Atheism and Agnosticism Trivia

1. What is an agnostic's position regarding the existence of God?

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: I don't know if there's a God

The best way to describe what it means to be agnostic is to answer the question "Does God exist?" with the answer "I don't know". The existence of God, or the divine, or the supernatural, cannot be known for certain. Unless there is a scientific proof of these things, one cannot know for sure.

From Quiz Atheists, Agnostics, and Other Doubters

Answer: Protagoras

Protagoras was born in Thrace around 490 BC. He was a student of Democritus, and a member of the philosophical school of thinking known as Sophists. Protagoras taught that truth is a relative concept, and differs from one individual to another. In his work "Peritheon," or "On the Gods," he wrote: "Respecting the gods, I am unable to know whether they exist or do not exist." This attitude did not endear him to the powers that be; he was banished from Athens and his books ordered to be burned. He supposedly died at sea in 411 BC while on his way to Sicily.

From Quiz Agnosticism

Answer: Greek

The word is made up from the prefix 'a', meaning without, and 'gnosis', meaning knowledge. It should not be confused with the Latin 'agnoso', meaning 'to acknowledge or assent', which has passed into some languages (not English) with that meaning. Agnosticism contrasts with atheism, which is the belief that there is no god or gods. The word 'atheism' also derives from Greek, as 'theos' is the Greek word for God.

From Quiz Secular Humanism in the USA

Answer: That is usually the case.

Most *secular* humanists are atheist or agnostic, but the terms aren't exactly synonymous. Atheism is a negative, a denial of the existence of a Deity. Secular humanism, however, is more positively defined as the belief in and valuing of reason, free inquiry, critical thinking, the scientific method, freedom, compassion, moral excellence, and love of fellow human beings. Carl Sagan, noted astronomer and secular humanist, once said, "An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God. I know of no such compelling evidence." By the way, whereas *secular* humanists generally operate outside of a religious framework, there are *religious* humanists, e.g. people who consider themselves Christian and Jewish humanists, who synthesize Judeo-Christian ethics and humanist principles. (But this is beyond the scope of this quiz!)

From Quiz New Atheism

Answer: Wired

"Wired" magazine first used the term in 2006 to describe best-selling atheistic authors of the time. The term is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, but it has entered common usage in the media and among many atheists (take, for instance, the newatheist.org website). It is used as a convenient label for those modern atheists who take an evangelical approach to atheism, promoting their views vocally, publically, and aggressively in an attempt to convert others to the same way of thinking.

From Quiz The Roots and History of Atheism

Answer: Atheos

The word 'atheism' originates from the Greek word Atheos. Atheos means 'without gods'.

From Quiz Atheism and Agnosticism

Answer: The atheist does not believe there is a God; the agnostic believes that we do not or cannot know if God exists.

The meanings can be determined by looking at the derivations of the words. The prefix "a" means "not" or "without"; "theist" refers to belief in God; "gnostic" comes from a Greek root meaning "to know". Therefore, the atheist is without God; the agnostic is without knowledge.

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: Thomas Henry Huxley

In 1869 Thomas Henry Huxley said, "It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe." He didn't create the idea of agnosticism, but did come up with the term to describe that way of thinking. There are agnostic ideas prevalent throughout history. A 5th century BCE Greek philosopher named Protagoras expressed agnostic thoughts about whether Gods existed. A 5th century BCE Indian philosopher named Sanjaya Belatthaputta expressed agnostic thoughts about the existence of an afterlife.

From Quiz People Who Saw a Different Light

Answer: Madalyn Murray O'Hair

O'Hair founded American Atheists and was its president from 1963 to 1986. Jon Garth Murray, her son, took over leadership until 1995. The suit which she brought to the Supreme Court was Murray v. Curlett. In 1995 O'Hair, Jon Murray, and her granddaughter Robin disappeared and the offices of American Atheists closed abruptly. It took several years until the truth emerged. They had been kidnapped by a disgruntled employee David Roland Waters. They were forced to withdraw all the funds from American Atheists in the amount of half a million dollars. Waters spent 80,000 dollars but the rest were in turn stolen from him. After his arrest he led police to where he had buried the bodies. The three were mutilated and decomposed but were identified by dental records.

From Quiz Agnosticism

Answer: Thomas Huxley

Huxley is often described as 'Darwin's Bulldog' for the support he gave to the then controversial theory of evolution. Huxley's views on religion were well documented. In 1860, he wrote to Charles Kingsley, who was a clergyman as well as the author of several books, including the well known 'The Water-Babies'. In it, Huxley stated that 'I neither affirm nor deny the immortality of man. I see no reason for believing it, but, on the other hand, I have no means of disproving it.'

