Jim, I promise not to get in a debate with you again. But there are two points that you are confused on, and I need to publicly state something.
First, I never, ever called you some 'name' with malice. I did not ever mean to be malicious. If somehow you have some idea of the meaning of two words that's not akin to my idea of their meaning, and if I used one that offended you, I am sorry. I've said that often. Yet my definition of those words, and the one I find from dictionary.com says an Agnostic is "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".........while an Atheist is "a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods." I'm pretty sure that it's valid that you lack personal belief in the existence of God, because you've said that repeatedly.
When I called you an Atheist, I did so with honesty, thinking you'd have no problem with it.......since both people, either lacks (is missing) belief that God exists, or believes that no one can know if God exists. I saw no difference, still don't, and so if I called you some 'name' it was out of honest belief that I was using the right word, NOT to offend you.
Second, your comment above that you have no problem with people of faith, just so long as they don't try to tell you that their faith is based on fact, that rankles you. So YOUR mind claims that there cannot be a fact in this area, therefore you don't want anyone else to believe any differently.
Well gee, man! I believe that my faith CAN be proven by facts. So, I have a choice. I can rankle you by stating my sincere and rational belief, or I can let YOUR view of reality supersede mine just because you spoke it. And that rankles me! I will stop arguing the point if you want......but I will not accept any validity that your view of reality can only be true because your mind says it is so, while my view is dismissed by you because my mind cannot possible be right......only yours can.
THAT is the problem. You don't discuss these things........you get 'mad' when folks claim they know something that you don't know. That's pretty elitist and arrogant if you ask me.
I will ask you one serious question. You don't have to answer of course.
If you think you are an Agnostic simply waiting on proof that God exists, having found none yet, just exactly and specifically what proof would you accept that He does exist? I'd be curious what you say.
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