Is Atheism an open minded viewpoint?

[Givemeareason]

I wish I had more time to socialize here because I can see there are some very nice people that I would really enjoy talking with.  But I don't so I am ducking in and out.  Again I am atheist so I would like to ask if most people here arrive at this position from assuming an open minded point of view and realizing there is not a god or from rejecting the idea of a god based on personal encounters with the concept.  And do you think you have become more open minded from becoming atheist?

[doorknob]

I'm not 100% sure what you are asking here but I'll take a wack at it.

I think atheists are more open minded to ideas represented by science. But I have a hard time to really understand what it means to be open minded since that is subjective in the first place. In my opinion I am open minded and if you ask most people they will say they are open minded. So asking some one if they are open minded is kind of pointless. All humans show moments where they are open minded and moments when they are not open or receptive to new, or external ideas. So how do you measure open mindedness? I don't know.

AS far as rejecting the idea of god it is based on (and I think most will agree) the fact that there is no demonstrable proof of a god or gods existence. Just like you don't believe in the tooth fairy because there is no proof for it's existence so then atheists do not believe in god. Other than that we all have different opinion and morals that we subscribe too. Most of us do agree on a lot of issues but the only thing that makes one an atheists is the lack of belief in gods.

[GSOgymrat]

I have always been an atheist but I don't consider myself to be very open minded.

[Givemeareason]

I'm not 100% sure what you are asking here but I'll take a wack at it.

I think atheists are more open minded to ideas represented by science. But I have a hard time to really understand what it means to be open minded since that is subjective in the first place. In my opinion I am open minded and if you ask most people they will say they are open minded. So asking some one if they are open minded is kind of pointless. All humans show moments where they are open minded and moments when they are not open or receptive to new, or external ideas. So how do you measure open mindedness? I don't know.

AS far as rejecting the idea of god it is based on (and I think most will agree) the fact that there is no demonstrable proof of a god or gods existence. Just like you don't believe in the tooth fairy because there is no proof for it's existence so then atheists do not believe in god. Other than that we all have different opinion and morals that we subscribe too. Most of us do agree on a lot of issues but the only thing that makes one an atheists is the lack of belief in gods.

It seems reasonable to think that atheists are open minded toward science but only if becoming atheist were the result of viewing science.  And I am not convinced that atheists reach that viewpoint from only observing science.  Open minded for me is usually to take a rather detached viewpoint and then start wondering why things are the way they are.  So for me to understand a religious viewpoint I try to put myself in their position.  Would you consider doing that as being open minded?

[Mike Cl]

I wish I had more time to socialize here because I can see there are some very nice people that I would really enjoy talking with.  But I don't so I am ducking in and out.  Again I am atheist so I would like to ask if most people here arrive at this position from assuming an open minded point of view and realizing there is not a god or from rejecting the idea of a god based on personal encounters with the concept.  And do you think you have become more open minded from becoming atheist?

Jesus Giveme---you give me a headache.  You seem to be a master at slinging mud at a wall an see what sticks.  You seem to love to try to start a conversation with generalized terms, terms you fail to define.  In this instance, are you asking an 'either--or' question?  If so what is the 'either' and what is the 'or'?  The more I read it the more confused I become.  What do you mean by 'open minded'?  I like to think I gathered facts for both sides of the issue.  I read the religious material, their source material; and I read the anti-religious material as well.  I used what can loosely be called the historical method in that I used, as best I could, the source material from both sides.  And I read the commentary from both sides.  This was not an overnight process; in fact it is an ongoing process.  So, is that open minded?  Since I am convinced that a god/gods do not exist, does that make me closed minded??

[drunkenshoe]

Not necessarily. It depends on what you mean by 'open mindedness'.

There are every kind of people among atheists as there are among believers. Conservative, superstitous, racist, sexist, nationalist...etc There are atheists who thinks homosexuality is an 'unnatural thing'. Atheists can be pretty bigotic too.

But usually they are more likely to be open minded, because most of the bullshit is based on religion, caused by religion.

[SGOS]

I started wondering why I could not see or talk with God when I was very young, but being that He's very mysterious and all that, I left the door wide open, even when his description made no sense.  I read the Bible.  I read the Iliad.  They both seemed equally silly.  I've always liked science even in elementary school, more in high school, and in College... Wow!  I took courses in Zoology, Botany, Geology and Anthropology.  It all made sense to me.

I took classes in basic philosophy including philosophy of religion.  We spent a lot of time reading the philosophical "masters'" logical proofs of God.  They were down right silly, even before reading the logical rebuttals from other "masters.  I still called myself a Christian for many years, because being an atheist sounded to me too much like being a "bloody axe murderer."

