Those who answer this question in the affirmative do so by holding to an incorrect, or at least a very weak, definition of atheism. Atheists often attempt to define their view as the lack of belief in God or non-theism. They do this as an apologetic maneuver to make their position seem more rationally intuitive than theism and to shift the burden of proof onto the theist.
“Atheism isn’t making any claim about reality, atheists just don’t believe what theists believe in.” If we read between the lines, we will see that the person who takes this has this kind of perspective likely thinks of theism as a kind of irrational, unwarranted, blind faith without any real evidence. Far from an intellectual position, theism is just a religious belief.
Without detailing epistemological positions such as scientism and positivism, it will suffice to say that the perspective above gets theism grossly wrong. Theism is a claim to know something about reality—that God exists. Atheism is likewise a claim to know something about reality—that God does not exist. Both beliefs are making a truth claim; as such, both require evidence.
Atheism requires just as much evidence as theism, therefore, it cannot be considered the neutral or default position. Here the common atheist will occasionally appeal to the illustration of a child: Aren’t we all atheists when we’re born? After all, no baby has the intellectual capacity to believe in God. No! Babies do not believe that God exists or that God does not exist. Since they are unable to answer the question at all, they are neither theists nor atheists.
Consider a correct illustration: Does extraterrestrial life exist? If one person says no and another says yes, both require warrant in order to be considered rational. The default position is not that extraterrestrial life does not exist. If there is such a thing as a default position, it would be that we don’t know whether there is extraterrestrial life, which is to take an agnostic position. The same applies to the question of God’s existence.
With the correct understanding of atheism we can answer the prompt properly. Atheism is most certainly not a default position, for atheism is the belief that God does not exist, which requires warrant.
To comprehend the mindset of modern atheists, one must delve into history and observe its progressive evolution. Consider this: during the eighteenth century, European society witnessed the erosion of tradition and authority. Established ways of interacting with the world and organizing communities were swiftly discarded in favor of purportedly superior alternatives that better achieved desired outcomes. The once dominant influence of the Christian church over the populace was shattered by the Reformation and the ensuing religious conflicts. For many, this represented a long-awaited emancipation from the constraints of tradition and authority; humanity was now liberated. This sentiment finds powerful expression in Immanuel Kant's seminal work, "What is Enlightenment?" However, what escaped the notice of many Europeans was that liberation from…