It seems to me that many modern atheist have adopted atheism as more of a default rather than because they have actually gone into the issue. Because of this, their ideals are very superficial. They claim to be keeping an open mind while not realizing the ways in which they've already shut it. This is clear once you've been into the issue yourself. You realize how shallow and opaque the arguments the average atheist gives are. They are just as fallacious as the theists they talk about. To me, many modern atheists act identical to materialists, I believe they have gotten the two intertwined. They make the assumption that everything is material because it's all we can interact with. My question would be, how do you expect to know of something that we fundamentally can not interact with? They say they keep an open mind to 'god' yet they have already decided in their head what 'god' is. And they have merged the idea of god with religion so much that they can't think of one without the other. They are thinking in concepts. They say they will believe when there is proof, but they expect the proof of something monumental handed to them on a silver platter. As if the secret of life were something you can read up on a Wikipedia page. I personally don't like using the word 'god' in talking about this because it has too many connotations. I'd like to start a thread for people who are atheistic to at least the 'man in the sky', thinking/judging god. But still keep an open mind to everything. People who understand that the stereotypical religious deities are fictional, but still entertain the idea that there may be something slightly mystical, yet completely natural, about the universe. The idea is to accept both sides of the spectrum as true, not shut out one until further notice. I personally have no idea what 'this' is. We as humans seem to have a hard time being able to see what the universe is plainly, rather than how it relates to us. This ISN'T a place for religion, positive or negative, unless you are simply referencing it. IF there is some sort of god(remember to keep your idea of what 'god' is open), surely it doesn't depend on religion or anything humanistic.
I believe in God, but not the one specific to a religious body. I also think there I know little of God. Nonetheless, it's kind of silly when you say stereotypical religious deities are fictional and specify what types of Gods (the aforementioned) shouldn't be discussed in the thread, and then say, "But still keep an open mind to everything." I believe God has kept me sober or at least played a large role. That's the root of my belief structure. I'll try not to get too detailed with that.