From Quiz Let's Ask Some Uncomfortable Questions

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

This came from Parrotman2006 of Racine, Wisconsin. Parrotman is one of the strongest quizzers, not just in Atheist Quizzers but on FT as a whole. Hemingway (1899-1961) grew disillusioned with religion after his experiences with death and destruction during the First World War. Much of his fiction dealt with cynical characters, often embittered. His most famous works are "A Farewell to Arms" (1929), "The Sun Also Rises" (1926) and "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1940). Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. Hemingway, on his experiences during World War I, said, "I was always embarrassed by the words sacred, glorious, and sacrifice... I had seen nothing sacred, and the things that were glorious had no glory and the sacrifices were like the stockyards at Chicago if nothing was done with the meat except bury it." Vonnegut and Orwell were atheists as well, and both displayed a cynical attitude towards both religion and government in their works. Graham Greene described himself as a "Catholic atheist".

From Quiz The Roots and History of Atheism

Answer: 528 BC

Gautama Buddha was once known as the Prince Siddhartha. He was banned from going out of the palace by his father, so he never knew anything about the world outside. However one day, when his father was out, he summoned his charioteer and rode into the world where he saw four different sights-an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic. Then, he vowed to live as an ascetic, so as to escape disease, old age and death. He sat under a Bodhi (pipal) tree for 49 days, meditating, and then attained Enlightenment. From then on, he became known as Gautama Buddha.

From Quiz Complete the Atheist Quote

Answer: extraordinary

Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was hugely successful during his lifetime in popularizing science and championing rational thinking. One of his most celebrated books is "The Demon-Haunted World", in which he stresses the importance of skepticism and explains the scientific method.

From Quiz Atheism

Answer: "strong atheism" and "weak atheism"

"Weak atheism" is the broadest and most general definition of atheism. It's the absence of belief in any gods. A weak atheist is simply someone who does not believe in god(s). "Strong atheism" is the explicit belief that gods do not exist. Most people falsely believe that strong atheism is the only definition of atheism. These can also be termed as implicit and explicit atheism.

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: Apathetic

There are many types of agnosticism. Here are three examples. Strong agnosticism means that it is absolutely unknowable whether there is a God or not. Weak agnosticism means there is a chance that God exists, with evidence. Apathetic agnosticism means there is no God nor is there any interest in the subject on the part of the apathetic agnostic.

From Quiz Agnosticism

Answer: Robert Ingersoll

Ingersoll fought in the American Civil War, having been the commander of a cavalry regiment raised in Illinois. He became Attorney General of Illinois after the war and held strong, and what were then considered to be radical, views on such matters as slavery and voting rights for women. Ingersoll's religious stance was also a cause of controversy, as he advocated humanistic principles and made fun of orthodox religion. Despite this, he became a popular public figure. Whitman was one of Ingersoll's close friends and supporters. Both Faulkner and Lewis reference him in their writings.

From Quiz Secular Humanism in the USA

Answer: in the 1920s at a university

The term "secular humanism" was invented in 1851 by a British gentleman named George Holyoake, who ran a worker's cooperative in England. Secular humanism did not, however, become a recognizable movement in the USA until the 1920s, at the University of Chicago, almost two decades after Holyoake's death. It began as the Humanist Fellowship among faculty members, and by 1941 it had evolved into the American Humanist Association.

From Quiz New Atheism

Answer: Sam Harris

"The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason" was published in 2004. In 2006, Sam Harris followed up with "Letter to a Christian Nation," which contained severe criticism of the Christian faith.

From Quiz Complete the Atheist Quote

Answer: create

Clarke (1917-2008) was a celebrated British sci-fi writer. His most well-known work is "2001: A Space Odyssey."

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: Bertrand Russell

"Why I Am Not A Christian" is an essay written by Bertrand Russell. It was originally a talk given in 1927 for the British National Secular Society. In it, he speaks about Christian theology, makes logical arguments about God's existence and speaks about his doubts as to whether Jesus Christ existed. He also speaks about the use of fear in religion and the moral questions that raises.

