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Atheists and the Burden of Proof [1]

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Date: 2023-09-13  

What is an Atheist? It is really simple...an Atheist is a person who lacks a belief in a deity. Atheists have an absence of belief in the divine.

Atheists lack a belief in deities.

Let me explain, Atheists neither believe that deities exist nor believe that deities definitively do not exist. Instead, they lack a belief in deities altogether. This lack of belief is often due to the absence of convincing evidence or persuasive arguments for the existence of deities.

Atheism is best understood as a position of non-belief rather than an affirmative belief system.

Atheism is the default position, Atheism is where we all began, where we neither believe nor disbelieve in a god. Atheism is not something that needs to be learned or adopted but rather a position that reflects the absence of belief. In this sense, it can be seen as a default stance or the starting point for individuals who have not been exposed to religious beliefs or have not found convincing reasons to believe in gods.

Atheists are not making a claim that a god does or does not exist. Atheists lack a belief in a god, lacking a belief is not making a claim.

Atheism, in its essence, is not a belief system or a set of claims about the existence or non-existence of deities. It's a position characterized by the absence of belief in gods, and it's important to distinguish between lacking a belief and making a positive claim.

The burden of proof typically rests on those making positive claims. In the case of atheism, the burden of proof typically falls on theists who assert the existence of gods, as they are making a positive claim about the nature of reality. Atheists, by not making a positive claim, are not making assertions that require proof.

The burden of proof is on the one who makes a claim, regardless of the positive or negative content of the claim. The burden of proof is on the claimant, not the respondent.

Atheists are not claiming a god doesn’t exist...Atheists lack a belief in a deity. Lacking a belief is not making a claim.

Atheism is not a positive assertion that gods definitively do not exist. Instead, it's a stance of non-belief in gods. This position does not carry a burden of proof because it's a response to the claims made by theists who assert the existence of deities.

It's crucial to emphasize that atheism, in its essence, is not a belief system that makes positive claims about the nature of reality. It's a position characterized by the absence of belief in gods.

Atheists do not have the burden of proving they lack a belief in a god, atheists are not making a claim when they say they lack a belief in a god.

Atheism, in its essence, is not a positive claim or assertion. It's a position characterized by the absence of belief in a god or gods. As such, atheists should not be burdened with the task of proving their atheism, because lacking a belief is not making a claim.

Atheists carry no burden of proof….

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/13/2192699/-Atheists-and-the-Burden-of-Proof

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