WOTM: David Mitchell On Atheism, Pt. II

Sure, that's what I am. Theism and atheism is about a belief in a god or gods. Gnosticism and agnosticism is about knowledge, which is different from belief. So I don't believe in any gods, but I don't know for sure. That's why most atheists ask about evidence.

At the same time, most preachers don't understand the difference, and the idea has spread that there are believers, agnostics, and then the atheists (who are misidentified as stating positively that god doesn't exist).

SGT (Join to see) There are a few different ways people use those terms.

Way 1 (probably the most common you will see, creates a type of continuum)
Atheism - doesn't believe in god and knows there is no god
Agnosticism - Some sort of middle ground, doesn't know
Theism - Believes in god(s) but kind of questionable if they feel they can prove or have knowledge of their existence beyond belief

Way 2: (A much more nuanced definition that better captures the full range of how people feel)
Atheism - Does not believe in god (makes not claim on knowledge or proof)
Theism - Believes in god (makes no claim on knowledge or proof)

Agnosticism - Claims that the question of if god exists isn't known or proven one way or another. A measure of knowledge instead of belief.
Gnosticism - Claims that they know and can prove the existence / non existence of god(s). A measure of knowledge instead of belief.

I've found that most people who consider themselves theists or atheists do so primarily based on belief. Neither camp (most people standard) claims that they know it with the certainty of being able to prove it. The whole concept of faith is belief without knowledge.