Atheism, Theism and Open-mindedness

While I agree that the nature of atheism, as it is modernly observed, is more conducive to "open-mindedness" than the most prevalent forms of religion in the United States (specifically evangelical Christianity, and varying forms of Islam of which information is most widely obtained through the media's reporting on foreign events and the current emphasis on global terrorism), it has nothing to do with the atheist's thirst for facts, or the theist's seeming denial of them.

The differences between the two lay in the social, political, religious, philosophical and psychological cues we use to define our ideas about reality and ourselves. Because Christians, for instance, emphasize the teachings of the bible as their foremost guide to life, and this same guide is used by all Christians, and because this emphasis is, in fact, what defines them as Christians, logic requires that they tune their moral compass to consistently guide them to the bible when confronted with a question about reality, ethics or morality.

Atheists, on the other hand, have no such unanimously used compass. "Atheism" does not bind us to any particular dogma, precept or maxim. While religion most often requires the belief in a being, beings, or a force outside the physical world, atheism requires a lack of belief, a distinction that defines the latter term.

It is because of the required philosophical, religious and moral compass of many religions that makes followers less "open-minded." Technically, it is the purpose of religion to do just that. (Again, as an example, I turn to the bible, the religious document with which I have the most intimate experience): The bible, through stories, commandments, and self-proclamations of authority aims to narrow its adherents' beliefs to correspond only with the bible, or to choose the path laid out in the bible over any other option. Indeed, this simplification of the world through the narrowing of acceptable life-choices provides exactly the satisfaction religious stalwarts seek.