--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was around Clifford's era that Thomas…" description: "\"“It was around Clifford's era that Thomas Huxley coined the term agnostic, which did not exist before the nineteenth century. Agnostics, Huxley said, “..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/john-ortberg-jr-32708_thomas-huxley_it-was-around-clifford-s-era-that-thomas_1761181.jpg" --- # It was around Clifford's era that Thomas Huxley coined the… ![“It was around Clifford's era that Thomas Huxley coined the term agnostic, which did not exist before the nineteenth century. Agnostics, Huxley said, “totally refuse to commit” to either denying or affirming the supernatural.” quote by John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/john-ortberg-jr-32708_thomas-huxley_it-was-around-clifford-s-era-that-thomas_1761181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/john-ortberg-jr-32708_thomas-huxley_it-was-around-clifford-s-era-that-thomas_1761181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/john-ortberg-jr-32708_thomas-huxley_it-was-around-clifford-s-era-that-thomas_1761181.jpg) > ““It was around Clifford's era that Thomas Huxley coined the term agnostic, which did not exist before the nineteenth century. Agnostics, Huxley said, “totally refuse to commit” to either denying or affirming the supernatural.”” [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Huxley introduced “agnostic” to describe a stance of withholding belief about the supernatural, refusing to commit either way. **In simple terms:** Agnosticism is about not committing to belief or disbelief. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty without forcing belief. Themes philosophy religion skepticism Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - debate on religion - personal belief crisis - academic discussion Key Concepts epistemology faith commitment Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to live without committing to a belief? - How can uncertainty be constructive? A Different Perspective May overlook nuanced positions beyond simple refusal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Agnostics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostics/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ## Related quotes > [The average businessman began to be agnostic, not so much because he did not know where he was, as because he wanted to forget.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-average-businessman-began-to-be-agnostic-not-so-much-because-he/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Agnostic" is a much more recent word than "atheist", coined by Thomas Huxley in 1869 to mean "without knowledge of God" and acquiring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-herrick/agnostic-is-a-much-more-recent-word-than-atheist-coined-by-thomas/) Jim Herrick > [“Don't create unbelief or doubt in people's minds. When you do so you ruin their lives and you have nothing to give them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/don-t-create-unbelief-or-doubt-in-people-s-minds-when-you-do-so-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Good gods are scarce because the majority of gods are created by evil men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/good-gods-are-scarce-because-the-majority-of-gods-are-created-by-evil/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Much terror in religion is not the will of god, it is created by power hungry clerics who thirst for absolute power and claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/much-terror-in-religion-is-not-the-will-of-god-it-is-created-by-power/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“God is powerful. Even those who claim not to believe in him fear him. Though their mouths may confess to disbelieve in him, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/god-is-powerful-even-those-who-claim-not-to-believe-in-him-fear-him/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Why do religious believers hate unbelievers? The feel threatened by them, they feel besieged by them. Religions consider themselves as separate tribes in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/why-do-religious-believers-hate-unbelievers-the-feel-threatened-by/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“The eyes of god are upon you, I mean the eyes of society. We are prisoners of societies in which we live”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/the-eyes-of-god-are-upon-you-i-mean-the-eyes-of-society-we-are/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“No one knows what god thinks of anything. He only knows and no one can claim to penetrate into his mysteries. Those who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/no-one-knows-what-god-thinks-of-anything-he-only-knows-and-no-one-can/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“While an ever-increasing number of people consider themselves agnostic, the great majority of these people live as if they are atheists, bereft of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/while-an-ever-increasing-number-of-people-consider-themselves/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“Give me something to worship; whatever.” Cries the human soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/give-me-something-to-worship-whatever-cries-the-human-soul/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Once you believe that god is not a private property of anybody, you are on your way to becoming a new messiah. Maybe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-believe-that-god-is-not-a-private-property-of-anybody-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“All atheists will go to heaven. If god exists, not believing in him does not take him away and he cannot justly condemn those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/all-atheists-will-go-to-heaven-if-god-exists-not-believing-in-him/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) ## More by John Ortberg Jr > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“A pastor struggled for years with sexual addiction, eventually becoming so despondent that hospitalized himself. He joined an inpatient group and was mostly silent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/a-pastor-struggled-for-years-with-sexual-addiction-eventually/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“When asked to identify what the law is about, Jesus’ response was simply “Love God, love people.” He named a fundamentally different way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/when-asked-to-identify-what-the-law-is-about-jesus-response-was/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/those-who-believe-they-believe-in-god-but-without-passion-in-the/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“But a philosopher named William James responded that sometimes Clifford's advice is bad strategy. He said doubt is the wrong alternative when three conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/but-a-philosopher-named-william-james-responded-that-sometimes/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“What makes a man's 80 year-old Irish uncle skip like a little boy? "Me Father is very fond of me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/what-makes-a-man-s-80-year-old-irish-uncle-skip-like-a-little-boy-me/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor who doubts sometimes, has written that the reason so many babies keep being born is that God loves stories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/elie-wiesel-the-holocaust-survivor-who-doubts-sometimes-has-written/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Gratitude is not something we give to God because he wants to make sure we know how much trouble he went to over us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/gratitude-is-not-something-we-give-to-god-because-he-wants-to-make/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Theologian Lesslie Newbigin writes that we live in an age that favors doubt over faith.4 We often speak of “blind faith” and “honest doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/theologian-lesslie-newbigin-writes-that-we-live-in-an-age-that-favors/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Failure is not an event, but rather a judgment about an event. Failure is not something that happens to us or a label we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/failure-is-not-an-event-but-rather-a-judgment-about-an-event-failure/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Bitterness is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/bitterness-is-like-drinking-rat-poison-and-waiting-for-the-rat-to-die/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“And it struck me, in that year, how deeply both faith and doubt are part of my life. We often think of them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/and-it-struck-me-in-that-year-how-deeply-both-faith-and-doubt-are/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Dostoyevsky, who was a believer, wrote that the “death of a single infant calls into question the existence of God.”1”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/dostoyevsky-who-was-a-believer-wrote-that-the-death-of-a-single/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [“Jesus has made God’s presence scandalously available to anyone who wants it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/jesus-has-made-god-s-presence-scandalously-available-to-anyone-who/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) [Explore all 15 John Ortberg Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) ## More Agnostic quotes > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [I'm actually, for the most part, a complete agnostic politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/i-m-actually-for-the-most-part-a-complete-agnostic-politically/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [There is, in fact, nothing about religious opinions that entitles them to any more respect than other opinions get. On the contrary, they tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/there-is-in-fact-nothing-about-religious-opinions-that-entitles-them/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If a humanist or an atheist or an agnostic says, "We'll bake you a pie," we can go right into the kitchen and bake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-a-humanist-or-an-atheist-or-an-agnostic-says-we-ll-bake-you-a-pie/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I'm agnostic because I went through the usual process of parents insisting you go to church, and yet they didn't. So there's me, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-m-agnostic-because-i-went-through-the-usual-process-of-parents/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Gaza's temples are torn down and burned and the city is cleansed of every belief but the Christian faith. The most stubborn opponents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macmullen/all-gaza-s-temples-are-torn-down-and-burned-and-the-city-is-cleansed/) [Ramsay MacMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macmullen/) > [I'm still agnostic. But in the words of Elton Richards, I'm now a reverant agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-agnostic-but-in-the-words-of-elton-richards-i-m-now-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) [Browse all 492 Agnostic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was around Clifford's era that Thomas Huxley coined the term agnostic, which did not exist before the nineteenth century. 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