What Does Critical Thinking Mean To You?

Unbelievers are aware of that too. The difference is that believers are often too critical of the evidence and not critical enough of their own conclusions.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Belief is appropriate when there is not sufficient evidence to form a conclusion. Critical thinking is used to decide if the evidence is sufficient.Belief is not a valid reason for disregarding evidence.

Give us an example of "no".

I said that belief is not a VALID reason for disregarding evidence.

Nope. That would be subjective opinion.Evidence is evident, not just to one man but to anybody who looks at it objectively. Disregarding it in favour of [nothing] is not valid.

You're using some odd vocabulary there. Evidence is not objective or subjective. The way we look at evidence is objective or subjective.But evidence is evident; you don't get to pick and choose your evidence.There is no such thing as "evidence regarding belief". If you have evidence, you don't need belief.Once again, disregarding evidence is not a valid position to take, period. If you're disregarding evidence, the term is "willfully ignorant" or "intellectually dishonest".

What you seem to be saying is that you would rather be wrong than incomplete. You "took a stand on belief versus perpetual uncertainty" as if taking any stand is better than none at all. To paraphrase what you sometimes say, "If you don't stand for a bad idea you're liable to fall for a good one."

I believe the bridge is there but I acknowledge that my belief is likely wrong, so I don't try to cross it until I actually see it. How is that different from not believing the bridge is there until I see it?

No, that would be disbelief. I have a lack of belief that the bridge is there. The alternate route probably also requires a bridge, and I have an equal lack of belief in that bridge.What I do is when I get to where the bridge should be I make sure I can see it before I drive onto it. I don't "believe" it's there just because the map sez so.

He is if we think critically about Him.

If God is omniscient, why would He need critical thinking? I think most people here will agree that the smiting is pretty much random. True Christians™ seem to get smitten along with the rest of us. But of course that gives them a chance to play the martyr card.