old Testament god, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim.