Discussion 1 to A Miscellany 345
I stand by the Second Article of Faith
by: JT
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Thank you for your comments, Tom.
On this site I make every attempt to indicate that I do not claim to speak for all agnostics. Essentially, the articles of faith as written apply only to those who choose to join one particular type of agnosticism - and that is Apathetic Agnosticism as promoted by UCTAA (which still leaves it open to others, not accepting the articles, to also regard themselves as apathetic agnostics).
So even if the second article of faith meant what you think it does, it does not represent any challenge to agnosticism as you choose to practice it.
But, the words don't have the meaning you seem to think they do. Let's look at the relevant text on the Commentary page.
2. If there is a Supreme Being, then that being appears to act as if apathetic to events in our universe.
To all appearances, any purported Supreme Being is indifferent to our Universe and to its inhabitants.
These words do not attribute any motive or state of mind to any deity. The key words in the text on this issue are "appears" and "To all appearances." Thus, we are talking about what an observer might think when realizing that the impact on the world of a supposed deity is indistinguishable from the impact of no deity at all.
You might think that it is at least remotely possible that a multitude of deities that keep the universe going. There is a Christian view that their deity actively guarantees that fair coins turn up tails 50% of the time in the long run. Either way, the net effect of the activities of these and all other hypothetical gods is the same as if there was no god at all. We observers cannot detect their activity. As they have no apparent effect compared to no god at all, then I suggest it is fair to say that it looks as if they are indifferent.