Is there a benefit to atheism?

[Looncall]

Of course it can, and of course it does. Faith changes us, and we are "real". And then we effect reality beyond us through our faith.
That doesn't really matter, and it's not what we're talking about, anyway. We're talking about faith, and belief, and how they effect us, and effect the world through us. "Jesus" is just a character in a story, representing an ideal. To "believe in Jesus" is to believe in the ideal that Jesus represents. And to believe in that ideal, changes us. It changes the way we relate to the world and to each other. Faith is believing that something we don't know to be true, is true, and then living by it. Acting accordingly. If the results of acting on this hoped for truth are good, then we know our faith was rightly placed.
Lack of evidence is nothing. It tells us nothing but that we are ignorant. And pretending that it tells us something when it doesn't is intellectual dishonesty.
How? There is no scientific inquiry into the existence or nature of God. We have no scientific means by which to even attempt such an inquiry. We humans explore the idea of "God" through art, and philosophy, and through the action of faith. How is this stifling anyone's pursuit of knowledge?
This precludes no one from exploring how "God did it". Which is all humanity currently has the means of exploring, through science. And if you are referring to those who confuse their religious symbols and myths with reality, that's just a naive misapplication of faith. They are a stunted minority among us that have confused faith with authoritarianism. Science has it's screw-ups and charlatans, too. But that's just the failure of human nature, not of the capabilities of faith or science.
There is no logical reason to expect or assume any of that.

You need to clarify, in your own understanding, the difference between religion, and faith. And learn how faith really works for humanity. Because from your comments, it is clear to me that you really have no idea. You are being blinded to a very significant aspect of the human experience by your resentment against the foolishness of a few confused authoritarian religionists. And I would think that you'd want to correct this.

One could easily derive benefits from untrue beliefs. Benefits are definitely not evidence that anything believed through faith is accurate. The idea that they are is just part of the con games religious leaders play.

 

[PureX]

One could easily derive benefits from untrue beliefs. Benefits are definitely not evidence that anything believed through faith is accurate.

So what? Does believing that you're "right" really mean more to you than the value of your own human experience, and that of everyone else? Especially when you can never really know for sure that you're right about anything, anyhow? That sounds to me like an ego-trap. An addiction to the illusion of self-righteousness.

Is your beloved "evidence" really more important than actual results?

I see no logic in that bias.

 

[Randy the Atheist]

Atheism is not something that you gain a benefit from. Its simply a realization.

Did you gain any benefit when you realized that santa claus was just a man-made superstition?

 

[YmirGF]

Atheism is not something that you gain a benefit from. Its simply a realization.

Actually one benefit of atheism is living life with considerably less guilt rather than living through life burdened by original sin.

Did you gain any benefit when you realized that santa claus was just a man-made superstition?

I vaguely recall being sat down and treated a bit like an adult. Mom gave me couple of cookies and a glass of milk and then proceeded to explain that what I had just realized was part of growing up. So, rather than be sad or annoyed, I should be happy because I was getting older and smarter. The milk and cookies helped a lot though.