Posting this because I think it’s an interesting examination of the overlap (or lack thereof) between atheists and general skeptics. It’s worth remembering that the term ‘atheism’ only means a rejection of theistic beliefs; non-theistic beliefs that are nonetheless irrational and unsupported by evidence are not relevant to the term. And yet one can easily see why there is an overlap between these two communities and why many atheists scoff at other atheists who profess belief in things like astrology, ghosts, reincarnation, etc.
I’m definitely one of those who doesn’t believe in anything supernatural, but I’ve certainly met atheists who do. It’s worth remembering the two groups aren’t synonymous.
As a naturalist, I’m incidentally atheist. I don’t believe in the supernatural.
But this is to say I don’t think all UAP (UFOs) are weather balloons, but that they’re natural phenomena. We just can’t explain them yet. Much the way that we can’t (yet) fully explain ball lightning, but we know it happens and is (probably) natural phenomena.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy but so far all the things we’ve explored occur due to natural events and can be predicted according to mathematical models, which is why it is wise to ground your steeple with a lightning rod.
