--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just became a stronger agnostic, and…" description: "\"I just became a stronger agnostic, and then I started to realize that everyone who was saying they were agnostic really hadn't thought about it that mu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/julia-sweeney-20217_agnostic_i-just-became-a-stronger-agnostic-and-th_2553731.jpg" --- # I just became a stronger agnostic, and then I started to… ![“I just became a stronger agnostic, and then I started to realize that everyone who was saying they were agnostic really hadn't thought about it that much. Still, I went with agnosticism for a long, long time because I just hated to say I was an atheist -- being an atheist seemed so rigid. But the…” quote by Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/julia-sweeney-20217_agnostic_i-just-became-a-stronger-agnostic-and-th_2553731.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/julia-sweeney-20217_agnostic_i-just-became-a-stronger-agnostic-and-th_2553731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/julia-sweeney-20217_agnostic_i-just-became-a-stronger-agnostic-and-th_2553731.jpg) > “I just became a stronger agnostic, and then I started to realize that everyone who was saying they were agnostic really hadn't thought about it that much. Still, I went with agnosticism for a long, long time because I just hated to say I was an atheist -- being an atheist seemed so rigid. But the more I became comfortable with the word, and the more I read, it started to stick.” [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She moved from avoiding the label “atheist” to embracing agnosticism, showing how personal comfort with language evolves. **In simple terms:** She accepted agnosticism after fearing atheism. Key Takeaway Allow beliefs to evolve with understanding. Themes belief identity language evolution Mood introspective curious Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - religious discussion - personal growth - public speaking - writing Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs have you re‑examined? - How does language shape your identity? A Different Perspective Labels can limit nuanced belief systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Agnostic Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic-started-1544135/) [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Agnosticism Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism-long-1544134/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Hated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hated/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Saying Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-agnostic-378821/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Went Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-agnosticism-1544133/) ## Related quotes > [I went with agnosticism for a long, long time because I just hated to say I was an atheist - being an atheist seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/i-went-with-agnosticism-for-a-long-long-time-because-i-just-hated-to/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [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/) > [“Belief in God meant belief in the old tribal idol called Jehovah; and I would not pretend I did not know whether it existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/belief-in-god-meant-belief-in-the-old-tribal-idol-called-jehovah-and/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [An atheist has to know a lot more than I know. An atheist is someone who knows there is no god. By some definitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/an-atheist-has-to-know-a-lot-more-than-i-know-an-atheist-is-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally, I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac/i-finally-decided-that-i-m-a-creature-of-emotion-as-well-as-of-reason/) [Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac/) > [An atheist, like a Christian, holds that we can know whether or not there is a God. The Christian holds that we can know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/an-atheist-like-a-christian-holds-that-we-can-know-whether-or-not/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“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/) > [“We should be agnostic about those things for which there is no evidence. We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) ## More by Julia Sweeney > [Our family was too strange and weird for even Santa Claus to come visit ... Santa, who was jolly - but, let's face it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/our-family-was-too-strange-and-weird-for-even-santa-claus-to-come/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [You know, in high school I thought Catholicism was funny and sort of ridiculous, but then I also liked it, too. Like, I definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/you-know-in-high-school-i-thought-catholicism-was-funny-and-sort-of/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [I'm not an activist. I'm trying to get off the whole atheist racket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/i-m-not-an-activist-i-m-trying-to-get-off-the-whole-atheist-racket/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [Losing my faith was the most spiritual thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/losing-my-faith-was-the-most-spiritual-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [My philosophy involves imaging terrible things happening all the time, and getting used to it, so reality isn't so bad. And then you're always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/my-philosophy-involves-imaging-terrible-things-happening-all-the-time/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [It was a fine cancer experience, as cancer experiences go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/it-was-a-fine-cancer-experience-as-cancer-experiences-go/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [To a certain extent I am taking a leap of faith. I'm adding up the evidence on either side, and I'm seeing the evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/to-a-certain-extent-i-am-taking-a-leap-of-faith-i-m-adding-up-the/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [It's fantastic to believe, because they get so many benefits. I get mad at the atheist community when they put down believers because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/it-s-fantastic-to-believe-because-they-get-so-many-benefits-i-get-mad/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [If I look over my life, every single step of maturing for me, every single one, has had the exact same common denominator: accepting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/if-i-look-over-my-life-every-single-step-of-maturing-for-me-every/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [I get mad at people who talk about traumatic job interviews, about going on one and getting rejected. I get rejected all the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/i-get-mad-at-people-who-talk-about-traumatic-job-interviews-about/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [Why isn't there a book about someone losing their faith and it being a beautiful experience?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/why-isn-t-there-a-book-about-someone-losing-their-faith-and-it-being/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [I used to think no one should go into show biz, but now I feel differently. I now feel like it's a great career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/i-used-to-think-no-one-should-go-into-show-biz-but-now-i-feel/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed of my body, I just don't see any reason to not cover it up as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-m-not-ashamed-of-my-body-i-just-don-t-see-any/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [I went with agnosticism for a long, long time because I just hated to say I was an atheist - being an atheist seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/i-went-with-agnosticism-for-a-long-long-time-because-i-just-hated-to/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [Well, you can't be depressed and sad 24 hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/well-you-can-t-be-depressed-and-sad-24-hours-a-day/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) [Explore all 31 Julia Sweeney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) ## 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": "I just became a stronger agnostic, and then I started to realize that everyone who was saying they were agnostic really hadn't thought about it that much. 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