Maybe you are not really an agnostic. The American Heritage Dictionary says that "agnostic" means " one who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God." or "one who is doubtful or noncommittal about something."

If you believe in God, I don't think you are agnostic.

Me either.  I'm pulling your "agnostic" credentials immediately, Chris! 

I want you to know I take no pleasure in it at all but you broke the rules and your memberhip is history!      =pl

PS  Maybe you just don't believe in organized religion.  Lots of people perfer to have their own relationships with god and their own cosmology. 

Chris, I think there are even many Christians who don't believe in organized religion, and feel their relationship with God is much more personal.  I'm not saying that you're Christian if you believe in God, by any means, I'm just saying that all people who call themselves deeply religious aren't necessarily organized religion types.  They might just have a very personal, deep relationship with God, and therefore I would call them religious.  Although I do know not everyone defines religion the same as I do.

Im cooking now but I'll be back in to clarify a little later.

Most people that think of agnostism think of someone who doesn't believe in any god or deity, but believes that the possibility for one exists.

It really doesn't matter what you label yourself though....it's doesn't change your belief system any.  I've never been a big one for labels anyway.

You don't have to believe in God to have morals.   I think you don't believe in organized religion, and neither do I.  In fact I don't even believe in God, but a part of me is spiritual, if spiritual means that I think we exist in another realm/dimension, whatever when we die and we can come back and live again.   Maybe I believe in one giant consciousness as "god" or whatever someone wants to call it.  Religion is made by man and if something can be screwed up, then human beings can do it!   So I see nothing wrong with you being an agnostic and talking to "God."

Chris, I know you're not a Christian.  I was just using that as an example.  I don't really go by dictionary definitions, since I think I'm smarter than a dictionary anyway. ;)

Well being as they seem to disagree a lot maybe dictionaries are subjective.

Chris, I think some of this has to do with the shift in our society and how religion has been used as a manipulation in politics.  I distinctly remember after the 2004 Presidential election analysis and the referrals to the "family values", "moral values", etc. winning.  They have been equating religion and values exclusively.  It's wrong but they've done a very good job of separating the values/church crowd from the rest of us who I guess are heathens in their eyes.

You don't have to be religious to have values.  You just need to be human.  I would think that if God manifests itself anywhere within us it's with our conscience.  And, it tells you in so many ways when you are about to go against those things which makes us compassionate, moral people.

Now I will go off and ponder how the pyramids were built :)

Now your trying to hurt my brain. I had left the pyramids behind for a while :P

Chris, good, I'm not the only one thinking too hard then. LOL

This whole idea of organized religion has me thinking.  I saw a documentary recently on early Christianity and how the early leaders were male and female.  Different sects sprang up on their own which were centered around different the teaching of different disciples.  When the religion became more organized and churches were formed, popes came into being, and so forth, that is when women were blocked from power in the church.  It was also when certain texted were deemed unworthy (The Gnostic Gospels for example)  I feel that organized religion is more of a way to concentrate power and to control the message.  If you have folks going out on their own and saying "Well, I believe this is what Jesus (or Buddha or whoever) meant", then you have individuals forming a personal connection to God based on what it means to them.  But, if you put a name on the religion, then you control what people can or cannot do and you can control the message.  I guess that's why I don't really believe in organized religion.  You are then putting your faith in someone's interpretation and that interpretation could be modified for awhole host of reasons including political power.

Guess I went off on a tangent there.

Thats exactly it Melody. Religion is the interpretaion of people to meet their own goals. They might not realize it but it is. They might believe its for the good of others but the others dont get to see what the other options are.

Chris, if you believe in God and believe God is infalable, you aren't agnostic.  You are a theist.

I have never understood why some people think the only way to posess morals and ethics is through belief in God.  The holiest person I know - the one who exemplifies goodness and charity unlike anyone else I have ever met- is an avowed atheist.

LG--Exactly!  I don't need God to tell me it is wrong to rape, kick puppies, or steal from my Grandmother.  I was born with a conscience.  You do not have to believe in God to know those things are wrong.  I just think some people here their conscience but refuse to listen or get really good at squashing it so that they no longer hear it.