Atheists can't hold office in the USA?

Gnosticism deals with knowledge. Theism deals with belief.I consider myself an Agnostic Theist. I believe very very strongly that GOD is real. I also admit that I have no way of knowing whether GOD is real or not and I also have no way of knowing anything about GOD besides what I feel like making up.As others have said, gnosticism is on a different plane from theism. In fact, I'd say both are usually required for a coherent belief statement. Which would make them an Agnostic Atheist.

-- deleted --Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

At most the 'special pleading' is for devoted terminology.But that is more a reflection of the need for such terminology vis--vis the frequency with which people discuss (and the importance they place on the topic of) god, God, GOD, gods, Gods, and GODs vs. the frequency with which they discuss (and the importance they place on the topic of) axe murderers, fairies, etc.Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

Where, specifically, have you seen people arguing that?

Of course. Who cares?It's a topic often-enough discussed that people feel the need for concise terminology. The same way people prefer the term "computer" to the poorly-descriptive phrase "lightning in a box thinking device".The existence of every word is a case of 'special pleading' in as much as it reflects speakers' desires to compact the things they talk about most often into smaller, more manageable chunks.But, again, who cares?

You're full of shit, Straggler.The word exists because people have use for it. It'd be stupid to get rid of terminology that people employ on a regular basis. If you find it offensive and want a euphemism for it, suggest one. Otherwise stop being ridiculous.And no one is being denied access to anything within U.S. society. And if they are, changing up terminology won't have any effect on that.As usual, you're just being a tool.

Talk about brain farts! We know you keep saying that. Ringo was pointing out that no one was arguing the opposite and so your 'counter' argument was counter to nothing.There's nothing to talk about if we all agree that being agnostic about belief is a nonsensical position; and everyone seems to think it is.Let's go home, eh?

Suppose I have. Why don't you remind me?

The question is still the same: Who cares?

That's what I thought.

No one is required to do anything of the sort.And changing terminology isn't going to have any effect on anything.

That's not a case of being required. If you dislike the style of the forum, you are free to leave without consequence. There's no fallacy. It's a word to describe a thing that people often discuss.

Whine and bitch all you want, Straggler.You're still full of crap.

Feel free to guess whatever you want.

It usually takes me several minutes to decide what I'm going to order, and then I am still not sure it's what I want. Even after eating my meal, I still sometimes wonder if I should have gotten something else.