A personal defense of agnosticism

I have retained since childhood an essentially atheistic outlook on life. That is to say, I do not believe in the supernatural, have identified gods as belonging to that category, so do not believe in them. This is fairly uncomplicated; we live in a scientific age after all (at least in theory, and despite large segments of the world population either being scientifically illiterate or explicitly rejecting the findings of science for partisan ideological reasons). I have likewise mostly viewed the structures of organised religion as tools for controlling the minds of its adherents; and consider them responsible for much evil throughout history, as they have used superstition as a means of coercion. But I must reluctantly add that organised religion has also been responsible for good in the lives of individual believers and their communities, and has played a vital cultural role. This is one of those paradoxes one must learn to live with, even if atheists are not always very good at…