The “Spectrum of Belief”
November 21st, 2006 by 
soulster
In the comments to the post “How to Talk to Atheists,” Matthew explains what he terms the “Spectrum of Belief”:
I think this is a fairly standard way to arrange the spectrum of belief: atheist-agnostic-theist.
This serves as a good spectrum for starters, with many more possible subcategories fitting into each of these and occasionally some overlap.
Drunkentune responded with some helpful information about the variety of terms and options out there:
Traditionally, there have been three categories. However, I think that belief has a more diverse spectrum, ranging from 1. apatheism [wiki], 2. ignosticism [wiki] (I happen to consider myself an ignostic or non-cognitivist [wiki]), 3. strong (positive) atheism [wiki], 4. weak (negative) atheism [wiki], 5. agnostic atheism (doesn’t know, but doesn’t believe), 6. apathetic agnosticism (doesn’t care either way), 7. agnostic theism (doesn’t know, but believes) [wiki: all forms agnosticism], 8. pantheism [wiki] (the universe is God), 9. deism [wiki], and finally, 10. theism [wiki]. Some theists from ~7 to 9 consider God to be “love†or something utterly different than many other theists. I’m sure there’s a lot more I missed, but that’s what I could recall in approximate order [wiki links added by me].
Perhaps anyone who has heard any of these terms here for the first time might find it helpful to read the wiki links provided. It certainly helps if we familiarize ourselves with the broad spectrum in these areas and if we self-idenitfy so other’s have an idea of where we’re coming from. I think, for myself, I will make it a point to allow people to self-label and self-identify from ethical grounds.Â
Drunkentune identified himself when he went on to say:
I consider myself an ignostic in relation to a deistic God, since I see that a deistic God is undefined, an atheist to the theistic God, since I argue that the theistic God of the Bible does not exist, and an apathist to the pantheist God, since it’s just a game of wordplay and emotion.
I (soulster), on the other hand, consider myself a theist, particularly a Christian theist who believes in the God of the Bible, especially represented in Jesus of Nazareth. In subcategories of theism, I would belong to Trinitarian monotheism (which is complicated) [wiki], and do not believe in polytheism [wiki], animism [wiki], pantheism [wiki], or dualism (where this philosophical category crosses into theology) [wiki].
Please post comments on any other categories or labels that you know of (provide wiki links if you like) and feel free to self-identify. Peace!
Posted in atheism, belief, definitions and descriptions, spectrum of belief | 
November 21st, 2006 at 8:47 pm
Soulster,
Good save!
It felt like the conversation was falling apart, and I believe this should pull it together. It was evidence enough of the different presuppositions we come from, and how it influences the debate. Hopefully we can keep the informal debate on good terms. This is the post we should have started with, but better late than never. Great initiative, Soulster.
A note to all the atheists out there: When you’re here, please don’t gang up on a theist if he or she makes a gaffe. The believer probably leaves the debate thinking we are worthy of Hellfire, which does nothing to further the conversation. Instead, I think it would be wise for a single atheist to tackle the argument without other atheists smelling blood and joining the tussle. The first one that calls it gets it? Just call shotgun, I suppose. Perhaps a ‘tag team’ approach if the atheist is flailing on an issue outside of their expertise?