Is atheism the default position?

[Guest]

Some atheists claim atheism should be considered the default position. This claim is essentially claiming atheism is the starting point for considering questions regarding gods. Thus, I have two sets of questions.

(i) What assumptions are being made about starting points? Are these assumptions reasonable? (ii) Is the claim itself reasonable?

 

[nopaniers]

IMHO even if there was no evidence at all for two competing beliefs then there's many different criteria which might set them apart. For example, I think that a more moral belief should be taken as a default over another one - particularly if that belief determines how you act, or how you evaluate subsequent evidence.

 

[Tina]

^
Most people are born into the religion of our parents by default. If our birth religion is not the default position of our starting point at birth, then I don't know what it ... whatever happens later in life is no longer the default starting point position.

 

[Aero_Hudson]

I don't think there is a "default position". It all starts with questions that need to be answered. Why am I here? How did I / the Earth come to exist? etc. From here, there are a number of different approaches one could take to get to the a possible answer.

From an atheist's perspective, lack of belief is not a belief in and of itself or even a position. Lack of belief is just that...it is nothing. How can it be a position if this is the case? Based on this, I don't think Atheism can be the starting position.

 

[azlan88]

The great Christian philosopher, Greg Banson, said that the Christian must always presuppose the divinity of Christ in all arguments, never setting aside belief. Dr. Banson took his conclusion from Biblical sources, such as Jesus saying, "Without Me, there is only darkness," and one of the saints saying, "Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in you." And here's another one: "Don't answer the fool on his own terms."

 

[spiritual-journey]

Atheism has no entitlement to be seen as a default position. It is a liberal political agenda that influences claims of this nature. By claiming a default position, atheists attempt to place the onus of proof on believers in God that God does actually exist. Both from a philosophical and theological position this assumption should be challenged. It is like an atheist saying "I'm right and you're wrong" before you've had a debate.

 

[AskTheA]

It is the default, but not in the way that you guys are thinking. It is only the default because at birth, you don't beleive anything or know anything. You have a few instinctual things, such as going for the breast and breathing, digesting etc. An infant cannot be a christian because they haven't even heard the word "christ" before. Maybe in some christian ways of thinking a soul can be with Yahweh/Jesus BEFORE it is born into a human, but the human brain does not know the word/concept/idea of God at day 1. Conceding this does not score any points for atheism, however, and many religions implicitly accept this. Baptism and other rituals are a sort of introduction.

 

[Reido]

It is the default, but not in the way that you guys are thinking. It is only the default because at birth, you don't beleive anything or know anything. You have a few instinctual things, such as going for the breast and breathing, digesting etc. An infant cannot be a christian because they haven't even heard the word "christ" before. Maybe in some christian ways of thinking a soul can be with Yahweh/Jesus BEFORE it is born into a human, but the human brain does not know the word/concept/idea of God at day 1. Conceding this does not score any points for atheism, however, and many religions implicitly accept this. Baptism and other rituals are a sort of introduction.

I second this. :nod

 

[Lance_Iguana]

It is the default, but not in the way that you guys are thinking. It is only the default because at birth, you don't beleive anything or know anything. You have a few instinctual things, such as going for the breast and breathing, digesting etc. An infant cannot be a christian because they haven't even heard the word "christ" before. Maybe in some christian ways of thinking a soul can be with Yahweh/Jesus BEFORE it is born into a human, but the human brain does not know the word/concept/idea of God at day 1. Conceding this does not score any points for atheism, however, and many religions implicitly accept this. Baptism and other rituals are a sort of introduction.

Wouldn't that be more on the lines of Agnosticism, rather then atheism?

 

[Reido]

It is the default, but not in the way that you guys are thinking. It is only the default because at birth, you don't beleive anything or know anything. You have a few instinctual things, such as going for the breast and breathing, digesting etc. An infant cannot be a christian because they haven't even heard the word "christ" before. Maybe in some christian ways of thinking a soul can be with Yahweh/Jesus BEFORE it is born into a human, but the human brain does not know the word/concept/idea of God at day 1. Conceding this does not score any points for atheism, however, and many religions implicitly accept this. Baptism and other rituals are a sort of introduction.

Wouldn't that be more on the lines of Agnosticism, rather then atheism?

Sort of, but not necessarily.
Atheism is merely lack of belief in God/gods.
So an agnostic could still be an atheist.

 

[Lance_Iguana]

It is the default, but not in the way that you guys are thinking. It is only the default because at birth, you don't beleive anything or know anything. You have a few instinctual things, such as going for the breast and breathing, digesting etc. An infant cannot be a christian because they haven't even heard the word "christ" before. Maybe in some christian ways of thinking a soul can be with Yahweh/Jesus BEFORE it is born into a human, but the human brain does not know the word/concept/idea of God at day 1. Conceding this does not score any points for atheism, however, and many religions implicitly accept this. Baptism and other rituals are a sort of introduction.

Wouldn't that be more on the lines of Agnosticism, rather then atheism?

Sort of, but not necessarily.
Atheism is merely lack of belief in God/gods.
So an agnostic could still be an atheist.

