sticks and stones dude stick and stones.

I love it because, unlike Agnostic, it makes religious people extremely uncomfortable. When we use the term "agnostic" they feel like we are like them only we haven't settled on a god yet. Atheist pretty much tells them where I stand. They get pretty bothered. I enjoy that.

It has taken me a while. I never liked Madeline Murray O'Hair. She seemed hateful. I still don't think I would feel comfortable wearing a T-shirt extolling Atheism. It may be because I detest any form of proselyting..

I don't care for labels at all. Sexually people try to get me to label myself as omnisexual or bisexual - neither is necessarily correct. I am even more frustrated with spiritual labels.

what I'm certain of is that I've never been in contact with anyone who comes close to believing in a manner that doesn't offend me - until now. Really glad I joined here. One of my hero's was an expert in Mythology, a scholar, and an author. She passed a couple of years ago. Miss you Acharya!!!

I always reckoned that atheists take religion too seriously. A friend of mine was raised an evangelical Christian, going door too door. And today he is an evangelical atheist, constantly posting on the grievous failings of the bible.

If we're trying to be rational, we have to admit that God is non-falsifiable and a suitcase word as well. Why bother protesting God, if we're not protesting nationalism, sportsball, television, or video games as well?

Seems easier just to get on with life.

I love the word atheist! Not only does it piss off religious people, but it fits my identity of non belief

Do you notice how atheist is typically spelled Atheist. As with everything, it's those with closed minds who are compelled to label and compartmentalize what they don't understand, much in the same way religions are created. Some go so far as to call Atheism a religion, figuring that it is based on the "belief" that there is no God, to which I say nonsense. If someone isn't a sports fan, do you call them a "non-sports" fan? Atheism is not a belief system, it is merely a lack of belief, thus I like to call it atheism with a small a.

If you identify as an Atheist,own it. Become comfortable with accepting that it is what and who you are. I understand the dislike or fear of labels but if that fear of admitting to yourself and other people that you are Atheist is because you fear what other people are going to say or change their opinion on you, then that's on them, not you. Accept who you are and what you believe.

I never really had to use the word atheist to describe myself in conversation. I don’t believe in what I THINK most people think when they say they believe in god, BUT, when these people are actually sat down and questioned what they think god is, you get extremely varied responses. So if there isn’t a definitive way to describe “god” then why would I put a definitive label on myself such as atheist, when no one can even agree on what god is.. that being said, just the fact that we, as humans have the capacity to even contemplate abstractly is, in a way, godly in and of itself.

I am comfortable with being an atheist. I do realize the stigma attached to the word. Some get confused and think it means worshipping satan or being morally inferior. People need to understand that it simply means we don’t believe in a higher power.

I'm quite comfortable with it, but I'm also sensitive to others' discomfort. I'm more likely to say something like, "I don't believe that."

Well, a-theists labeled themselves that.

Christians came up with the word athe(os) + ist = someone who believes no god exists. But, they used a flawed logic. Opponents of D'Holbach laid out that they considered, not believing a god exists = believing no god exists. So, while they used a narrow definition, they labeled all non-believers with it.

Then Huxley came along. He admitted he was someone who they'd label atheist, but argued he didn't actually have the belief attached to the label, and wasn't particularly fond of those who did. So, he came up with a label for no belief, either way. Being a scientist, he defined his ism as a form of demarcation. No objective testable evidence = a subjective unfalsifiable claim. Results: unscientific and inconclusive. No belief as to the truth, or falsehood, of the claim.

"Agnosticism is of the essence of science, whether ancient or modern. It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe." ~ Thomas Huxley, 1884

Do you believe a god exists?
Do you believe no gods exist?

YN: theist
NN: agnostic
NY: atheist

Then, atheists did the a-theist thing to themselves, and to agnostics, hijacking them into their broader definition, as well.

"In this interpretation an atheist becomes: not someone who positively asserts the non-existence of God; but someone who is simply not a theist. Let us, for future ready reference, introduce the labels ‘positive atheist’ for the former and ‘negative atheist’ for the latter.

The introduction of this new interpretation of the word ‘atheism’ may appear to be a piece of perverse Humpty-Dumptyism, going arbitrarily against established common usage. ‘Whyever’, it could be asked, ‘don’t you make it not the presumption of atheism but the presumption of agnosticism?’" ~ Antony Flew, 1984

YN: theist
NN: weak or negative a-theist
NY: strong or positive a-theist

I'm not a fan of the redefinition. It also makes no sense to me, to label yourself what you're not, rather than what you are. I prefer just "agnostic". The way Huxley defined his ism describes me just right.

I use atheist comfortably. I rather enjoy the hair raising factor it seems to be for religious folk.

I'm comfortable with the use of the word, but there really isn't a reason for it to exist. That being said even if non-belief is the normal state of things unfortunately at this point it's still a fairly small minority, or at least it seems to be so. To be honest though I'm alright using the term to apply to myself, I actually prefer to call myself an "antitheist", particularly if I'm talking to someone who's particularly bothersome.

Well, it's just a word, isn't it? We humans have always sorted different people into different categories, so it's just a matter of our behaviour. I don't mind at all.

I say I’m Agnostic. I have no clue what happened to create the Universe. There are lots of great theories. I tend to latch on to the science ones. I also disbelieve the religious stuff I’ve been told. But do I truly know?... I don’t! So I say Agnostic, and I’m 99% sure that is where I will stay.

I'm totally comfortable with the word when other people are using it to describe themselves. I don't even mind if they use it to describe me, but I don't use it to describe myself. It seems more legitimate to me to redefine god than to redefine myself. I don't need a label, beyond 'human'. God, on the other hand, deserves some rethinking.

Depends on where I'm I in,a middle east or in a western country

Atheist needs to be replaced. It engenders a much too easy knee-jerk response from those who are willing to kill you, in the name of God, of course. Our English language is based on Christian Mythological assumption that continue to serve the cause of the Religious Right. It is an uphill battle that will not be easily won. No, I am not comfortable with it.

Perfectly comfortable.

I'm comfortable with the way to feel in my own mind but in a religious community setting, I find it a bit less likely to start an uncomfortable conversation to use another description that doesn't set them off trying to save me.

If anything I would describe myself as 'anti-faith'. The scientific method/reason/logic are the best tools we have to understand ourselves and the world around us and faith doesn't fit into that worldview at all. I haven't tried it out much but maybe 'anti-faith' could catch on. I guess to make a positive statement you could say you're 'pro-scientific method'? But then again if I just want to say something short and sweet I just say 'Atheist'. I don't always have the energy...

I prefer not to use it to describe myself because not only is it not really accurate, but also because most people assume I'm going to start ranting about science and try to make them feel stupid. I've come across some atheists myself who are just as rabidly atheist as some religious people are with their beliefs.

However, a lot of times, using one of my other words, like antitheist, is more likely to promote discussion, or at least an explanation.

Just a word to me, so....comfortable.

I’m pretty comfortable with it. I agree with you that it is the natural state of things. I think religion is just a bad coping mechanism. A way for one to deny or avoid actually facing and thinking about a problem. Also to deal with the fear of death.