[Serious] Atheist Dogma

[Belacqua]

Because Atheism only requires that you don't believe, that's all it is. 

Yes, I understand that. Atheism means not believing. 

This doesn't mean that a baby, a thinking adult, and a lizard are the same.

Not believing is not believing, the reasons do not matter in regards to being an atheist.

Thinking adult atheists may be atheists for lots of different reasons. When people decide that religious claims are unpersuasive, I think that the reasons do matter. 

The fact that thinking people have reasons for not believing means that we do have a burden of proof. We should show that our reasons are good reasons. 

If we say, "that's foolish," or "that's a bad argument," we should be prepared to say why.

 You are trying to make being an atheist into some deep meaningful position, when in fact it's just a really simplistic default position.

It may be deep for some people and shallow for others. I suppose it depends on their reasons. 

It is a simplistic default position for babies. I claim that for adults raised in majority-religious cultures, it is not a default position. It is one possible position among many. 

We have apparently evolved to ask for reasons as to why the world works as it does. Children in majority-religious cultures are likely to be taught religious reasons. Other children will be taught differently. Remaining without explanations is not the default. 

As I wrote before, the analogy I see is to Chomsky's explanation of language. Everyone is born without language, but remaining without one is not the default. Which one you pick up will depend on when and where you are raised. Likewise, which explanation for the world you believe in -- religious or not -- will be contingent on your society, accidents of your birth and education, etc.