Why atheism?

[Losty]

Almost all of us could be converted to theism (or at least maltheism), if someone proved there is a God (or gods).

yes but first your mind has to be open to the possibility that God could exist or the idea there could be something beyond the material world to be converted through proof .

Who is to say that our minds are not open to the possibility?

[Edwardo Piet]

Supernatural claims such as gods are unfalsifiable and hence there can be no sufficient evidence for such extraordinary claims.

And if there were any, that would make them within the realms of science and hence falsifiable and natural.

Naturalism pretty much has supernaturalism in a total stranglehold.

[The Valkyrie]

Why atheism?

Because pretty much any of the alternatives try to convince me that I'm worth less than half the people on this planet because I don't have a dick (technically I dumped him LONG ago).

[jenny1972]

yes but first your mind has to be open to the possibility that God could exist or the idea there could be something beyond the material world to be converted through proof .

Who is to say that our minds are not open to the possibility?

just saying that openmindedness regarding a concept has to exist to even acknowledge any proof that may occur .

[JesusHChrist]

Who is to say that our minds are not open to the possibility?

just saying that openmindedness regarding a concept has to exist to even acknowledge any proof that may occur .

Should one be open-minded about everything?

Mind-controlling lizard people?
Body Thetans?
Pink unicorns?
Sasquatch?
Ancient aliens?
Astrology?
Acupuncture?

Or are some concepts, based on our modern knowledge base, so ludicrous as to not be worthy of serious consideration?

[TheRocketSurgeon]

We understand what you mean, but you need to look at the fact that well over half of us started out as believers.

If all atheists were simply never religious, you might be able to argue that atheism was the result of a refusal to consider the possibility of a god.

But that's just not the reality of it. Even for those who never believed, they understand the concept. They just never found the evidence plausible. For those of us (self included) who did believe, we finally saw that the story we had swallowed in order to start believing in the first place was just too flawed, and we realized that our belief was a matter of deluding ourselves via that story. It's the same way kids stop believing in Santa Claus. When they realize the presents under the tree are actually hidden on the top shelf of mom's walk-in closet, then they put the pieces together and realize it's just a story told to make little kids behave. It doesn't mean they refused to be "open to the possibility", they just recognize the BS at last, and grow up.

[Thumpalumpacus]

To paraphrase Sagan, there's no point to having a mind so open that your brains fall out.

[The Valkyrie]

We understand what you mean, but you need to look at the fact that well over half of us started out  as believers.

If all atheists were simply never religious, you might be able to argue that atheism was the result of a refusal to consider the possibility of a god.

But that's just not the reality of it. Even for those who never believed, they understand the concept. They just never found the evidence plausible. For those of us (self included) who did believe, we finally saw that the story we had swallowed in order to start believing in the first place was just too flawed, and we realized that our belief was a matter of deluding ourselves via that story. It's the same way kids stop believing in Santa Claus. When they realize the presents under the tree are actually hidden on the top shelf of mom's walk-in closet, then they put the pieces together and realize it's just a story told to make little kids behave. It doesn't mean they refused  to be "open to the possibility", they just recognize the BS at last, and grow up.

Exactly this.

[jenny1972]

Supernatural claims such as gods are unfalsifiable and hence there can be no sufficient evidence for such extraordinary claims.

And if there were any, that would make them within the realms of science and hence falsifiable and natural.

Naturalism pretty much has supernaturalism in a total stranglehold.

why would God be considered anything but natural even after science catches up ?

---

just saying that openmindedness regarding a concept has to exist to even acknowledge any proof that may occur .

Should one be open-minded about everything?

Mind-controlling lizard people?
Body Thetans?
Pink unicorns?
Sasquatch?
Ancient aliens?
Astrology?
Acupuncture?

Or are some concepts, based on our modern knowledge base, so ludicrous as to not be worthy of serious consideration?

yes you should remain openminded and be aware of the fact that you dont have everything all figured out even scientists dont claim that they do . believe the things that prove themselves and disbelieve the things that do not .

[Iroscato]

Who is to say that our minds are not open to the possibility?

just saying that openmindedness regarding a concept has to exist to even acknowledge any proof that may occur .

I am perfectly open-minded to proof. Unfortunately, zero proof has been forthcoming, and God continues to act precisely how a non-existent entity would act