Atheism is not a default position

[Thief]

Nobody holds beliefs because they are genetically programmed to believe that way. And temperament is not purely genetic, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and developmental factors.

As far as I can see a "default opinion" is the opinion one would hold prior to argument of any kind. I don't really see why it would be defined otherwise.

and the default effect would be what?

 

[Levite]

Aye, I'm just hypothesizing. My basis is that I know so many people raised
in a religious environment who react so differently to it, that predisposition
(a tendency, as opposed to full blown determinism) looks inherent in the person.

Well, as has been pointed out, temperament does play a part in shaping one's beliefs. And in my experience, how one approaches religion and spirituality tends (not inevitably but often) to strongly reflect one's early experiences with it. Pleasant experiences and positive responses to questioning tend to produce more positive inclinations to religion, whereas unpleasant experiences and humorless rigidity tend to provoke negative associations.

 

[Levite]

and the default effect would be what?

The default effect of what?

 

[Revoltingest]

Well, as has been pointed out, temperament does play a part in shaping one's beliefs. And in my experience, how one approaches religion and spirituality tends (not inevitably but often) to strongly reflect one's early experiences with it. Pleasant experiences and positive responses to questioning tend to produce more positive inclinations to religion, whereas unpleasant experiences and humorless rigidity tend to provoke negative associations.

Aye, I've seen that happen too.
As with so many things, I see a mix of genetics & environment behind people's being who they are.

 

[leibowde84]

Let me make it simple for you.....No God.....no afterlife for you.
How can you follow if your mindset was based on ignorance?

Why is this relevant? Why would the definition of the term "atheism" be dependant on one attaining an afterlife?

 

[Thief]

Why is this relevant? Why would the definition of the term "atheism" be dependant on one attaining an afterlife?

Atheism....there is no god.
Afterlife without God?

 

[leibowde84]

Atheism....there is no god.
Afterlife without God?

Atheism ... lack of belief in God. Whether there is an afterlife is irrelevant to this discussion, as no one knows.

 

[viole]

Atheism....there is no god.
Afterlife without God?

Why not? Very implausible (as much as God's existence) but still logically possible.

I can think of different naturalistic scenarios where we could all resurrect.

Ciao

- viole

 

[leibowde84]

Atheism....there is no god.
Afterlife without God?

Can you please explain why you think that the afterlife is relevant to whether "implicit atheism" exists?

 

[Thief]

Can you please explain why you think that the afterlife is relevant to whether "implicit atheism" exists?

I say there is a God because dead things don't beget the living.
Life had a beginning.
not of chemistry alone.

God is not relevant to life?
and your mindset of denial works before God?
implicit or not

 

[idav]

The atheist is not the person ignorant of god. The atheist is the person who doesn't believe in god.

A person ignorant of God also satisfies non-believers. Introduction to the concept need not be necessary to not believe. Even still, introduction to a God concept doesn't mean having to believe God does or does not exist, belief is a decision that doesn't have to be made. Atheism takes faith based on cosmological unknowns, to eliminate a God as a source of origin.

 

[Thief]

A person ignorant of God also satisfies non-believers. Introduction to the concept need not be necessary to not believe. Even still, introduction to a God concept doesn't mean having to believe God does or does not exist, belief is a decision that doesn't have to be made. Atheism takes faith based on cosmological unknowns, to eliminate a God as a source of origin.

Say only the word....god....to a class room of preschoolers and then leave.
What do you think happens next?

 

[leibowde84]

I say there is a God because dead things don't beget the living.
Life had a beginning.
not of chemistry alone.

God is not relevant to life?
and your mindset of denial works before God?
implicit or not

Your belief in God is not in question. Whether "implicit atheism" exists is the topic. How is this comment relevant?

 

[leibowde84]

Say only the word....god....to a class room of preschoolers and then leave.
What do you think happens next?

Saying the word God is not introducing the concept?

 

[Thief]

Your belief in God is not in question. Whether "implicit atheism" exists is the topic. How is this comment relevant?

I've been checking the word implicit to see how you might be using it.

as in implied?
understood without question?

so...you think you found a pry bar to loosen my foundation?
I think not.

wanna toss another baby back and forth?

 

[Thief]

Saying the word God is not introducing the concept?

it introduces curiosity.
the question will be there .....what is God?
and the babies begin to consider........

 

[leibowde84]

I've been checking the word implicit to see how you might be using it.

as in implied?
understood without question?

so...you think you found a pry bar to loosen my foundation?
I think not.

wanna toss another baby back and forth?

Implicit = implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something.

 

[leibowde84]

it introduces curiosity.
the question will be there .....what is God?
and the babies begin to consider........

And what would they consider if they didn't know what the term referred to?

 

[leibowde84]

it introduces curiosity.
the question will be there .....what is God?
and the babies begin to consider........

Our point is that before they hear the word "God", they are implicitly atheist, as they lack a belief in God's existence. This is due to them not being familiar with the concept of God.

 

[jonathan180iq]

it introduces curiosity.
the question will be there .....what is God?
and the babies begin to consider........

Continuing this thought experiment further, assuming that those pre-schoolers had never heard the word "god" before - which god do you think they believed in?

If the answer is none, then they were implicit atheists.
If the answer is anything other than none, then it doesn't follow the rules of your thought experiment.

Before the word is uttered, the subjects are in an implicit state. After the word is uttered, the subjects will begin making explicit decisions, never again being in the implicit state.