From Quiz Atheists, Agnostics, and Other Doubters

Answer: Christopher Marlowe

During his lifetime Marlowe enjoyed a much greater reputation than Shakespeare. As early as 1592, Marlowe's supposed atheism was a matter of public record. In his famous pamphlet, "A Groats-worth of Wit," Robert Greene wrote: "Greene, who hath said with thee (like the foole in his heart) There is no God." There is near universal agreement that these words were addressed to Marlowe. In May 1593 authorities investigating an unrelated matter were searching the room of playwright Thomas Kyd when they discovered "vile heretical conceits denying the eternal deity of Jesus Christ." Kyd told them the papers belonged to Marlowe, who had shared his quarters a few years earlier. A warrant for Marlowe's arrest was issued on May 18, 1593 but he was released on his own recognizance. In the meantime, the Privy Council received the report of an informer named Richard Baines, who wrote: "Almost into every Company he Cometh he perswades men to Atheism willing them not to be afeard of bugbeares and hobgoblins, and vtterly scorning both god and his ministers." Another man, Richard Cholmeley, asserted "Marlowe is able to show more sound reasons for atheism than any divine in England is able to give to prove divinity, & that Marlowe told him that he hath read the atheist lecture to Sir Walter Ralegh and others." In Elizabethan England, atheism was a form of "petty treason" and a capital offense. But before he could be questioned or brought to trial, Marlowe died in a quarrel at a private home (not a tavern, as is often reported) in Deptford on May 30, 1593. Or did he? The mysterious circumstances surrounding his death lead many people to believe that it was staged, and that Marlowe lived on to write write the works now attributed to William Shakespeare. It cannot be proven that Marlowe was actually an atheist because in addition to being a writer, he had another job - a spy for the English government. If he did actually say the things he was accused of saying, it could all have been a ruse to ferret out real atheists. We will probably never know the truth.

From Quiz Agnosticism

Answer: Hinduism

The Rigveda contains over 1,000 hymns, and is the oldest of four works which form the basis of the Hindu religion. The Rigveda covers the mythology of the Hindu gods, and is dated to 1200 - 900 BC. The tenth chapter includes these words: 'Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it?' as part of the Creation Hymn (Nasadiya Sukta).

From Quiz Let's Ask Some Uncomfortable Questions

Answer: Richard Dawkins

LillianRock suggested this one. He tells us that he would undoubtedly hate Dawkins if he met him face to face but can't argue with his opinions. Although he has been criticised for being a bit strident about his atheism (or more accurately his anti-theism), Dawkins has supplied a cogent argument for the non-existence of god. The number of personal attacks directed his way is sometimes taken as a measure of the strength of his argument; if you can't beat the argument, attack the man. Stephen Hawking, an English cosmologist, wrote "A Brief History of Time." He suffers from neuro-muscular dystrophy, which left him paralyzed. As Homer Simpson said as he fell into the wormhole, "I should have listened to that wheelchair guy." Joseph Ratzinger became the head of the Roman Catholic Church, which is one of the major sects of Christianity, in April 2005. Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub) is the 14th Dalai Lama, leader of Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. (Don't mention his name in China. I did but I think I got away with it.)

From Quiz The Roots and History of Atheism

Answer: Diagoras

Diagoras was born in the 5th Century BC in Melos. He criticized religion and the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were based on religion. He was then forced to flee from Athens, and ultimately died in Corinth. The Eleusinian mysteries were held every year in Eleusis, ancient Greece, for the worshipers of Demeter.

From Quiz Complete the Atheist Quote

Answer: the parts that I do understand

Twain (aka Samuel Clemens, 1835-1910) is a beloved (and immensely quotable) American writer and humorist. He created the characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: Robert G. Ingersoll

Ingersoll has been referred to as the 'Great Agnostic' and was a prominent speaker and lawyer in the United States. In his 1896 speech he asks a number of questions about the existence of God, answering that he simply does not know. Prior to that lecture, he had also spoken on the difference between agnosticism and atheism; in his view, there are no differences as they both do not know if there is a God and both do not believe in the existence of God.

From Quiz Secular Humanism in the USA

Answer: Torcaso v. Watkins (1961)

Roy Torcaso (1910-2007) became a notary public in Maryland in the 1960s. Maryland state law required all public officials to profess a belief in God. Torcaso refused, and he was fired, so he filed suit. The Supreme Court ruled that Maryland's law violated the 1st and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) wrote in a footnote to the decision: "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others". This 1961 decision is considered a turning point regarding the status of secular humanism in the USA. Roe v. Wade dealt with abortion and privacy. Plessy v. Ferguson upheld Jim Crow (segregationist) laws in the American South. Brown v. Board of Education essentially overturned Plessy.

From Quiz New Atheism

Answer: Religion

In 2007, Hitchens published "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything." Hitches grew up in the U.K. but became a United States citizen in 2007.

From Quiz Complete the Atheist Quote

Answer: blindfolded fear

Jefferson (1743-1826), 3rd President of America, was a firm advocate of the separation of church and state.

From Quiz A Bit About Agnosticism

Answer: Ignosticism

There are some very closely tied terms with agnosticism. One of them is ignosticism, which was coined in 1964 by a rabbi named Sherwin Wine. Whereby agnostics don't know for sure if God exists, ignostics suggest that God needs to be defined before the question of existence can even be raised. Some philosophers believe ignosticism to be a distinct belief system while others, such as secular humanist Paul Kurtz, believe they are compatible views.

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