The Sects of Atheism

[Ahriman]

The definition of "atheism" should be broadened to include a lack of belief in supernatural things period, not just gods. I mean, why stop at gods.

Atheism is a useful term for a specific type of non-belief.  It's rare that anyone inquires about my lack of belief in faeries, ghosts, or the efficacy of palm reading and Tarot cards.  In contrast, there seems to be someone asking "Why don't you believe in God?" All. The. Damn. Time.

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

It's not a cover story it's a fact 

[Simon Moon]

Atheism is a useful term for a specific type of non-belief.  It's rare that anyone inquires about my lack of belief in faeries, ghosts, or the efficacy of palm reading and Tarot cards.  In contrast, there seems to be someone asking "Why don't you believe in God?" All. The. Damn. Time.

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

Do you believe in: Bigfoot, alien abductions, the Loch Ness monster, Tarot card reading, psychic surgery, seances, Yeti, palm reading, etc?

Why not? And please don't use that tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knowns that's a cover story.

I'll bet you disbelieve in some or all of these, for the same exact reasons we don't believe in a god. Lack of demonstrable and falsifiable evidence.

Without demonstrable and falsifiable evidence for a god, Bigfoot, alien abductions, psychic surgery, etc, etc, why else should we believe?

[The Grand Nudger]

Atheism is a useful term for a specific type of non-belief.  It's rare that anyone inquires about my lack of belief in faeries, ghosts, or the efficacy of palm reading and Tarot cards.  In contrast, there seems to be someone asking "Why don't you believe in God?" All. The. Damn. Time.

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

Well...why don't you believe in unicorns? Just because there's no evidence and you instinctively reel against the idea of horned horses as idiotic superstition?

Physician, heal thyself?

[brewer]

Atheism is a useful term for a specific type of non-belief.  It's rare that anyone inquires about my lack of belief in faeries, ghosts, or the efficacy of palm reading and Tarot cards.  In contrast, there seems to be someone asking "Why don't you believe in God?" All. The. Damn. Time.

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

[Ahriman]

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

Well...why don't you believe in unicorns?  Just because there's no evidence and you instinctively reel against the idea of horned horses as idiotic superstition?

Physician, heal thyself?

There might be unicorns somewhere. I don't know.

[Simon Moon]

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

It's a bit strange, don't you think, that you consider that: correctly applied skepticism, applying good standards of evidence, a sound epistemology, and lack of credulity, are a "cover story"?

The same methods that stopped humans from: sacrificing virgins when there is a famine, 'doctors' from bleeding people when they were sick, burning 'witches' at the stake for performing 'magic', performing exorcisms on mentally ill people instead of treating them, etc. etc,.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Well, why don't you believe in God? Without using the tired excuse of "there's no evidence" because everyone knows that's a cover story.

It's not a cover story it's a fact 

That's not a fact. That's your opinion. As someone once said, theists do not require evidence and atheists won't accept any. Learning the difference between fact and opinion is one of the first steps in critical thinking, yes?

[The Architect Of Fate]

That's not a fact.

Yes, it is

 That's your opinion.

No, it's not

As someone once said, theists do not require evidence and atheists won't accept any. 

Well that person was full of shit

Learning the difference between fact and opinion is one of the first steps in critical thinking, yes?

I know the difference and what i said was a fact, not an opinion. I know don't like that fact but that's irrelevant really 

[Simon Moon]

Well...why don't you believe in unicorns?  Just because there's no evidence and you instinctively reel against the idea of horned horses as idiotic superstition?

Physician, heal thyself?

There might be unicorns somewhere. I don't know.

Your are correct, although the chances are almost zero. the universe is a huge place, and since absolute certainty is impossible. But the time to start to believe unicorns exist, is when there is good evidence for their existence. And not a second sooner.

There might be something that qualifies as a god somewhere, too. As soon as there is good evidence to support its existence, is the time to start believing a god exists.

You do understand (actually, you probable don't understand), that for most atheists, our disbelief in a god is a provisional position, not a dogmatic one. right?

Until there is good evidence for the existence of a god, what should be our justification to believe one exists?