True. I'm an Agnostic Theist, but I always was on the side of thinking tht a person had to procalim Atheism in order to truely be an atheist.

 

[Reido]

Sort of, but not necessarily.
Atheism is merely lack of belief in God/gods.
So an agnostic could still be an atheist.

True. I'm an Agnostic Theist, but I always was on the side of thinking tht a person had to procalim Atheism in order to truely be an atheist.

I suppose that would depend on what sort of atheist we're talking about.
Technically speaking, anyone without a belief in God/gods is an atheist.
So in that respect, I believe people are born atheists. But then again, as it's difficult to communicate with newborns, for all we know they could believe in God or any other gods at birth.

 

[ChattyMute]

True. I'm an Agnostic Theist, but I always was on the side of thinking tht a person had to procalim Atheism in order to truely be an atheist.

There is no true atheist... All you need to be atheist is a lack of belief in gods/God.
Maybe you are talking about strong atheism? Where one holds that there is no gods/God.

 

[rEVOLVEr]

Sort of, but not necessarily.
Atheism is merely lack of belief in God/gods.
So an agnostic could still be an atheist.

True. I'm an Agnostic Theist, but I always was on the side of thinking tht a person had to procalim Atheism in order to truely be an atheist.

I suppose that would depend on what sort of atheist we're talking about.
Technically speaking, anyone without a belief in God/gods is an atheist.
So in that respect, I believe people are born atheists. But then again, as it's difficult to communicate with newborns, for all we know they could believe in God or any other gods at birth.

I agree. Everyone is born without any knowledge of a god. Just for the sake of argument, if a Christian family and a Muslim family would swap babies and would raise them according to their religions, the children would believe in a different god. If they would become fundamentalist adults, they would be willing even to kill their own birth parents for their beliefs.

 

[Aero_Hudson]

I agree. Everyone is born without any knowledge of a god. Just for the sake of argument, if a Christian family and a Muslim family would swap babies and would raise them according to their religions, the children would believe in a different god. If they would become fundamentalist adults, they would be willing even to kill their own birth parents for their beliefs.

I think your statement is misleading. We are born without a belief in God because our bodies are worried about basic survival needs before we can get to that level. At some point of cognitive development, a human person begins to question their existence and the meaning of it. Even if never exposed to religion or faith, all human's at some point will start asking these questions regarding purpose and origin. Why do you think so many discussions take place now on this topic. We all want to know the answer.

 

[rEVOLVEr]

I agree. Everyone is born without any knowledge of a god. Just for the sake of argument, if a Christian family and a Muslim family would swap babies and would raise them according to their religions, the children would believe in a different god. If they would become fundamentalist adults, they would be willing even to kill their own birth parents for their beliefs.

I think your statement is misleading. We are born without a belief in God because our bodies are worried about basic survival needs before we can get to that level. At some point of cognitive development, a human person begins to question their existence and the meaning of it. Even if never exposed to religion or faith, all human's at some point will start asking these questions regarding purpose and origin. Why do you think so many discussions take place now on this topic. We all want to know the answer.

What is misleading about my statement? I used a simple scenario to explain the effect of religious upbringing in different societies.
Yes, we all want to know "the answer" or at least know more about our origin and how the Universe started. But we live in the 21th century and the answer is not going to be found in a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago.

 

[JoJo]

But we live in the 21th century and the answer is not going to be found in a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago.

Are you talking about the Bible?

 

[rEVOLVEr]

But we live in the 21th century and the answer is not going to be found in a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago.

Are you talking about the Bible?

Are you thinking about the Bible?

 

[JoJo]

I'll rephrase the question: Are you referring to the Bible when you say, "a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago."?

A simple yes or no would be great.

 

[Aero_Hudson]

I agree. Everyone is born without any knowledge of a god. Just for the sake of argument, if a Christian family and a Muslim family would swap babies and would raise them according to their religions, the children would believe in a different god. If they would become fundamentalist adults, they would be willing even to kill their own birth parents for their beliefs.

I think your statement is misleading. We are born without a belief in God because our bodies are worried about basic survival needs before we can get to that level. At some point of cognitive development, a human person begins to question their existence and the meaning of it. Even if never exposed to religion or faith, all human's at some point will start asking these questions regarding purpose and origin. Why do you think so many discussions take place now on this topic. We all want to know the answer.

What is misleading about my statement? I used a simple scenario to explain the effect of religious upbringing in different societies.
Yes, we all want to know "the answer" or at least know more about our origin and how the Universe started. But we live in the 21th century and the answer is not going to be found in a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago.

You are using this statement to justify the claim that atheism is the default position. That is what is misleading.

Instead of lashing out against Christianity as you did with the statement above, let's take a step back and be a bit more broad. Regardless of debates on specific faith beliefs, the concept of a God explaining why we are here is very common in society. 85% of the people on this Earth believe in some sort of God. Many would tell you, including Christians, the reason for this is inate. We were engineered / created with the need to explain our existence and with the concept of God from our creator.

I would also imagine if you took the time to actually read the bible you would understand that it is much more than "...a book written by ignorant goat herders 2000 years ago." Check it out for yourself.