---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not…"
description: "\"I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.\" — Neil Peart"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png"
---

#  I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.

![“I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.” quote by Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png)

> “I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.”

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He identifies as open-minded about belief systems but maintains personal doubt, distinguishing curiosity from faith.

**In simple terms:** Open to ideas, but not religious.

Key Takeaway

Embrace questioning while staying skeptical.

Themes

belief skepticism open‑mindedness philosophy

Mood

thoughtful introspective

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- Academic debates
- personal reflection
- creative songwriting

Key Concepts

Existentialism critical thinking personal identity

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “agnostic” mean to you?
- How does doubt influence creativity?

A Different Perspective

May alienate strictly religious audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agnostic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnostic/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [“Could it be we stifle our children's genius by languaging them too quickly away from their hearts and into the straight and narrow confines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-villasenor/could-it-be-we-stifle-our-children-s-genius-by-languaging-them-too/)

[Victor Villaseñor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-villasenor/)

> [Linear thinking typifies a highly developed industry. It starts to get these patterns built into it somehow. I'm not sure how that happens, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nesmith/linear-thinking-typifies-a-highly-developed-industry-it-starts-to-get/)

[Michael Nesmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nesmith/)

> [I have a different way of thinking. I think synergistically. I'm not linear in thinking, I'm not very logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/i-have-a-different-way-of-thinking-i-think-synergistically-i-m-not/)

[Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/)

> [Linear thinking is patriarchal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meridel-le-sueur/linear-thinking-is-patriarchal/)

[Meridel Le Sueur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meridel-le-sueur/)

> [You can't solve many of today's problems by straight linear thinking. It takes leaps of faith to sense the connections that are not necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-solve-many-of-today-s-problems-by-straight-linear-thinking/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Religious faith in the case of the Hindus has never been allowed to run counter to scientific laws, moreover the former is never made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/religious-faith-in-the-case-of-the-hindus-has-never-been-allowed-to/)

[Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/)

> [“...properly a theory about knowledge, not about religion. A theist and a Christian may be an agnostic; an atheist may not be an agnostic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-flint/properly-a-theory-about-knowledge-not-about-religion-a-theist-and-a/)

Robert Flint

> [In my hometown, a lot of my friends are very religious and we somehow have found common ground, even though they know that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/in-my-hometown-a-lot-of-my-friends-are-very-religious-and-we-somehow/)

[Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/)

> [“I've always thought an agnostic is an atheist without the courage of his convictions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/i-ve-always-thought-an-agnostic-is-an-atheist-without-the-courage-of/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [When I approached God at that time, I hardly had a living faith in Him. The agnostic was in me, the atheist was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/when-i-approached-god-at-that-time-i-hardly-had-a-living-faith-in-him/)

[Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/)

> [Being a pastor for 20 years I realized that the labels, agnostic, atheist, believer, everybody's human and everybody wants to know what kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/being-a-pastor-for-20-years-i-realized-that-the-labels-agnostic/)

[Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/)

> [I am not agnostic. I am atheist. I don’t think there is no God; I know there’s no God. I know there’s no God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-am-not-agnostic-i-am-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-is-no-god-i-know/)

[Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/)

> [I am not agnostic. I am atheist. I dont think there is no God; I know theres no God. I know theres no God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-am-not-agnostic-i-am-atheist-i-dont-think-there-is-no-god-i-know/)

[Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/)

> [If a person is intelligent, then of course he is either an agnostic or an atheist. Just as he is a physical coward. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/if-a-person-is-intelligent-then-of-course-he-is-either-an-agnostic-or/)

[John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/)

> [For me, it doesn't really matter whether you are a believer, an agnostic or an atheist. For me, what does count is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-me-it-doesn-t-really-matter-whether-you-are-a-believer-an/)

[Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/)

## More by Neil Peart

> [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Half the world cries Half the world laughs Half the world tries To be the other half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/half-the-world-cries-half-the-world-laughs-half-the-world-tries-to-be/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Different hearts beat on different strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/different-hearts-beat-on-different-strings/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [It's interesting. I've known quite a few good athletes that can't begin to play a beat on the drum set. Most team sport is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/it-s-interesting-i-ve-known-quite-a-few-good-athletes-that-can-t/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [From the point of ignition. To the final drive. The point of the journey is not to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/from-the-point-of-ignition-to-the-final-drive-the-point-of-the/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Innocence gave me confidence to go up against reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/innocence-gave-me-confidence-to-go-up-against-reality/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to play music that I liked, and even when I was in cover bands when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-always-wanted-to-play-music-that-i-liked-and/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [To me, drum soloing is like doing a marathon and solving equations at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/to-me-drum-soloing-is-like-doing-a-marathon-and-solving-equations-at/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Lotus-land as it appears in 'Free Will' is simply a metaphor for an idealized background, a 'land of milk and honey.' It is sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/lotus-land-as-it-appears-in-free-will-is-simply-a-metaphor-for-an/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [“-i was "far and away"-riding my motorcycle along an american back road, skiing through the snowy Quebec woods, or lying awake in a backwater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-was-far-and-away-riding-my-motorcycle-along-an-american-back-road/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Each of us A cell of awareness Imperfect and incomplete Genetic blends With uncertain ends On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/each-of-us-a-cell-of-awareness-imperfect-and-incomplete-genetic/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [When I was young, my ambitions were very modest. I thought, "If only I could play at the battle of the bands at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/when-i-was-young-my-ambitions-were-very-modest-i-thought-if-only-i/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [If it's cross-country ski season, I'll be out doing that, or snowshoeing up in Quebec. In my California home, I go to the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/if-it-s-cross-country-ski-season-i-ll-be-out-doing-that-or/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [Extroverts never understand introverts, and it was like that in school days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/extroverts-never-understand-introverts-and-it-was-like-that-in-school/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/a-spirit-with-a-vision-is-a-dream-with-a-mission/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

[Explore all 126 Neil Peart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

## 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'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Peart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-an-atheist-folks/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agnostic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-an-atheist-folks/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/neil-peart-3563_agnostic_i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-a_625944.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but not an atheist folks.” — Neil Peart",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Neil Peart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm a linear thinking agnostic, but...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-an-atheist-folks/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-m-a-linear-thinking-agnostic-but-not-an-atheist-folks/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
