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what can we do to stop this stigma about the word atheist?

even on this site i see agnostics that have been using god believers propaganda about the meaning of the term atheist. like atheist state there is no god. or that atheist are fundamentalist. or the thinking that atheism is a belief. some even seam to have an idea that atheism is a finite unchangeable position. or a religion.

MichaelSpinler 8 Oct 29
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19 comments

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0

I identify as atheist. I interchange the word with "secular", "skeptic" and "humanist". If someone appears to have a bad reaction to "atheist" they often are less defensive if I use another word. The words don't matter much to me. I prefer "atheist" but other words are okay too.

SKH78 Level 8 Dec 21, 2017
0

I don't call myself an Atheist; I call believers "Delusionists".

0

I am not sure I understand how the points in your discussion correlate with the word stigma/

Specman replied:0
I believe there is a stigma. The religious classify atheists as "heathens" and that they are doomed to eternal hell. I don't mind as I don't believe in their hell.

Specman I agree there is a stigma. I just don't understand the original post , How is calling something a belief contributing to the definition of stigma?

1

Use the word Humanist.

I too am a humanist. I know believers in god(s) who also describe themselves as humanist. They respect science, they are concerned about making the world better, they think about the here and now. Most humanists I have met state they are atheists, but not all.

1

One day we will be the majority then we can abuse the hell out of the meaning of the word theist.

2

Be bold and proud to be an atheist.

George Carlin, a great man, says you should reserve pride for things that you accomplish during his rant on nationalism. I can maybe see taking pride in shedding theism much like when someone takes pride in losing an addiction, but we don't make up words for it. They're just former addicts which is precisely how I see former theists. Congratulations to all former theists!

2

I'll never understand why people will use a term with derogatory origins to describe themselves.

2

enjoy the power it has to free one of all past constraints of temple led morals

1

If it gets too blatant, then I have a strong suspicion I'm dealing with an undercover religious troll and I just won't respond to them. It is a common tactic.

On the other hand, if I detect a note of sincerity and it becomes apparent that the one doing the writing is either suffering uncertainty and/or ignorance of the subject, I will exercise a bit of patience and engage them.

1

Atheist = someone who has no belief in one or more gods. I don't see a stigma about it.

It doesn't mean that atheism asserts that there can be no god(s), rather that we are not convinced. That is not to say that some Atheists claim to know 100% that there is no god. That is a different matter on its own.

2

I can't see any stigma here on this site. However the fact that theists and religious believers try to use some kind of differentiation as a means to foment antagonism between those whose thoughts are still forming and those who have come to the conclusion that they are happily non believers. should not have any effect.

1

"what can we do to stop this stigma about the word atheist?"

Not use it. I presume you don't believe in alchemy - do you need a special 'Non-achemical believer' identity to question it? I doubt it - so why would you need to call yourself a non-ANYTHING believer anyhow? Or why not just refer to yourself as a non-believer if you're asked if you believe?

"even on this site I see agnostics that have been using god believers propaganda about the meaning of the term atheist. like atheist state there is no god."

Well some do say that BUT the important thing to remember is that NO atheist believes god claims so that's the most comprehensive definition of ALL unbelievers.

"or that atheist are fundamentalist"

WHAT? So I can 'fundamentally' not believe god claims?! - Can someone also 'fundamentally not believe Santa Claus claims or Loch Ness Monster claims too? How exactly

"or the thinking that atheism is a belief. some even seam to have an idea that atheism is a finite unchangeable position. or a religion."

If anyone claims atheism is a belief I ask them if health is a disease or a lack of it or if baldness is a hairstyle or a lack of one?

Paul Level 5 Oct 30, 2017
3

The stigma of Atheists comes from mostly over zealous religious people. I find they think they can convince me there is a god and use their holy books as proof. I have tried to explain the fact that most people in biblical times were illiterate and there was no paper for hundreds of years after the fact. Where did their written documents come from? Most of them will not believe this.

3

I’ve been convinced that Atheist precludes the possibility we’re wrong and that Agnostic is more correct a position. However, I think Atheist is great shorthand for what kind of Agnosticism one believes. I therefore now say I’m on the Atheistic side of Agnosticism.

3

Identify as atheists and demonstrate by action that we are good people.

gearl Level 8 Oct 29, 2017
2

Just like blacks took the word "nigger" for their own, and Gays took on various words, "fag", "Queer" and so on as their own, we need to take the word atheist and make it our own and not be ashamed of it. Stigma requires shame and fear of shame and embarrassment in order to be effective. You cant' stigmatize a person who won't feel ashamed.

2

Don't be a d-bag, respect people, be successful, don't be a liberal.
That's how I did it. 😀

2

So long as there are "true believer" evangelicals, they will cast aspersions on atheists and atheism. It is a equivalent of primitive punishing people who question their religion for fear that the gods will wreak havoc on them for tolerating a non-believer.

2

I know. It is as if being a theist is the standard and others need to be identified. As I have heard from others, we are born without the belief in a deity so "atheist" is the default setting. So, maybe the answer to the question, "Do you believe in god?" is, "No, I'm regular." We could start using the term "regular" instead of "atheist".

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