Athiesm is a Faith?

[Mark 13:13]

As anyone well aquainted with logical reasoning knows, its impossible to prove the non-existence of something. So if a proof that God does not exist is impossible, does this mean that beyond the proof of balance of probability ( which has seen many an innocent person executed wrongly ) based on our current level of science, any belief in athiesm or theism ultimately is a faith choice on two sides of same coin.

[Tobie]

People really need to stop flogging this dead horse.

[Something completely different]

I suspect the recently banned "Savedbychrist94" simply cant let it be.

[frankiej]

As anyone well aquainted with logical reasoning knows, its impossible to prove the non-existence of something. So if a proof that God does not exist is impossible, does this mean that beyond the proof of balance of probability ( which has seen many an innocent person executed wrongly ) based on our current level of science, any belief in athiesm or theism ultimately is a faith choice on two sides of same coin.

Would you call you not believing in unicorns faith?

[CapnAwesome]

As anyone well aquainted with logical reasoning knows, its impossible to prove the non-existence of something. So if a proof that God does not exist is impossible, does this mean that beyond the proof of balance of probability ( which has seen many an innocent person executed wrongly ) based on our current level of science, any belief in athiesm or theism ultimately is a faith choice on two sides of same coin.

It depends on whether or not that you accept non-belief as a default position. If you take a number of other things, and the example I always used is Bigfoot. I don't believe that it is a position of faith to not believe in Bigfoot. Insufficient evidence has been presented to me for both Bigfoot and god. I don't believe in them by default. If a child was raised with all absence of references to god, he would almost certainly not believe in a god. It's the default position. Hence I can't justifiably call Atheism a faith.

[Cinjin]

[Darwinian]

Atheism is not a faith. Neither is it a belief, an ideology or a religion. It is simply a lack of belief in the existence of a god or indeed gods.

I think we should put this in the Guidelines for Theists section along with a simple explanation of a 'scientific theory'

[Lion IRC]

As anyone well aquainted with logical reasoning knows, its impossible to prove the non-existence of something. So if a proof that God does not exist is impossible, does this mean that beyond the proof of balance of probability ( which has seen many an innocent person executed wrongly ) based on our current level of science, any belief in athiesm or theism ultimately is a faith choice on two sides of same coin.

You can certainly prove that a thing doesnt exist in a defined area. Eg. Empty box / Cat does not exist in that box.

And if you destroyed something, that would constitute a form of proof that it no longer exists.

So I'm not so sure that it's logically impossible.

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Besides, whats wrong with putting atheism into a category of theism - a belief with respect to the existence or otherwise of God(s)?

God - Yes?
God - No?
God - Maybe ?

[Minimalist]

Would you call you not believing in unicorns faith?

There is no evidence for unicorns.


Or for fucking jesus.

[TaraJo]

I suspect the recently banned "Savedbychrist94" simply cant let it be.

I second that suspicion.

Anyway, atheism is not faith, it is an absence of faith. I don't have faith that the is no god, but I also don't have faith in any god.