(February 25, 2019 at 9:19 pm)fredd bear Wrote: My position and experience is that most atheists avoid making claims, as to do so attracts the burden of proof. Instead , I and others say only that "I do not believe". This a statement of position, not of belief .
You have heard, and rejected, the claims made by religious people.
By what criteria did you reject these claims?
There is a claim implicit in your rejection of religion: that religion's claims are unpersuasive. If you had been raised by wolves and never heard about religion, then your atheism would be just a lack. As it is, however, your atheism shows a commitment to standards of judgment. These standards are your beliefs, and carry a burden of proof.
