Soft Atheism and Agnosticism are Much Less Logical than Most People Think (including those who claim to practice it)

First, I would like to say that I respect my atheist and agnostic colleagues. Atheist and agnostic are different, but their skepticism of theism is warranted. I don't believe they are absurd; theism was absurd enough to warrant skepticism in the first place. I would not blame anybody for thinking that theism is absurd, and I would not blame them for rejecting it, if they are not given enough evidence for it.<br><br>I would, however, envisionSoft Atheism and Agnosticism as absurd, and perhaps even irrational.<br><br>First, let us consider what atheism and agnosticism are.Atheism simply means a lack of believing in theism, and agnosticism means a lack of belief in theism or atheism. But let us focus on it being a *lack of belief*.<br><br>Atheism and agnosticism are a *lacking belief* in theism, but they don't lack belief in atheism and agnosticism. In order to practice atheism and agnosticism, you first need to believe in it, so that you can lack belief in theism. The problem is, atheism is not simply a lack of belief in theism, it is also a lack of belief in atheism. If you believe in atheism, then you can't practice it, because you are not lacking belief in it. If you are lacking belief in it, then you can't practice it, since you don't believe in it.<br><br>But let us say that you are lacking belief in it. Then what is the difference between you as an atheist and a believer in theism? A believer in theism doesn't believe in atheism and agnosticism because they believe in a God or the supernatural which proves theism to be true. An atheist or agnostic doesn't believe in theism because they *lack a belief* in theism, and believe in atheism and agnosticism. The only difference is that the theist has *good reasons to believe*, whereas the atheist and agnostic lacks belief for a lack thereof.<br><br>However, if the theist lacks belief on bad reasoning; the atheist and agnostic also is lacking belief for bad reasoning. The atheist and agnostic is basing their lack of belief off of a lack of belief. If you use horrible reasoning to believe, you are wrong. If you use horrible reasoning to lack a belief, you are also wrong.<br><br>But we all practice damning theists for believing in theism without enough evidence. Yet is it not just as bad to damn theists for believing in theism without enough evidence when we lack a belief in it for a lack of evidence ourselves? If you are lacking belief in theism without enough evidence, it is just as bad as somebody who is believing without enough evidence. You should be damning yourself just as much as you should be damning them. If you think it is childish to believe in theism without enough evidence, it is also childish to lack a belief in theism without enough evidence. If we should criticize theists for lacking evidence when they believe, we should criticize ourselves for lacking evidence when we don't believe.<br><br>But let us focus on *lack of belief*. Much people dislike theism because they believe that theism is just a belief in fantasies without enough evidence. But atheism and agnosticism are also beliefs without enough evidence. If it is unacceptable for a theist to believe in a God or the supernatural without enough evidence; why is it more acceptable for an atheist or agnostic to *believe* in the lack of a God or the supernatural without enough evidence? It is just as dangerous to believe in a lack of evidence as it is to believe in something without evidence. If anything, it is more dangerous. After all, if you believe in something without evidence, you may simply be wrong. But when you believe in a lack of evidence, you are not only wrong, you are also in danger. If you are driving down the street, you don't want to believe that the road doesn't exist without looking at the road first, do you? It is irrational to believe in the lack of evidence for a road, just like it is irrational to believe in a road without knowing if it exists or not. If you look at the road and see that it exists; you can be certain that the road exists, and not lack evidence. If you look at the road and don't see it; you can be certain that it doesn't exist, and know that there is a lack of evidence. If you don't look at the road; you are wrong either way. The same is true when you are a theist, atheist, or agnostic. If you don't look at the evidence for theism, atheism, or agnosticism, you are wrong. If you look at the evidence for theism and conclude that it is true, you are right. If you look at the evidence for atheism and agnosticism, and conclude that it is false, you are also right. It is the same as the road. It is just as damning for a believer to not look at the evidence as it is for a non-believer to not look at the evidence.<br><br>But I would like to say that if you are a soft atheist or agnostic; you should not get too offended by this. You are not alone; for theism is just as damning as atheism and agnosticism if you are not looking at the evidence. But if you are getting offended; that is a sign that you are damning theists for not looking at the evidence while not looking at it yourself, and you know you are wrong. But you are also right for getting offended; for if we should criticize theists for damning atheism and agnosticism without looking at the evidence, we should criticize ourselves for damning theism without looking at the evidence.<br><br>So, theism is not as bad as you think it is; just like atheism and agnosticism isn't. Theism is not absurd; just like atheism and agnosticism isn't. Theism is not bad; just like atheism and agnosticism isn't. The truth is, all of us are wrong. If we should damn theists for their *absurd beliefs*; we should damn ourselves. If we should criticize theists for their *bad reasoning*; we should damn ourselves. If we should criticize theists for *lacking evidence*; we should criticize ourselves.<br><br>Theism is not childish; atheism and agnosticism is just as childish. Theism is not irrational; atheism and agnosticism is just as irrational. Theism is just as bad as atheism and agnosticism; just like atheism and agnosticism is just as bad as theism. If we should damn theists for damning atheism and agnosticism without looking at the evidence, we should damn ourselves for damning theism.<br><br>But I know that I am not going to change your mind; just like you aren't going to change my mind. Most people are not open to criticism and other ideas and different perspectives. Most people don't want to hear it. Most people don't want others to damn them for damning others. Most people damning theists for damning atheism and agnosticism are also damning themselves. Most people damning theists for their absurd beliefs are also damning themselves. Most people damning theists for their bad reasoning are also damning themselves. Most people damning theists for lacking evidence is also damning themselves.<br><br>It is sad to say, but I think that most people already know this. If you know this, and you still keep on damning theists for damning atheism and agnosticism for lacking evidence for childish beliefs; you should also damn yourself for damning theism without evidence for bad reasoning and childish beliefs. If you don't; you are wrong.