Explaining Agnosticism
I've long searched for a quote that I could use to explain my stance on religion and agnosticism.
I tend to read a lot of Thomas Jefferson quotes on various subjects - he's oft-quoted and, well, I live in Mr. Jefferon's Country. I had run across a few that I liked in the past, this one in particular:
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must approve the homage of reason rather than of blind-folded fear.
-- Thomas Jefferson, to Peter Carr, 10 Aug. 1787.
But none had ever really explained what I wanted to explain. Then today, I ran across one that comes much closer. I'll preserve it here so I can always find it.
To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of nothings. To say that the human soul, angels, god, are immaterial, is to say they are nothings, or that there is no god, no angels, no soul. I cannot reason otherwise ... without plunging into the fathomless abyss of dreams and phantasms. I am satisfied, and sufficiently occupied with the things which are, without tormenting or troubling myself about those which may indeed be, but of which I have no evidence.
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, August 15, 1820
I think that just about sums it up. Feel free to comment if you have any thoughts.
Note: These quotes were found from Positive Atheism's Big List of Thomas Jefferson Quotations.