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→Betrand Russell on agnosticism
[[Bertrand Russell]] once wrote that, in describing his beliefs,
[[Bertrand Russell]] once wrote that, in describing his beliefs,
:I never know whether I should say 'Agnostic' or whether I should say 'Atheist'.... As a [[philosopher]], if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one [can] prove that there is not a God. On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the [[Greek mythology|Homeric gods]].<ref>Russell, Bertrand (1947) [http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref>
:I never know whether I should say 'Agnostic' or whether I should say 'Atheist'.... As a [[philosopher]], if I were speaking to a purely philosophic audience I should say that I ought to describe myself as an Agnostic, because I do not think that there is a conclusive argument by which one [can] prove that there is not a God. On the other hand, if I am to convey the right impression to the ordinary man in the street I think I ought to say that I am an Atheist, because when I say that I cannot prove that there is not a God, I ought to add equally that I cannot prove that there are not the [[Greek mythology|Homeric gods]].<ref>Russell, Bertrand (1947) [http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref>
In 1927, Bertrand Russell wrote an essay entitled "''Why I am not a Christian''" which was based on a lecture Russell gave the same year.<ref>http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html</ref><ref>http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html</ref>
Below are some works by [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologists]] which show the inconsistencies and logical fallacies of Bertrand Russell's essay:
*[http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html Critique of Bertrand Russell's essay "Why I am not a Christian"] by Dr. Greg Bahnsen
*[http://www.berith.org/pdf/Why_Bertrand_Russell_Was_Not_A_Christian.pdf Why Bertrand Russell was not a Christian] by Rev. Ralph Allan Smith (1996)
*[http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/10-bertrand-russell-and-christianity-part-1 Bertrand Russell and Christianity] by the Christian Courier
== See also ==
== See also ==