This article addresses Theistic or Deistic religious Agnosticism - positions which acknowledge that God exists, yet do not adhere to any religion, or may not believe that God is active in creation. The article Why I'm Not an Atheist covers Agnosticism proper, which takes no position as to whether God exists at all.
The following chain of reasoning is why I reject Theistic and Deistic Agnosticism:
- The God that made the universe created it in such a way that chemistry is possible, and physical laws have the values which allow for life to exist. Given how finely-tuned these values are, this indicates awareness, intelligence, and purpose in the Being of God
- God knew that by choosing these parameters for the universe, intelligent life would be possible, and human beings would come into existence. Whether one believes humans are specially created or not is immaterial to this point, as in either scenario, God created the universe knowing that humans would live in it. And, human beings are moral creatures, who - unique among all life - desire communion with God, and are aware of the divine. God knew, when creating the universe, that this type of exceptional being would exist in it, and chose to create the universe with the precise values that He chose regardless, indicating that human beings existing is something that He wanted to happen
- Because God created the universe extraordinarily finely-tuned to allow intelligent life to exist, and because human beings are the pinnacle of that intelligent life, it makes sense that God would communicate with them. It is illogical to hold that God would go to such lengths to create a universe in which communication is possible, and to bring into existence a being that desires to communicate with Him, and never fulfill that desire, especially when doing so would rectify so many problems, answer so many interminable questions, and facilitate many of His creations doing what He wants them to do
- This communication does not happen sufficiently through nature. The natural universe can reveal that a Creator exists, but is does not answer the fundamental questions of:
- What does God think is "good"? That is, what are human beings supposed to do, and not supposed to do, according to God?
- What will happen to human beings if they are not sufficiently "good", i.e., pleasing to God?
These fundamental questions also cannot be answered through observation of cause-and-effect. Often, innocent people suffer, and abusers do not. Instead, it is often the case that lying, exploitation, and violence benefit the perpetrator, which is obviously not what God desires, as the pinnacle of His creation, human beings, have an innate desire for justice, peace, and freedom from harm. Abuse and exploitation are therefore contrary to the intended nature of humanity, yet, in the world, abusers and exploiters often prosper, and are never brought to justice. A cause-and-effect observation, therefore, does not reveal morality. Instead, if anything, it points toward a post-mortem judgment, where injustice is rectified
- This communication does not take place publicly and supernaturally from God. God does not appear to the world, every day at a certain time, and explain who He is and what He requires of us
- This communication does not take place privately and supernaturally for each individual. God does not appear to every person, and explain who He is, and what He requires of them
- It is possible that this communication does take place through select appearances of God, at appointed times, to appointed individuals. The remaining task would then be to figure out which purported communication from God is authentic. And, contrary to the claims of many, this search is not terribly complex, and reveals very compelling reasons to believe that God is both personal, and active in His creation
Conclusion
Agnosticism is not feasible, because the existence and nature of human beings logically demands the existence of special revelation from God.
Agnostics should also be aware that, by refusing to choose a religion, they have not remained "neutral" at all. They are in a religion that is actively anti-Christian, according to Jesus Christ:
Matthew 12:30
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
There is no option of remaining neutral, as God sees it. By not believing in Jesus, a person has, either implicitly or explicitly, rejected hundreds of the claims of God and Jesus Christ, and is therefore anti-Christian.
Atheists and Agnostics both, then, have not traded in religion for no religion. They make the religious claim that Jesus was a false prophet, by refusing to believe in Him, according to Himself. If they reject they are doing so, they make the religious claim that Jesus Christ's assertion about this was a lie. Atheism and Agnosticism are therefore anti-Christian religions, their claims to apathy notwithstanding.
Appendix I - Blaise Pascal on "Divine Hiddenness"
Blaise Pascal - Pensées #430
God has willed to redeem men, and to open salvation to those who seek it. But men render themselves so unworthy of it, that it is right that God should refuse to some, because of their obduracy, what He grants to others from a compassion which is not due to them. If He had willed to overcome the obstinacy of the most hardened, He could have done so by revealing Himself so manifestly to them that they could not have doubted of the truth of His essence; as it will appear at the last day, with such thunders and such a convulsion of nature, that the dead will rise again, and the blindest will see Him.
It is not in this manner that He has willed to appear in His advent of mercy, because, as so many make themselves unworthy of His mercy, He has willed to leave them in the loss of the good which they do not want. It was not then right that He should appear in a manner manifestly divine, and completely capable of convincing all men; but it was also not right that He should come in so hidden a manner that He could not be known by those who should sincerely seek Him. He has willed to make Himself quite recognisable by those; and thus, willing to appear openly to those who seek Him with all their heart, and to be hidden from those who flee from Him with all their heart, He so regulates the knowledge of Himself that He has given signs of Himself, visible to those who seek Him, and not to those who seek Him not. There is enough light for those who only desire to see, and enough obscurity for those who have a contrary disposition.