When Atheists Can't Think Episode 1: No Evidence for God?

[robvalue]

Remember that atheism is simply a description. It's not a choice, it's a state of mind. Any professed theist may actually be an atheist. And any professed atheist may be a theist.

Not believing in something until you have sufficient evidence that it is true is perfectly rational. What is considered sufficient evidence is going to vary from person to person, which is why we have the scientific method to try and reduce the effects of biases and preconceptions.

I think it's also important to note that you can hold a perfectly rational belief, and still be wrong. It is rational to believe gravity will continue to work roughly the way it does now tomorrow. However, this belief may be wrong. Gravity could just stop working tomorrow, for whatever reason. That doesn't make my belief irrational, nor the belief that gravity will stop working tomorrow rational, based on the information and evidence I have at the moment. The same is true of "God", whatever it may be. Even if it exists, not believing it exists while insufficient evidence has been presented is rational.

The important point about being a sceptic is being prepared to change your mind when new evidence emerges. Any state of mind in which beliefs are held to be objectively true beyond all doubt and that new evidence is irrelevant is harmful.