Is curiosity the defining character difference between Believers and Atheists/Agnostics?

Question

Believers accept things on faith and stop asking "why?" and "how?" questions. They accept answers about their faith and the universe relatively uncritically.

Atheists and agnostics remain dissatisfied and uncomforted with answers that are incomplete or that fail to hold up under the light of reason. They remain curious about the nature of reality and about the inner workings of everything from atoms to galaxies.

So, does the amount of curiosity a person embraces ultimately determine whether they will become a believer or a non-believer? What influences how much curiosity a person develops?

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KINGSTUBBORN:
Speaking of simplistic, neither you nor I have ever heard an atheist say, "Since I cannot see it or touch it, it does not exist." A straw man argument wins no points.

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There are some really good answers here, some challenging my assumptions, a few challenging my intelligence (which can always use some polishing), and some agreeing with me in varying degrees. Rather than pick an answer, I'll let the R&S crowd have a look and see what they think is the best answer.

Have at it, R&S!

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Answer 1

No. Not curiosity -- faith is the defining character difference between the two.

Answer 2

I think you've got it half right. I think it's a combination of curiosity and an open mind.

Remember. Human beings have an inherent ability to rationalize. One can be very curious and a believer. What results in this case is someone who will find a way through rationalization to make a scientific fact be the result of their personal belief system. Consequently, curiosity on its own isn't enough.

I think both curiosity and open mindedness are influenced either positively or negatively by family background. If you are raised in a home where questioning authority resulted in punishment, your natural curiosity and ability to think for yourself would be hampered. On the other hand, if you found yourself in a home where new ideas were not only welcomed but celebrated - and - most importantly - if authority figures were not afraid to admit they are wrong when shown to be thus - your natural curiosity and open mindedness would be fostered.

Curiosity itself is inherent in all human beings. Watch any infant develop and you will see the curiosity truth here. Infants and small children are curious about everything within their environment. Thus the need to make the environment of a growing baby safe and hazard free. Now. Will this inherent curiosity be supported? That's up to the family in question.

Curiosity plus and open mind has the potential to move mountains. Along with a healthy dose of tenacity, we have been able to move forward as a species. It is this combination of traits that created people like Thomas Edison.

Answer 3

Beleivers require an absolute cosmology with all the rules clearly defined, even if the rules are based on an entity behaving arbitrarily.
Non-beleivers accept a more fluid cosmology that is more chaotic and has very few absolutes, other than death.
The beleivers I have encountered were militantly unwilling to excercise any curiosity. The argument is that by exhibiting curiosity into anything outside of the structure of their beleive system allows the evil elements of their beleive structure to enter and deceive them thus removing them from the light. Boogey men.
This is the 21st century, not the 5th century, go figure.

Answer 4

Yes, curiosity is the major difference. Atheists do not believe in the existence of a deity and are therefore not curious. Agnostics, are not sure about the existence and are unconvinced that there is a deity, they are still searching for proof and have some curiosity.

Answer 5

I think you have a naïve view of believers. You assume that because others don't share your beliefs then they must not have examined the issue well enough. I am obviously a believer. I examine things very deeply. Now, I'm sure there are those believers who simply follow a religion because it means they don't have the think for themselves but I'm also sure there are non-believes who hold their opinions for equally foolish reasons. I've talked to many non-believers who hold their beliefs simply because they don't like the idea of someone else having authority over them. I know many atheists and agnostics don't believe in God because not all of the puzzle pieces seem to fit together. The fact of the matter is we all have the same puzzle pieces. The fact that I see faith in the puzzle and you see, I would guess, contradiction, doesn't mean I'm not actively trying to solve the puzzle to. I just believe that faith is the most academically honest answer given all the clues.

Answer 6

I am extremely curious and skeptical. I have learnt about almost every religion I have heard of. But the longest I have been an atheist for is one night.

I have had experiences in my life which leads me to believe in the supernatural. My dad has seen Jesus and my mother had her back healed, although she didn't believe in healing one bit. I saw that with my own eyes. Pretty hard to deny. (She was born with a slightly funny spine)

I have also seen things I cannot label, but which are probably spirits. A person next to me saw it too, my cat followed another one around with her eyes.

So I believe in the supernatural. As for an all-knowing, all-good all-powerful God that watches our every move and sits on a cloud taking notes, I will have to say no, however.

Answer 7

Absolutely not.
As a believer, there are still soooo many "why" and "how" questions. The difference is, that we accept that the Bible answers many of these questions. We also accept that there are some questions which we will probably not ever be able to answer. That doesn't mean we stop asking questions or looking for the answers.

Answer 8

Although I consider myself a non-believer. This does not mean I am not spiritual. My curiosity leads me to believe that yes there are forces we have yet to discover,but to give them names and stories written eons ago that have truly unbelievable themes and endings only feeds my curiosity for the real, and what makes sense. Science will one day prove that there are answers to everything. Perhaps that particular science has not been discovered yet. Like I said though, I am spiritual because I do believe in the spirit of mankind, and the spirit of mother nature.

Answer 9

Why did the world come up with the saying that "curiosity killed the cat"?

Because all realize that we need to learn the truth and stick with it.

But most of the world doesn't LIKE the truth. So, having rejected it, they beccome "curious" for an alternative......anything but God!

Answer 10

I think this is a big part of it. Most people just take whatever is fed to them growing up and don't even question it. They don't even have any desire to think about whether what they are told is correct. They have other things to do. Also lots of people are big on respect for tradition and authority and so they just go along for the ride.

Answer 11

I don't think it's curiosity. It's logic. Some people are happy with what religion states. If it's true great, but I'm not going to dedicate time into something that dosen't make sense.