When we are born, we are born without the knowledge of gods, but are taught these things. Any thoughts on this and why?
I think calling a kid agnostic is a bit of a miss, as atheists are evidence based, and agnostics have clearly weighed the evidence and have chosen to stay on the fence. I think that there is some comfort still in adopting a “how could one ever know” approach to our inevitable end.
Babies however are in the natural human state of “what I see is what I believe”. Everything is evidence based. In the first few days babies only know where light and dark are plus a few shapes and the smells of their mother or other person who provides sustenance. Then they develop better senses and continue the evidence based existence. its not until they are taught things like Santa Claus, Toothe Fairy, Jesus, Easter Bunny, etc. that they become creatures of superstition. Humans have evolved to be great story tellers and unfortunately for the majority, fear driven.
Babies are most definitely atheist, as evidence will never exist otherwise.
All children are born agnostic because the have no knowledge of God(s).
Of course they are. They have no knowledge of the god claims, much less accept and believe them. Children have to trust their parents for their sustenance and safety when they are growing up, so they tend to believe everything their parents tell them, Santa, Easter Bunny, God, but after you've been indoctrinated for years and never told opposing views, it can be hard to change those beliefs.
Agnostic? Yes. Atheist? No. Agnosticism is the natural state of not knowing, and when you're first born, you know nothing beyond the experience of finding your way out of your mother. To outright disbelieve in god(s) as required by Atheism, you first need to understand the concept of gods. Something that's way beyond the abilities of a newborn.
"agnostic
noun
plural noun: agnostics
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God"
That's quite some baby.
@NoTimeForBS By that definition I would agree. I see it more as not claiming knowledge one way or the other. We could debate whether agnosticism is something that has to be consciously arrived at. Atheism definitely is.
I'm just having fun Nicole. Have a nice day.
@NoTimeForBS But you've raised an interesting and valid point. No offence taken, whatsoever. I tend to see the distinction between agnosticism and atheism as being where you put the negative: it's the difference between 'not believing there is' and 'believing there is not.' But you've introduced a third possibility that's worth contemplating.
Like most subjects, I'm trying to approach this with an open mind. That requires a willingness to embrace new ideas and perspectives.
That’s not atheism, yo.
@NicoleCadmium atheism is not ‘the belief there are no gods’
Yes. Stories only exist because we let them spread.
There a naturally born blank canvas with very basic needs and a huge brain ready to learn as shown by kids brought up by dogs.
Yes, we are all born with no beliefs. If our family doesn't raise us with a particular religion, our society and the world around us still will impose some accepted mythos with beliefs that are likely taken for granted unless the child grows up with a critical mind and a bit of skepticism, in seeking the truth in how things should be.
I wasn't born catholic, but I was raised catholic. If I had been born in India, I may have been raised Hindu, in Asia perhaps Buddhist.
Nope.
Can't be an "atheist" until/unless you are taught the god-concept. Babies are born with exactly zero concepts.
Semantics, really.
That is a good question and I do not recall any research on it, either! I can remember, when I was very small thinking there was something like a 'god' watching over me! I have no idea where I got that idea from, as it was before I was bused to church! And, I do not remember my mother telling me anything to connect it to!
I read a paper years ago that the only instinct humans are born with is to suckle. It is in our hands from there. There may be newer research that disputes that paper, but from my observation babies start out hungry and little else.
If you have nothing to believe, you then have nothing to not believe. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
No. Babies are born pretty much as a clean slate. This means that they aren't automatically religious, but it also means they're not automtically atheist, either. They're not any belief or non-belief until they are taught.
Seems to me that the lack of belief in a god means they are an atheist. Atheist= no god, correct?
@JonnaBononna No. One is an absence of a belief. The other is a belief.
Exactly what I said. So since a child is born with no belief in any god, that child is an atheist and remains an atheist until taught belief in some god
@JonnaBononna No. Atheism is an active belief in the non-existence of any god. A newborn born does not have any active beliefs, just an absence of beliefs.
Atheism is not the default.
Chldren are a clean slate, we corrupt them on many levels, and that includes, in many cases, shoving religion down their throats.
That's why there are psychiatrists!
We corrupt "them"? Actually we corrupt ourselves, as "them" are us
We are all born with blank slates. One must be taught beliefs, prejudices and hatred.