Originally I had hoped to interview a priest to gain further insight into the Catholic Church. My grandparents were raised catholic, while my parents neglected to impose this upon my sister and I. However after visiting four different churches, there were no priests to be found. Therefore I decided to simply research my own personal view, as to learn more about it. I myself am agnostic, unsure if God exists or not, for I find no core evidence to support his existence, while nothing denies it either.
Thomas Henry Huxley first named agnosticism in 1869, while many intellectuals had practiced the view before his time. In one of his essays he describes a response to agnosticism, “His difference from Christians lies not in the fact that he has no knowledge of these things, but that he does not believe the authority on which they are stated. He may prefer to call himself an Agnostic; but his real name is an older one–he is an infidel; that is to say, an unbeliever. The word infidel, perhaps, carries an unpleasant significance. Perhaps it is right that it should. It is, and it ought to be, an unpleasant thing for a man to have to say plainly that he does not believe in Jesus Christ,” (Agnosticism, 1889). This is to say that agnostics understand the claims of the Christian community, however do not believe the basis for these claims. The Learned Principal of King’s College, whose words were previously mentioned, believes that agnostics are infidels who chose to rename themselves. Not believing in Jesus Christ in his mind is a shameful thing. However by rejecting Jesus Christ, the idea of an afterlife is also in doubt. If an afterlife were to exist, as infidels, agnostics would most likely not “make the cut.” Yet agnosticism does not deny the existence of an afterlife, only questions it. One may exist, but how will anyone ever really know? These infidels have nothing against believing in a life after death, if evidence were to exist that supported the concept.
Just as there are different sectors of Christianity, there are different beliefs among agnostics. A strong agnostic believes that nothing can even be known about G*d, other than anecdotal evidence that is invalid, however a weak atheist believes that it is possible to eventually obtain evidence towards G*d’s existence, even though it has yet to be found. There is then agnostic atheism, in which one believes there to be no G*d or deity, but never actually denies them, thus being agnostic. Another sector admits to not having any evidence to support their claim of a greater being, however still believes that one exists. Apathetic agnosticism is the belief that the existence of a deity is undetermined, however if it were to exist, it clearly has no concern for humanity. Lastly is ignosticism, those who refuse to make any decision before a clear definition of a deity is set forth. (Agnosticism, Wikipedia). There are many ways to define oneself as an agnostic, however they are united under the belief of the unknown. While some may believe proof can never be obtained and others do, it is still agreed that presently there is no evidence and therefore no concrete decision can be constructed.
In terms of care of the dead there is no standard definition for one of agnosticism. Hardly a religion, there are no rules by which one should live or die for that matter. There is not a lot of literature about agnosticism because of its indefinite belief. Instead multiple forums come up with people’s discussion of ideas. One person states, “You celebrate that person's life at a funeral home and burial ceremony or maybe a place where you release their ashes and have a family get together or whatever. It’s very similar to religious services in mood and respect for each other. My belief is that its about the ones who are still alive and not me after I'm dead, so I would leave it up to my loved ones as to how they want to dispose of my remains, but I will hint to them that I want my corpse to be burned to ashes so that it can help put nitrogen into the soil for plants to grow,” (What Do Agnostics Do For Funerals?). Many people expressed similar opinions, in terms of having loved ones there and celebrating life. However if there is a possibility that G*d does exist, therefore an afterlife too would exist. Thus, in the care of the dead, it would be expected that a religious aspect would be woven into the ceremony, as to assist the person’s transition to the afterlife, if one should actually exist. Nevertheless among the discourse this topic does not surface. The care of the dead is a hard subject to define in agnosticism, as there is no clear practice. Instead agnosticism is open to everything. If one believes that the Buddhists may be right then they make incorporate Buddhist tradition in their ceremony, just as someone who may be contemplating the validity of Christianity might. With this questioning in mind, a person is free to do as they choose.
Many see agnosticism as a weakness, an indecisive way of thinking, while it is actually quite free. It is true that an agnostic person is deciding not to choose either way, if a G*d exists or not. But they are choosing a third option, to not define their beliefs. When a person is open to believing in the existence of a deity, it makes the truth, when and if it does come, much more easy to accept, not only religion but also other people and their ways (Why I Choose to Be an Agnostic). An atheist may see it as the end of life when confronted with factual evidence that a G*d does exist, while it would be heartbreaking for a Christian to see that one indeed does not. However an agnostic would be freed and embrace the realization, for they have not prisoners chained to a wall of belief. Agnosticism additionally inspires questioning oneself and seeking answers. It provokes originality in the sense that there is no set guideline for one to follow and therefore one should define their way of life. Living well as to ensure a spot in heaven if it were to exist, but not to limit oneself from the desires that would bring a well -lived life.
When it comes to life after death and how to even live a good life here on earth, there is no concrete answer in the agnostic community. Everything comes down to individual thought and the search for core evidence. When death does come, the journey will end and the answer found, however ironically, wherever death is, one is not.
"Agnosticism (1889)." Web. 11 May 2011. <http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/CE5/Agn.html>.
"Agnosticism." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 11 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism>.
"What Do Agnostics Do for Funerals? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo! Answers - Home. Web. 11 May 2011. <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080107142805AA1Hl2q>.
"Why I Choose to Be an Agnostic | Content for Reprint." Content4Reprint - Free Article Encyclopedia. Web. 11 May 2011. <http://www.content4reprint.com/religion-and-spirituality/why-i-choose-to-be-an-agnostic.htm>.
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