To me, this agnostic/gnostic argument within atheism is totally unnecessary and somewhat of an intellectual fraud, an unnecessary encumbrance to the whole position.

First off, WHICH god is it that you're atheistically agnostic about? Are you also atheistically agnostic/gnostic about the thousands of Hindu gods? Do you also reserve a place for them in your unsure knowledge?
What about the gods of the Australian Aboriginals; are you agnostic about them or is it just 'God' you're agnostic about? Or what of the gods of the American Indians? Do you reserve a position of 'we can't really know for sure that the giant serpent god exists'? or that Atlas just really might be holding the world on his shoulders, as we can't really know for sure? Are you atheist agnostic about Zeus? Thor the Thunder god? Odin?
Why does this 'God' get a special status of agnosticism?(Meaning... without knowledge. The 'a' before agnostic is a Greek prefix that means 'without'. The same as the 'a' before 'atheism'. The word was A-theos...without god. and having knowledge of something does not automatically then imply that the thing you have knowledge of is real).

'God', gods and goddesses are MYTHOLOGICAL beings, no different from centaurs, cyclopes, gorgons, harpies, furies, Fates, mermaids and vampires. Do you also reserve a place for agnosticism with them too? as they are all as equal in the case of being unable to be proven not to exist. 'God', is a mythological being, and so why do we reserve for 'him' this special place of agnosticism?

I am one of those rare atheists then, and I say positively there is no god, or gods, or goddesses, just as I say there are no unicorns, fairies at the bottom of my garden, mermaids, sirens, or Harry Potter and the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When atheists finally realize that 'God' is a fictional character, invented by human beings, you will no longer feel the need to call yourself an atheist agnostic--the whole argument is an unnecessary blind to the position that very much needs to be asserted in this day and age of continuing religious superstition and interference in our lives; we need to stop fooling around with 'atheistic agnosticism' and say, There is no God.

Eric Hayman; what makes you think that civil partnerships are for sexual gratification, or even 'domestic company'?
Why is it that only gay people who enter into a civil partnership are doing so for sexual gratification? Sort of like the priests who rape children, that kind of sexual gratification and domestic company when they all lived altogether in orphanages?

I don't know if you're married or not, but if so, did you marry for sexual gratification? Or other reasons beyond the merely sexual and domestic? and what on earth has animals got to do with it? why do people always reduce unions of gay people to the ridiculous? how many people do you know who want to marry an animal legally? Where do you get such ridiculous 'arguments' from?

And what's parenthood to do with it too? A lot of people marry without having children. A lot of straight marriages are childless of the couples own choices, so what's parenthood got to do with legal unions? People marry for all kinds of reasons, not just for children, and not just for sex or whatever.

And why are heterosexual marriages so at threat from gay ones? How on earth does two men or two women marrying threaten my 'straight' family and marriage? Since when is my marriage dependent on what homosexuals do or don't do? My family is under no threat whatsoever by homosexual unions. My children are healthy and grown up in a world full of gay relationships and it hasn't harmed them one whit, and why? because what other people do or don't do in the privacy of their own lives has NOTHING to do with my family or me.

If I'm so wrong, why did you run screaming from the RC church? I am not wrong. Like I said, study some history, not the RC version of history. Every crime known to humanity? the RC church committed it, and still commits crimes to this day. But of course, taking a look at history and learning the truth is something religious people never do, either through the fear of what they might find, or just that old, "I'm not listening!" cowardice. Yeah, the truth is really hard.

I say Jennifer that YOU know nothing of your faith. I bet I know more about Catholic history than you would even dare look into.

To say that the RC church is an abomination on the face of this planet is an understatement. Learn some history, real history, and see for yourself about your stinking, corrupt, vile, fraudulent, disgusting, abusive, and wholly putrid 'religion' as run by the Vatican's dogs of crime, and you will see something so rotten even the whining 'I'm so victimised' catholics of this world would find sickening.

Flawed as its human condition my arse...the most devious bunch of bastards that ever existed, and just to support it in this day and age is the measure of your own delusion. Go Penn and Teller!

Seth, that's hilarious! You really should consider a career in stand-up. Mormonism really is the comedy act of the religious world isn't it? (and that's really saying something). Human gods who live on other planets (which one?); magic underwear, golden plates with magic words that mysteriously disappear (so no one can refute their existence in the first place), spirits that get squashed into new born babies, men who get shackled to the same wives for ALL OF ETERNITY, it's a riot a minute. You better make sure you choose the right wives, or else, think of it, the SAME wives forever...
wow, I'm so impressed. Mormonism has everything for a right royal comedy act; what else have you got?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzbNkyXO50

LOL!!! that's the funniest remark ever! even funnier than the patterns and that's saying something...

Oh, these tedious people! tedious, tedious, tiresome, boring, banal, petty little barbarian Christians. Get the hell OVER it! Grow the f*&k up!

Homosexuality is a fact of life; has always existed and will always exist, deal with it and grow up, try doing something really, really innovative for once in your petty little lives and accept it and move on, if that is at all possible for you silly little botherers of other peoples lives. You make of yourselves laughing stocks, which you totally deserve.

How I dream of the day when all you miserable harping little martyrs with your self pitying bleating will either all drop dead or grow up. Will I live to see that day? no, I won't. This fatuous 'we hate gays cos we're so righteous' crap will go on and one and on, hopefully, till you self destruct.

Christianity deserves bashing.
With a religion that stretches back centuries, full of abuses against humanity, a little bashing with words here is but nothing compared to what Christians have meted out to real live human beings down the centuries. This is the hard truth; that is, you can't be bashed enough to make up for what Christianity has done in its centuries of slavery, misery, lying, brutality and fraud. it is a religion of barbarous beliefs, enacted by fools and half wits who haven't the mental power to exam it and see if for the vile lie that it is.

Nah, I think he should be totally ashamed of himself for coming out...as a catholic priest. How disgusting, and what an abomination to society. He should go get some therapy. I'm sure there are plenty of churches where he can go to get cured of his catholicism, maybe an exorcism would do it?