About “The Conscience of An Agnostic”
The premise of this book is that it is simply impossible to determine, with any degree of confidence, as to whether there is a transcendent, creative being which is responsible for the existence of the universe. Therefore, the conclusion that inevitably flows from this realization is that the most intellectually honest position to espouse is one of agnosticism. A corollary of this idea is that it is also impossible to know if our lives are anything more than a random sequence of events ordained by no one. This thought may have crossed your mind in reflecting on the ups and downs that you probably have experienced in your own life. Is it possible that a Higher Power has permitted all of these events to occur, leading up to the present moment? I must confess that I find this concept to be highly dubious. In view of the many tragedies that have beset our planet since the beginning of civilization. I submit that if there is a God, He has a very unusual sense of humor.
What is an “Agnostic”
/aɡˈnästik/ – noun
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.
The Conscience of An Agnostic: Introduction
Throughout history, the subject of religion has been a source of unending controversy. Dating back to ancient Greece’s polytheistic religious systems right up until the present day, there have been numerous believers in one or more deities. These believers have represented many different religious affiliations; Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam being the most popular. There have also been many atheists, agnostics, deists, and pantheists, some of whom were quite brilliant. In the appendix of this book, I’ve provided a list of agnostics who have made significant contributions to the advancement of civilization in the fields of science, art, literature, and other areas of human endeavor. It seems rather strange that a God would allow such widespread disagreement among believers and skeptics over a subject of such paramount importance. Instead, I would expect that the vast majority of reasonably intelligent people would either be believers or doubters, with just a small minority holding an opposing viewpoint. From a personal standpoint, I’m not at all happy about being agnostic. I would much rather be a devout Christian or a devoted member of some other religious tradition. However, I feel that I cannot do violence to my conscience by lying to myself. Thus, to be intellectually honest with myself and others, I must be content to remain agnostic unless I have a significant revelation at some point.
– Robert K. Cooper
A Look Inside
The Conscience of an Agnostic
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- Introduction
- Chapter 1: What is Agnosticism
- Chapter 2: What is Religious Faith
- Chapter 3: Common Objections to the Bible
- Chapter 4: The Random Cruelty of Life: Murderous Dictators
- Chapter 5: The Random Cruelty of Life: 20th Century Natural Disasters
- Chapter 6: The Random Cruelty of Life: The Deadliest Natural Disasters
- Chapter 7: The Random Cruelty of Life: Mass Shootings (Part 1)
- Chapter 8: The Random Cruelty of Life: Mass Shootings (Part 2)
- Chapter 9: Thoughts from Yours Truly And Some Humorous Tidbits
- Appendix I: Assorted Quotes
- Appendix II: Some Noted Agnostics
- Author Bio
- Notes
