Daley Plaza - Picasso, Lighted Tree, Atheist A

4theism says atheists haven't met their burden of proof

4Theism is using it's own definitions of atheism and thereby creating straw men.

If the atheist position is "I don't believe you", then what proof do you need that they don't believe you?

If atheists claim there is no god, then they do have the burden of proof. This is a positive claim, therefore they have the burden of proof. Some, but not all atheists make this claim.

Theists say there is a god, so they have the burden of proof.

Atheists say "we don't believe the theistic claim", thus leaving the burden of proof on the theist positive claim that a god exists.

I am glad you have conceded the point about whether atheism is the belief that there is no god vs. atheism being a rejection of theistic claims. There's a big difference and that is a question of who has the burden of proof.

Of course the theists want to put the burden of proof on atheists to prove there is no god, just like alien abductees want the alien abduction disbelievers to prove there are no aliens.

If you say you were abducted by aliens, then the burden of proof is on you.

If I say I don't believe you, I am not stating that aliens don't or cannot exist. I am saying there isn't enough evidence for me to believe your extra-terrestrial claims.

If I say no aliens exist, then it's up to me to prove they don't exist anywhere in the universe.

You can choose to reject claims about ET visits without claiming that ET don't exist at all.

Atheists reject the claims about god existing without claiming that god doesn't exist at all.

There are 3 positions: 1. god exists; 2. god doesn't exist; or 3. we can't determine if it's #1 or #2.

Atheists can exist in camp #2 or #3.

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