It’s an interesting question. Judging by Eliezer Yudkowsky’s story in Is That Your True Rejection?, they would be likely to say something that sounded good even if it’s not their real reason.
“My ancestors thousands of years ago were aided by the provably omnibenevolent dragon, who then assured them he would forever live invisibly in my garage.”
Keeping in mind that the thought exercise has limited isomorphism to belief in God. No one believes in an invisible dragon in their garage … because there isn’t any reason to think there is a dragon there. Theists have reasons to believe in God, atheists just don’t agree with those reasons.
It’s an interesting question. Judging by Eliezer Yudkowsky’s story in Is That Your True Rejection?, they would be likely to say something that sounded good even if it’s not their real reason.
What would sound good?
“My ancestors thousands of years ago were aided by the provably omnibenevolent dragon, who then assured them he would forever live invisibly in my garage.”
Just off the cuff
The question would have an answer for some actual believer in belief—not for a hypothetical character in a thought exercise.
Keeping in mind that the thought exercise has limited isomorphism to belief in God. No one believes in an invisible dragon in their garage … because there isn’t any reason to think there is a dragon there. Theists have reasons to believe in God, atheists just don’t agree with those reasons.