Sometimes I wonder if you've had very many Christian friends who let their hair down in friendly chats.
I'm not a strong atheist, so I can't easily dismiss matters of "God."
Religion does not necessarily = theism.
It's not clear how there can be theism without religion.
Your OP asked specifically about theists and we all went along with it, but it's time to recognize the fact that very few people identify themselves as theists, the way we all identify ourselves as atheists. When we encounter someone who says he is a Christian (the religion we're most likely to encounter in the USA), we have not plumbed his depths to find out what he thinks about theism, or even if he thinks about it.
Perhaps that is a specific of American culture.
If one is coming from the position of strong atheism, then it's easy enough to dismiss other people's religion as simply "myth," "superstition," "tradition;" and then conclude that since everyone, theist or not, probably believes some nonsense, the theists are not special. And then it is easy enough to be friends with pretty much anyone. But I'm not taking the position of strong atheism, so that option of simply dismissing the other person's religiousness is not open to me.
Sorry, I didn't understand that at all. What exactly is "strong atheism?" Semantically it seems like it would be the most aggressive kind. So why then would a "strong atheist" find it easier to socialize with a Christian than a weak one???
A strong atheist is someone who believes there is no God; and thus usually someone who believes that belief in God is merely tradition, superstition, myth.
As such, as I already noted, it is easy enough for a strong atheist to dismiss a person's theism, not take it seriously, but consider it a mere personal quirk. Which makes it easier to forget about it, and focus on other things about the person (who otherwise identifies themselves as a theist), such as, say, their interest in football or whatever.
I think it is reasonable to propose that some people who were undecided on the matter of "God," slid into strong atheism precisely because it made interactions with theists easier.
You're making a cartoon out of them. As I said, you don't seem to have gotten to know very many Christians very well. By now millions of Christians have been exposed to Maslow's Hierarchy and many of them have no problem admitting that the reason they breathe is that it's programmed into their CNS--just as many of them have no problem admitting that the world is more than 6,000 years old.
I'm not a strong atheist, so I don't see it that way.
I'll give you another example from Buddhism:
People who devote themselves to the Buddhist path, organize their whole life, every minute of every hour, accordingly; the ideal is to do everything in such a way that it furthers one's progress on the path. As opposed to simply adding some Buddhist practices and rituals to one's daily activities, while otherwise going about one's day as everyone else, disconnected from the Buddhist path.
Theists do similarly: they organize their lives so that they can think of God all the time; and not just at the time of daily prayers or on Sundays.
I don't understand why you find this so hard to understand.
All of his DNA, his instincts, his national culture, his educational background, probably a good portion of his hobbies and entertainment... do I need to keep going?
So?
Huh??? Are you suggesting that Dictionary.com is a subversive atheist organization?
No. But surely you agree that there is more to theism than a dictionary entry?
But since when does a belief have to translate into all actions, that you seem to feel should be the case with theism?
Why should one's interest in a sport, for example, be with a different intent just because one is a theist or an atheist?
Because the theist, unlike the atheist, builds his life around his understanding of God, and aims to align himself with God's desires.
So either there seems to be a contradiction between your positions, or we differ on what could possibly drive friendship.
We probably do differ on what drives friendship.
Care to cite any other definitions? Does the theistic community have its own dictionary?
Absolutely.
Each theistic religion seems to have a somewhat different understanding of God, and theism.
I.e. not every claim or belief need be considered in every occasion.
I see no difference with regard the belief that god exists... unless one is part of a religion, what need is there to consider it further? Sure, occasions will arise for practical consideration, but there is no need - and not in every situation, every occasion.
I do think that if we go with the definition of God as being the Creator, Maintainer and Controller of the Universe and all living beings in it, the Source of all good qualities, the Summum Bonum, the Supreme Person, then it follows that belief in God is something to be considered 24/7.
Perhaps you can clear things up by giving us your definition / understanding of theism, as it does appear we are arguing on different understandings of the term.
I try to go with the individual theistic religions and their understanding of things.