I like what Doorknob said.  I'm open minded about some things, but after sincerely honest attempts at finding God over the years, I've pretty much turned my mind off to religion.  No one ever comes up with any new arguments, and no one will.  I'm not going to waste my time listening.  I suppose that's close minded, but for most of my life, I gave religion an honest shot.  It's not like I'm open or closed minded.  It's more like I was never really cut out for religion.  There were too many unanswered questions.  There are too many questions that by their nature are unanswerable, and always will be.

An understanding of science didn't help my search for god, but more than science was an introduction to logic.  But of course, science is 98% logic, anyway.  But logic!  What a way to break down ideas, sort out the chaff, and straighten out what you know from what you don't know.  My lessons in logic were probably the biggest thing that killed my religion.

[Solitary]

I'm not open minded to things that are based only on subjective experiences, or merely opinions not based on anything but superstitious nonsense, like Creationism, spiritualism, pseudo-science, fortune telling, fairies and fairy tales etc.  Science has nothing to do with it, just common sense about ancient myths being just that, myths, made up stories to explain the unknown. As to science, it is self correcting and open minded just for that reason, religion is not, so it is close minded. Quit yanking our chain and being disingenuous about being an atheist! Not everything has two sides to the story. Science, as well as atheism, are both incompatible with religion, sound logic and critical thinking.  :fU: Solitary

[Givemeareason]

Jesus Giveme---you give me a headache.  You seem to be a master at slinging mud at a wall an see what sticks.  You seem to love to try to start a conversation with generalized terms, terms you fail to define.  In this instance, are you asking an 'either--or' question?  If so what is the 'either' and what is the 'or'?  The more I read it the more confused I become.  What do you mean by 'open minded'?  I like to think I gathered facts for both sides of the issue.  I read the religious material, their source material; and I read the anti-religious material as well.  I used what can loosely be called the historical method in that I used, as best I could, the source material from both sides.  And I read the commentary from both sides.  This was not an overnight process; in fact it is an ongoing process.  So, is that open minded?  Since I am convinced that a god/gods do not exist, does that make me closed minded??

Now you are cracking me up, Mike.  I see what you are saying.  Whether you are open minded or not is your determination.  My question arose because I wanted to see other viewpoints on how the process of becoming an atheist occurs.  I will use that information in considering other evaluations.  I am not making value judgements at this time.  Thank you for helping me out again.

[Givemeareason]

I'm not open minded to things that are based only on subjective experiences, or merely opinions not based on anything but superstitious nonsense, like Creationism, spiritualism, pseudo-science, fortune telling, fairies and fairy tales etc.  Science has nothing to do with it, just common sense about ancient myths being just that, myths, made up stories to explain the unknown. As to science, it is self correcting and open minded just for that reason, religion is not, so it is close minded. Quit yanking our chain and being disingenuous about being an atheist! Not everything has two sides to the story. Science, as well as atheism, are both incompatible with religion, sound logic and critical thinking.  :fU: Solitary

Don't mean to be disingenuous.  I am not sure I agree with your last statement though.  I don't think you meant quite what you said.  Science is compatible.  Atheism is not compatible but only with religion.  Going further religion is compatible with sound logic and critical thinking since we have no way to disprove God.  As for myself God is ludicrous.  But there were very sound reasons to have created God and very sound reasons to continue.  Looking from the religious viewpoint there is no reason to think God does not exist.  That is thereby very rational.

[Termin]

  And do you think you have become more open minded from becoming atheist?

  No, I did not become more open minded by becoming and atheist, I'm an atheist because of my open mindedness.

  And the parties, the parties are awesome ! :)

[Givemeareason]

  No, I did not become more open minded by becoming and atheist, I'm an atheist because of my open mindedness.

  And the parties, the parties are awesome ! :)

I am probably going to now start annoying you too.  But are you still able to see the religious viewpoint?

[Termin]

 
I am probably going to now start annoying you too.  But are you still able to see the religious viewpoint?

  What are they against awesome parties ? :) .. Just kidding

  Could you be a bit more specific in your question ?

[Desdinova]

Going further religion is compatible with sound logic and critical thinking since we have no way to disprove God.

This comment is total and utter bullshit.  Religion is not only illogical it requires no critical thinking what so ever.  You simply have to believe in something that you can't see feel or touch.  And the "proof" that is offered is so twisted and full of holes that it requires one to disconnect from their brain functions.  How can you even make such a statement?  Am I reading it properly?  Am I taking it the wrong context?

[Givemeareason]

This comment is total and utter bullshit.  Religion is not only illogical it requires no critical thinking what so ever.  You simply have to believe in something that you can't see feel or touch.  And the "proof" that is offered is so twisted and full of holes that it requires one to disconnect from their brain functions.  How can you even make such a statement?  Am I reading it properly?  Am I taking it the wrong context?

It is clearly logical if you start with the premise that god exists.  Our civilization is built on that concept.  We are just trying to change the premise.  That is the religious viewpoint.