Atheism requires faith as well...?

[i_am_i]

If not believing in a mysterious all-powerful deity requires faith then so does not believing in Zeus or Allah. That means that Christians have many faiths other than just their faith in the biblical god.

They're a very faithful lot, those Christians.

[Sophus]

If not believing in a mysterious all-powerful deity requires faith then so does not believing in Zeus or Allah. That means that Christians have many faiths other than just their faith in the biblical god.

They're a very faithful lot, those Christians.

Which also means that they never really have to have their faith tested, because apparently regardless of what you believe you still have it. Doesn't that punch another hole in the Christian philosophy?

[dloubet]

You can justifiably be a strong atheist regarding specific definitions of god with no faith necessary whatsoever. If the definition of god includes testable claims like "My god will allow me to drink any poison without ill effect." then the existence of that specific god can be tested. If the subject is ill after their Drano cocktail, you can confidently state that the god with the stated qualities does not exist. Another different god with different qualities could still exist, but the specific immune-to-poison one you just tested is no longer in the running. You are a rationally justified strong atheist regarding that god.

If the existence of a specific definition of god requires that a certain phenomenon be present, and that phenomenon is not present, then that god does not exist.

[PoopShoot]

It's funny you mention the poison thing.  Snake handlers do just that, they take up vipers under the idea that they won't be bitten and they drink bleach believing that their god won't allow them to be harmed.  Did god fail them when they are bitten?  No, he is testing them.  Did they fail the test when they die?  No, god just wanted to take them home.  Faith is one of those things that finds justification (read: excuses) for falsifying data rather than adjusting the beliefs to fit the data.

[Cite134]

If not believing in a mysterious all-powerful deity requires faith then so does not believing in Zeus or Allah. That means that Christians have many faiths other than just their faith in the biblical god.

They're a very faithful lot, those Christians.

Another great point I didn't think about! Thanks for the replies guys