The "Cultural Context" Excuse

[Whateverist]

You know, "belief" in abiogenesis by atheists is a whole different animal than "belief" as practiced by Christians.  For you guys, isn't belief a mixture of hope and conviction as much as anything else?  For me, and I imagine most atheists, belief is just a by product of what we think there is better reason for thinking.  Of course, like Christians we all can become invested in our pet theories.  But when it comes to abiogenesis, there just isn't anything riding on it.  

For those of us who reject 'the supernatural' as the logically challenged category that it is, then something like abiogenesis is the only theory left standing.  Well some find interest in panspermia, but for others of us that just kicks the can down the road.  Without magic, the inorganic/organic threshold just has to get crossed naturally, i.e. abiogenesis.  Admittedly no one has been able to show conclusively that any particular set of conditions will get it done, though some complex molecules of use to life have been produced this way.  

I see no difference in the context of trust...

I place my trust in the Bible.

You place your trust in the explanation of science.

I don't think that is really parallel.  I don't believe in abiogenesis because I trust science will one day show how that transition occurred.  There just isn't any natural alternative and logically I reject 'the supernatural', and that has nothing to do with science.

I didn't write the bible, neither did you come up with the theory of abiogenesis, we are instead both placing faith in someone else's word.

Definitely not.  For me it isn't a question of authority.  It is just a question of making sense, and to me 'the supernatural' just doesn't.

But then, atheism doesn't pretend to offer answers to every conceivable question.

Neither does Christianity outside of the bible, and even that is a mystery.

For the record I find plenty of mystery in the world, and mystery doesn't trouble me.  But for me, mystery doesn't have a 'Twilight Zone' connotation.  I assume that that which is mysterious is also natural.  Doesn't mean it'll make sense to me, but of course it would be natural.  What else could it be .. for me.  I realize of course that you have another alternative you keep open and that is your prerogative.  We just have to disagree over that stuff.  (Doesn't mean I won't eat your smoked salmon .. I mean, if you had any extra.)