Is there a name for what I am?

[Anonymous]

I don’t think I’m atheist, but not exactly agnostic, either. But maybe?

I grew up Catholic, went to Catholic school, attended Catholic camps, youth groups, conventions. But my parents were liberal conservatives and by the time I was high school aged I realized that for our family, being Catholic was more nostalgic and ritualistic than anything else. We are definitely a family all going to Hell if not! Also, I just don’t believe in the stories of the Bible. I’m definitely an evolutionist. I think when we die, that’s it. But at the same time, I think maybe there is something else? Like, wouldn’t that be nice? But not enough, I don’t think, to be agnostic.

Last summer I attended a Catholic funeral and was hit with such a rush of nostalgia and familiarity that I almost cried. But then this past week with family, an ultra religious family member introduced me as “Catholic” to someone, and I was honestly embarrassed.

But I wish I could find a name for what it is I am. Is it atheism? Agnostic? Something else entirely?

[Anonymous]

Cultural Catholic.

[Anonymous]

you're a seeker (which is good).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cultural Catholic.

Nice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cultural Catholic.

This is exactly it. The Atlantic has a nice article about us that I just looked up.

[Anonymous]

Cultural Catholic seemed spot on.

In terms of nuances of agnosticism - maybe you fall into Agnostic Theism: or Mild Agnosticism per definitions below.

From philosophybasics.com

Types of Agnosticism

Strong Agnosticism:
This is the view (also called hard agnosticism, closed agnosticism, strict agnosticism, absolute agnosticism or epistemological agnosticism) that the question of the existence or non-existence of God or gods is unknowable by reason of our natural inability to verify any experience with anything but another subjective experience.

Mild Agnosticism:
This is the view (also called weak agnosticism, soft agnosticism, open agnosticism, empirical agnosticism, or temporal agnosticism) that the existence or non-existence of God or gods is currently unknown but is not necessarily unknowable, therefore one will withhold judgment until more evidence becomes available.

Pragmatic Agnosticism:
This is the view that there is no proof of either the existence or non-existence of God or gods.

Apathetic Agnosticism:
This is the view that there is no proof of either the existence or non-existence of God or gods, but since any God or gods that may exist appear unconcerned for the universe or the welfare of its inhabitants, the question is largely academic anyway.

Agnostic Theism:
This is the view (also called religious agnosticism) of those who do not claim to know of the existence of God or gods, but still believe in such an existence.

Agnostic Atheism:
This is the view of those who claim not to know of the existence or non-existence of God or gods, but do not believe in them.

Ignosticism:
This is the view that a coherent definition of "God" must be put forward before the question of the existence or non-existence of God can even be meaningfully discussed. If the chosen definition is not coherent, the ignostic holds the Non-Cognitivist view that the existence of God is meaningless or empirically untestable. A. J. Ayer, Theodore Drange and other philosophers see both atheism and agnosticism as incompatible with ignosticism on the grounds that atheism and agnosticism accept "God exists" as a meaningful proposition which can be argued for or against.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cultural Catholic.

The other term I've heard is lapsed Catholic. You were raised Catholic, and are familiar with the rituals and teachings, but you don't practice any longer.

[Anonymous]

Cultural Catholic but I gotta correct you on something. The Catholic Church fully believes in evolution. It’s complicated but basically gods idea of time is not our idea of time so god creating it all can line up just fine with evolution. . And Catholics absolutely do not take the Bible literally on creation or much else.

[Anonymous]

I call myself a religious but non-theistic Presbyterian. I do go to church maybe every third or fourth Sunday. It's a liberal church that is definitely accepting of other beliefs and lack of belief. If they were dogmatic, I think that would bother me too much. But it's contemplative and a place to join like-minded people in serving our community and one another. What's not to like?

But I clarify for people, and for my kids, that I do not believe these stories literally, that I believe that religion is a framework for celebrating our humanity and our place in the world. It creates community and ritual, important parts of being human.

In my teens I got sucked into Young Life and a dogmatic, us vs. them view of the world. In my 20s I rejected that and it was very painful. I didn't even want to say "under God" during the pledge of allegiance. In my 30s I wondered, "Could I have the best of both worlds . . . a church community without the dogma?" And I've found a wonderful one. There's something comforting just in the way an old church building smells IMO.

I'm not an expert on Catholicism, but I don't think there are really "non-theistic" or "practically Unitarian" Catholic churches out there. I think a person like me would probably be trying out an Episcopalian church if wanting to find a place of comfort without all the other trappings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cultural Catholic but I gotta correct you on something. The Catholic Church fully believes in evolution. It’s complicated but basically gods idea of time is not our idea of time so god creating it all can line up just fine with evolution. . And Catholics absolutely do not take the Bible literally on creation or much else.

