I suppose I have this opinion of atheists because I've never really sat down to talk to one and really get to know what they think. From what I've gathered of the Atheists I know, they all believe they are the most grand thing to walk the earth and go around saying "Praise Science!" Perhaps it is these people who give a really bad impression of Atheists? And perhaps it is the paralleled within Christianity in that there are many who give Christians a terrible reputation (because really, the central task of being is Christian is to love everybody). I thought that Atheism was the belief that God doesn't exist, and Agnosticism was that He might exist.
You appear to believe that atheists replace god with science (your "praise science" comment). This is a common fallacy - you are making an assumption that everyone truly in their heart must believe in a god of some kind, and if one claims not to, then "science" must be their god. I am an atheist. Science is not my god, but it IS the best thing humans have ever invented (and by science, I mean specifically, the scientific method). I do not worship it, or anything else - no matter what you may believe. Science is NOT just another religion, requiring its own similar brand of faith. To think so is to misunderstand science completely. Science is not something which expects or requires anyone's faith - quite the opposite, it demands your skepticism.
If I offended you I'm truly sorry, it's never my intention. I understand where you're coming from and I respect what you're saying. From what you're saying, there appear to be many congruences between the aesthetic and spiritual mentalities. For one, skepticism should be big within a Christian person's spiritual journey. What I've been taught is that when we doubt our beliefs, we'll always end up back to the truth. I believe truth to be God, so my skepticism has always led me back to Him.
I'm not offended at all; sorry if I came across that way! Skepticism, in the sense of seeking your own answers in life, is always the best philosophy, in my opinion. Just FYI, I was raised in a Southern Baptist home, and I was a true believer, for many years.
Puberty, followed by University. Just kidding, sorta. I really just started questioning. I read the Bible all the way through, at about age 10, and realised that the infallibility of the Bible (a Southern Baptist tenet) was a joke, and soon after, I read up on how the KJ Bible actually came to be (I had access to a library). More or less, I just didn't believe any more. It was pretty traumatic personally for a short while, but eventually I could not continue to pretend (to myself) that I still believed.
Hmm, very very interesting. You and myself are very opposite one another. Anytime I realize I'm straying, I eventually get back on a spiritual path by realizing what I'd consider to be the "error of my ways," if you will.
Atheism is the belief that god does not exist. Agnosticism means "I don't know". They are not exclusive terms, but ARE often mis-used. Agnostic atheist : "I'm not certain, but I have no reason to believe in any god" (this is me).
Gnostic atheist : "I'm certain god does not exist."
Agnostic theist : "I'm not certain, but I believe that god exists."
Gnostic theist : "I'm sure God exists."