Why I Can't Be an Agnostic

You can't put life on hold.

In his twenties, Julian Barnes was a confirmed atheist. By the time he had reached his 60’s, he had converted. Not to belief in God, but to agnosticism. He explains the shift this way:

“If I called myself an atheist at twenty, and an agnostic at fifty and sixty, it isn’t because I have acquired more knowledge in the meantime: just more awareness of ignorance” (Nothing to Be Frightened Of, 22).

That is to say, Barnes perceives among atheists a feeling of certainty that cannot be justified rationally. People of faith may not be able to prove the existence of God, but neither can atheists convincingly demonstrate that there is no God. So, Barnes acknowledges his ignorance and opts to remain agnostic about the existence of God. He withholds judgment because there is no adequate evidence one way or the other.

Photo by Kid Circus on Unsplash

Nevertheless, ignorance is not bliss for Barnes. He tells us so in the opening words of his book: “I don’t believe in God, but I miss Him.” He admires, and…