Fallible wrote:It disappears when you're suspended.

quas wrote: That's what I initially thought as well, until I realised that people who tell you they are atheists are not necessarily atheists, because people (including actual atheists!) have been using the term recklessly without proper regard to what 'atheism' means.

Examples:

- I was an atheist since I was born.
- I am not proud of my atheism because being proud of atheism is like being proud of my hair colour.
- We are all atheists, some people just go one god further.*
- Buddhists are atheists.
- Scientologists are atheists.

Paul wrote:I quite like Jonathan Miller's stance on this, from the conclusion of his BBC series Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief

As I said at the outset, I'm reluctant to use the word 'atheist' to describe my own unshakeable disbelief, and that's not because I'm ashamed, afraid or even embarrassed, but simply because it seems so self evidently true to me that there is no God, that giving that conviction a special title, somehow dignifies what it denies. After all, we don't have a special word for people who don't believe in ghosts or witches.

A 'special word' should apply to those who do believe (and I can think of quite a few).

Paul wrote:Just remembered posting this, from two years ago, in another thread

Paul wrote:I quite like Jonathan Miller's stance on this, from the conclusion of his BBC series Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief

As I said at the outset, I'm reluctant to use the word 'atheist' to describe my own unshakeable disbelief, and that's not because I'm ashamed, afraid or even embarrassed, but simply because it seems so self evidently true to me that there is no God, that giving that conviction a special title, somehow dignifies what it denies. After all, we don't have a special word for people who don't believe in ghosts or witches.

A 'special word' should apply to those who do believe (and I can think of quite a few).

quas wrote:DarthHelmet86, of course it doesn't matter if TWOTH is right.
"But it doesn't really matter, applying the term 'atheist' to oneself is usually good enough to let people know where you stand on religion. It'll do I reckon." That's what I initially thought as well, until I realised that people who tell you they are atheists are not necessarily atheists, because people (including actual atheists!) have been using the term recklessly without proper regard to what 'atheism' means.

Examples:

- I was an atheist since I was born.
- I am not proud of my atheism because being proud of atheism is like being proud of my hair colour.
- We are all atheists, some people just go one god further.*
- Buddhists are atheists.
- Scientologists are atheists.

redwhine wrote:

scott1328 wrote:I like the term ignosticism. It seems to capture my views on the god question the best

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignosticism

I don't know why you say that.

SpeedOfSound wrote:I like Idontcarewhatthefuckismbutyouhavetoproveitism

Thommo wrote:

SpeedOfSound wrote:I like Idontcarewhatthefuckismbutyouhavetoproveitism

Skepticism?

DarthHelmet86 wrote:Not one of those examples is a problem, all of them use atheism correctly bar the Dawkins one. Examples:Which as has been explained is not trying to use the word correctly it is trying to get theists to think a bit about why they don't believe in other gods. It is also intended to help fight the propaganda that atheists are somehow different from theists by pointing out that atheists and theists in fact agree about not believing in a whole bunch of gods.

SpeedOfSound wrote:There is another recent thread about how atheists don't know which god they don't believe in because they haven't taken the time to listen to and hear the believers. This sounds like a case where the reverse can be said.

Cito di Pense wrote:

Paul wrote:Just remembered posting this, from two years ago, in another thread

Paul wrote:I quite like Jonathan Miller's stance on this, from the conclusion of his BBC series Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief

As I said at the outset, I'm reluctant to use the word 'atheist' to describe my own unshakeable disbelief, and that's not because I'm ashamed, afraid or even embarrassed, but simply because it seems so self evidently true to me that there is no God, that giving that conviction a special title, somehow dignifies what it denies. After all, we don't have a special word for people who don't believe in ghosts or witches.

A 'special word' should apply to those who do believe (and I can think of quite a few).

It's all about the fat part of the gaussian distribution.

trogs wrote:If I was an American or Saudi having grown up in a religious household, I would be.

As it is, I think my arrival at the conclusion was fairly effortless.

CdesignProponentsist wrote:

trogs wrote:If I was an American or Saudi having grown up in a religious household, I would be.

As it is, I think my arrival at the conclusion was fairly effortless.

Well, technically you do not have to arrive at any 'conclusion' in order to be atheist. A brick manage it effortlessly.

trogs wrote:If I was an American or Saudi having grown up in a religious household, I would be.

As it is, I think my arrival at the conclusion was fairly effortless.

KeenIdiot wrote:I've met an atheist who feels all the abuse that atheists get in the States is self inflicted, and deservedly so. Drove me bonkers.

There is a meme that atheists are all more intelligent than believers, aside from myself as an example against this idea, I've met to many atheists to readily accept it.