NONTHEIST, KNOW THYSELF! DEFINING TERMS AND CLARIFYING POSITIONS

In this article, I aim to differentiate between all the various positions that can be classified as 'nontheism' and also throw in some theist positions for clarity. I am doing this because of the ceaseless debates about what the term 'atheism' really means, and I would like to contribute to solving the problem. This, I believe, will help with ease of identification. The definitions will be cast in terms of the kind of claims that anyone identifying with the position would make. Thus, they are not exhaustive but representative. 

For the sake of simplicity, this article will use "God" to mean any god at all, either in a monotheistic or polytheistic sense.

Here we go!

Theist

"I believe that God exists."

"I am confident that God exists."

"I believe it is vastly more probable that God exists."

Atheist

"I believe that God does not exist."

"I am confident that God does not exist."

"I believe it is vastly more probable that God does not exist."

(Notice that atheism is always a contrary position to theism.)

Agnostic

"I do not know whether God exists or God does not exist."

"I cannot know whether God exists or God does not exist."

"Nobody truly knows whether God exists or God does not exist."

"Nobody can ever truly know whether God exists or God does not exist."

Sceptic

"I am unconvinced that God exists."

"I do not hold the belief that God exists."

"I lack the belief that God exists."

"I have the absence of belief that God exists."

(What is common to all the sceptical positions is that they do not tell us anything about the credence the claimant gives to claims about the existence or nonexistence of God, and this is how they differ from atheism—which, at the very least, gives some considerable credence to the nonexistence of God. They only tell us that the claimant, upon encounter with the term "God" and the evidence and arguments given for it, is not convinced that the object of the term exists. The sceptical positions are practically compatible with agnosticism, as are some forms of theism.)

Igtheist

"I don't understand what the word 'God' means."

"The word 'God' is utterly meaningless to me."

(Igtheism looks suspiciously like agnosticism but is technically different from it. An agnostic might understand what 'God' means but not have enough evidence or reasons to decide either way. An igtheist can't even get past the word 'God' itself.)

Apatheist

"I don't care whether God exists or God does not exist."

"I am uninterested in the issue of whether God exists or God does not exist."

"Arguing about God's existence or nonexistence is pointless and uninteresting to me."

(Apatheism is more of a disposition than a position or proposition. Most apatheists tend to live like atheists. Make of that what you will.) 

Protheist

"I believe it is rational/right/proper/beneficial/better for anyone to believe that God exists."

"I believe it is irrational/wrong/harmful/deficient for everyone to believe that God does not exist."

Antitheist

"I believe it is irrational/wrong/harmful/deficient for anyone to believe that God exists."

"I believe it is rational/better/beneficial/proper for everyone to believe that God does not exist."

Irreligious theist

"I believe that God exists, but I do not identify with any religion."

"I am spiritual but not religious."

Religious theist

"I believe that God exists, and I identify with [insert religion name]."

"I am a [insert religion's demonym]."

(The second position here does not explicitly state that the claimant believes in God. However, most people who make such statements tend to take it as a given that God exists.)

Agnostic atheist

"I do not know whether God exists or God does not exist, but I believe it is more likely than not that God does not exist."

"I do not know whether God exists or God does not exist, but I am inclined to believe that God does not exist."

Agnostic theist

"I do not know whether God exists or God does not exist, but I believe it is more likely than not that God exists."

"I do not know whether God exists or God does not exist, but I am inclined to believe that God exists."

(I happen to think that agnostic atheism/theism is a somewhat unnecessary position. What matters, in my opinion, is what ontological claim you give greater credence to and will probably hedge your bet on.)

Ontological/Metaphysical naturalist

"I believe that only natural entities, causes, and phenomena exist; I also believe that everything that can be explained—knowledge, morality, consciousness, and so forth—ultimately possesses natural explanations."

Ontological/Metaphysical supernaturalist

"I believe that supernatural entities, causes, and phenomena exist; I also believe that natural explanations do not (or will not) suffice for many things that can be explained, such as knowledge, morality, consciousness, and so forth."

Methodological naturalist

"I believe that only natural causes, entities, and phenomena are viable as explanations in matters of systematic inquiry, such as the natural sciences, social sciences, history, economics, and so forth."

"I believe that only natural causes, entities, and phenomena should be permitted as explanations in matters of systematic inquiry, such as the natural sciences, social sciences, history, economics, and so forth."

Questions, corrections, criticisms, recommendations, and suggestions are all welcome.