Why You Should Be Atheist

[Vincenzo Vinny G.]

We're retreading old ground here.

That you think no evidence has been provided is reflective of your own ignorance, not of the work of theistic thinkers.

You need to familiarize yourself with the evidence.

I expose myself to the arguments of theistic thinkers regularly, and even if I hadn't, it's not as though there aren't people like you and the other theists here who could present it to me and convert me, if they wanted to. The fact that, instead of doing so, you call me ignorant, says a lot about your approach.

I've read the threads, Vin. I've seen the arguments for god. But arguments aren't evidence, one cannot think a thing into existence, and those theistic thinkers are only as good as the biases they carry into their work.

I'm not looking to convert you. I don't even think I could. Like they say, you can lead an atheist to water, but you can't make him think.

But I don't think knowledgeable atheists run around saying there are no reasons or evidence to justify religious belief. I'm sorry, but such a view is not representative of the position of educated atheists who are familiar with the various works and claims. Educated people are much more tentative (see what Carl Sagan believed).

For instance, intelligent atheists would recognize that evidence (defined narrowly) is not wholly relevant. Peter Higgs predicted the Higgs Boson mathematically before we had a shred of physical evidence. He used applied logic (theoretical physics, ie the application of mathematics to physics). If Higgs' work justified serious consideration of the hypothesized God particle in the absence of evidence, then theism can rightfully claim the same consideration.

Of course, speaking of evidence is itself a silly thing. Do you expect to find physical evidence of a non-physical entity? Does a lack of direct physical evidence necessarily justify a lack of belief, such as when your eyes are closed and you lack visual evidence that your girlfriend is lying next to you?

Intellectually responsible atheism is much more than merely declaring a lack of belief and goose-stepping about talking shit about religion. It ought to involve a familiarity with one's own intellectual position.

I mean, I'd love to discuss the alleged evidence if I can be confident in substantial responses (example) as opposed to imbecilic nerd-rage (example).