+1 it always surprises me how people raised Catholic know so little about what Catholicism actually believes. I think a lot of lapsed Catholics (not all, obviously) leave because they are mistaken about beliefs. OP, did you learn in Catholic school that the Big Bang theory was first articulated by a Catholic priest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call myself a religious but non-theistic Presbyterian. I do go to church maybe every third or fourth Sunday. It's a liberal church that is definitely accepting of other beliefs and lack of belief. If they were dogmatic, I think that would bother me too much. But it's contemplative and a place to join like-minded people in serving our community and one another. What's not to like?

But I clarify for people, and for my kids, that I do not believe these stories literally, that I believe that religion is a framework for celebrating our humanity and our place in the world. It creates community and ritual, important parts of being human.

In my teens I got sucked into Young Life and a dogmatic, us vs. them view of the world. In my 20s I rejected that and it was very painful. I didn't even want to say "under God" during the pledge of allegiance. In my 30s I wondered, "Could I have the best of both worlds . . . a church community without the dogma?" And I've found a wonderful one. There's something comforting just in the way an old church building smells IMO.

I'm not an expert on Catholicism, but I don't think there are really "non-theistic" or "practically Unitarian" Catholic churches out there. I think a person like me would probably be trying out an Episcopalian church if wanting to find a place of comfort without all the other trappings.

Episcopalians and Catholics are very closely aligned in beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I call myself a religious but non-theistic Presbyterian. I do go to church maybe every third or fourth Sunday. It's a liberal church that is definitely accepting of other beliefs and lack of belief. If they were dogmatic, I think that would bother me too much. But it's contemplative and a place to join like-minded people in serving our community and one another. What's not to like?

But I clarify for people, and for my kids, that I do not believe these stories literally, that I believe that religion is a framework for celebrating our humanity and our place in the world. It creates community and ritual, important parts of being human.

In my teens I got sucked into Young Life and a dogmatic, us vs. them view of the world. In my 20s I rejected that and it was very painful. I didn't even want to say "under God" during the pledge of allegiance. In my 30s I wondered, "Could I have the best of both worlds . . . a church community without the dogma?" And I've found a wonderful one. There's something comforting just in the way an old church building smells IMO.

I'm not an expert on Catholicism, but I don't think there are really "non-theistic" or "practically Unitarian" Catholic churches out there. I think a person like me would probably be trying out an Episcopalian church if wanting to find a place of comfort without all the other trappings.

Episcopalians and Catholics are very closely aligned in beliefs.

Not true really except for the Nicene Creed that many other Protestant churches accept as well. Episcopalians do have saints as well but not always the same and do not have a canonization process.

They are similar superficially in their liturgies and rituals. This is an important part of tradition and shared histories until the Anglican Church broke away from the Catholic Church many hundreds of years ago in order to allow Henry VIII to divorce and remarry repeatedly.

Episcopalians believe in individual reason and allowing members freedom to interpret Bible studies for themselves and usually in very non literal ways. There are no cyclicals issued determining the positions that Members are supposed to take on different issues, such as homosexuality or abortion. It is GbLTQ affirming and allows gays and women to be ordained and serve at the highest levels of the church. It has a democratic structure from the bottom and not just among bishops . Vestries are elected and can fire priests if they are perceived to be acting against the collective will of the church membership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think I’m atheist, but not exactly agnostic, either. But maybe?

I grew up Catholic, went to Catholic school, attended Catholic camps, youth groups, conventions. But my parents were liberal conservatives and by the time I was high school aged I realized that for our family, being Catholic was more nostalgic and ritualistic than anything else. We are definitely a family all going to Hell if not! Also, I just don’t believe in the stories of the Bible. I’m definitely an evolutionist. I think when we die, that’s it. But at the same time, I think maybe there is something else? Like, wouldn’t that be nice? But not enough, I don’t think, to be agnostic.

Last summer I attended a Catholic funeral and was hit with such a rush of nostalgia and familiarity that I almost cried. But then this past week with family, an ultra religious family member introduced me as “Catholic” to someone, and I was honestly embarrassed.

But I wish I could find a name for what it is I am. Is it atheism? Agnostic? Something else entirely?

Sounds like you're culturally Catholic. Being culturally Jewish is a well-established thing in Judaism and it makes sense that other religions would pick up on it as well.

[Anonymous]

I was also raised Catholic, attended Catholic school and then CCD. I consider myself Agnostic and often refer to myself as Spiritual over Atheist. The only reason is because Atheists believe the absence of evidence of a God means there's nothing after we die. That part I can't commit to lol. I don't know if there's anything after we die. I hope there's something. I think there might be something as I believe in spirits.

Culturally Catholic sounds about right for you OP.

[Anonymous]

I feel the same as you OP. Cultural Catholic. I will never attend church again in the Arlington Diocese, but enjoy church very much when we're visiting relatives.