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Dear Sohail
Indeed the couplet you’ve shared
is an accurate reflection of my state of mind, which I have often referred
to as an “intellectual agnosticism.”
Believers like Mr. Chaudry have of course just levied a Fatwa on me stating that I am a
non-believer even though I have made no such explicit claim in my last
post. And as you so rightly point out, many non-believers think I am a
staunch Muslim--J I say, let everyone keep guessing what my
true beliefs are. LOL.
What I have expressed in my post no 44 which Mr. Chaudry refers to, is more of a
skepticism over the various attempts at reconciling the
contradictions associated with belief in a monotheistic god. As an
agnostic, I have expressed doubt over the rationale that justifies many of
these contradictions. But what he fails to recognize is that agnosticism by
its very definition is a sort of a middle round, wavering between belief
and doubt.
I am also of the opinion, and perhaps I hold the
minority view here, that agnosticism can, indeed does exist within a
religious framework, even within religiosities. Therefore, it is very
possible for a religious Muslim to also be an agnostic. The minute you
allow doubt to creep into your thinking, you technically qualify as an
agnostic. In my opinion therefore, it is very possible for a person to be
religious and agnostic at the same time. Take the example of doubting
Thomas. He was a follower of Christ, yet he was in a constant state of
doubt and skepticism. This mental state of course is something hard for Mr. Chaudry to understand,
as he is inclined to see the world in absolutes, therefore the Fatwa on me. LOL.
Cheers,
Farzana
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