I prefer godless heathen.

Belief is a tricky thing. Most us would believe that we are who we are told we were. We all came without labels nor were batteries included. All beings are born without religion, nationality, language nor name. Yet after intense conditioning we react to our name being called out, Some people jump to their feet when they hear the melody of "their" anthem.
The seeds of believing before knowing are implanted in the tender infant brains and later become harder to eradicate.
I don't stand up for an anthem unless someone threatens my physical integrity with a nasty instrument. Even hardened atheists think they have to stand.

I'm okay with the term, but then I'm compelled to point out that I'm afootballist and abaseballist, as well.

I don't get invited to many parties.

I had to visit the ER last week and found my hospital system doesn't have a box for "Atheist" in their religion list. The closest the guy could find was "Not Affiliated". I was tempted to snatch the clipboard out of his hand and look for myself, except that my leg was in a crapton of pain and I couldn't be bothered.

How about "Nay-Theist"?

There was a time when the term bothered me. I wouldn't want myself defined as "not a believer in the Easter Bunny", although that statement is true. My daughter said I was a "Secular Humanist" and then spent ten minutes explaining it to me. It seemed like I would need to carry around a brochure just to clarify what I "believe". Eventually I accepted "Atheist" in many situations and "Non-believer" in an actual religious discussion. Reality is I'm a heathen.

I understand your feeling because Atheist basically means anti God. But if there is or never has been a God in the first place saying your Atheist seems to give a positive inclination to the existence of God. Which is obviously not what an Atheist is confirming. Personally I prefer Atheist to Agnostic because in my understanding Agnostics once believed there may of been a God who exists no longer. To my mind this gives more inclination that a super being at once existed.

We don't have a word for the non-belief in Santa Claus because the Santa believers never burnt us at the stake.

Atheos was coined by believers in Greece.

I am happy to carry the word, in the way Colonists became proud to be Yankees. I am without gods. I am without a belief in god. The word is perfectly what I am.

I've been an American Atheist for 42 years.

Anyone who tries to argue that calling yourself an atheist implies any belief system or world view and that atheist are just another "religion" explain the denotative latin roots -a-(without/absence)-theo- (god/diety) and because dogma and ritual can only find refuge in minds surrendered to "revield wisdom." Our title is a negation of cultural norms, the breaking those mind-forged manacles. We are individuals drawn together by that individuality, we are not compelled into action by fear or lies or threats, we act as our hearts and minds guide us.

Thats the best I got... Maybe a bit much in hindsight,
Oh well

I have an athiest emblem on my car, along with the flying spaghetti monster. I will flat out tell people I'm an athiest, but only if it comes up. (Invite to a church meeting, asking me to pray... stuff like that). I don't generally go around yelling I'm an athiest. That would be insane.

I do have "non-believing" friends. I think the word atheist is still a scary word for them. Unfortunately in the US, especially right now, it's an invitation to ridicule, ostracism, and name calling. (Heathen, devil, devil worshiper, sinner, immortal) People sometimes then feel the need to be dicks and tell us we can't celebrate CHISTmas, because you know, those Christians are persecuted. ?‍ I've also been told I'm immortal, have no ethics or empathy.

But I've hit a point in my life where I just don't have any more fucks to give. I find not saying much (unless provoked) makes them madder when they do eventually find out I'm the "heathen" they were taught to hate. But yes, when asked, I will use the word atheist.

I am quite comfortable with the word “Atheist” as most of the most brilliant minds that have existed, and most of the greatest contributions to humanity have come from individuals calling themselves Atheists. The fundamental question then is how comfortable is the remainder of humanity with the word? From my experiences, not very. The misconception that atheists are inherently evil persists. Atheists comprise 3.1% of the US population, agnostics 4%, an religiously unaffiliated people 22%. However, atheists comprise a paltry 0.01% of the Prison population. The differing religions comprise 78% of the US population and 78% of the Prison population. These facts notwithstanding, religious people persist in the perpetual delusion that morality and goodness comes from religion. So I remain uncomfortable revealing my atheism to individuals such as they.

We do have a word for non-believers in Santa Clause, it’s “adults”. The only reason we need a different word for older non-believers is that some never grow out of the god delusion, even if they stop believing in SC.

I agree with Sam Harris, we don't have a term for people who don't believe in sasquatch, why do we need a word for people who don't believe in Set?

Unfortunately, I've found many who say they're atheist are really anti-theists and not fun to chill with.

I am ok with it because is more pervasive than santa- who only comes once a year and kids do at least know hes not real quite early on in their life.same goes for the tooth fairy its an adults jokey game to with children and nothing to do with . But is pervasive and can be cultish so I find the word 'atheist 'fine . I rarely have to use it but its there if I am called upon to account for myself and am willing to share my situation. A lot depends upon who is asking.

I'd argue that the state of believeing, of finding an explanation for the natural world, is a fundamental human instinct. Religion began with animism, an attempt to understand natural phenomenon by attributing spirits to features of the environment - including fellow animal species - which evolved into polytheistic mythologies, like those of ancient Greece that we're familiar with, that sought to make the unknown knowable (as in the story of Echo explaining the reverberation of sound to a people unfamiliar with the concept of sound waves), to be co-opted, organized and more narrowly formulated under the control of a politically powerful priest class once the invention of farming had led to permanent settlements. Today we turn to science (itself originally an offshoot of philosphy - the structured process of coming to terms with understanding our existence within the world) - and rapidly advancing technology to gain understanding of what, it turns out, is a mind-bogglingly complex planet, much less universe. The Hubble telescope now provides the insights once given by shaman and, much later, self-serving priesthoods.

If asked, I describe myself as an agnostic atheist, which does help to define my position for some but totally confuses "others".

Very comfortable.

So you are uncomfortable because of what they think. Perhaps time to be comfortable and have a chance for them to learn if they are right about the label. Atheist is just fine, letting them say we know their gods exist and want to rebel against them is a terrible bit of logic. Arguing over the null hypothesis is a good place to start. Challenging the assertion we inherently want to believe is important to get them communicating honestly.

I have been an atheist since age 13. The word "atheist" is defined as:

"Atheist (noun):

1. a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings." (Dictionary.com)

That's good enough for me.

Suggest you have a good look at the available definitions of words/phrases like atheist, agnostic, agnostic atheist etc, and then go with whatever label you feel currently comfortable. It may change over time, as mine has, but that's no biggie; just a reflection of the developmental nature of life and the living of it. Wikipedia is a good place to start! Good wishes on your journey...

I don't like labeling people, and too often people define themselves based on labels they have either given themselves or been given. When involved in conversation regarding religion and asked about my religious beliefs I generally state that I am not a believer in religious stories or the gods included in the stories. The only time I use the term Atheist is when I want to cut short conversation with someone determined to enlighten me.

I don't refer to myself as Atheist or Agnostic. I prefer the term Rationalist. My beliefs are rooted in science, which does not make claims that cannot be proven, yet acknowledges that not all the facts are known.

I have considered myself To be 'atheist' for quite a while, but lately have considered the term 'agnostic atheist' to be (for the moment) a closer fit. That is, I don't believe,that god(s) exist, but accept that I can't prove it, so can't claim an evidentiary conclusion.

"I think that the state of non-believing is the normal state of things"
Well that is your error I think.
WE are the minority, the majority were indoctrinated as children and never devote any deep thought to the issue, they just believe.
I was not able to do that. Presented with the issue as a reality as a child I determined that if that were true I needed to know all I could, and that quest revealed the Emperor had no clothes.
80% or more believe, so the "normal" state of affairs for the majority is belief.
As such non belief required a label.
80% of adults do not believe in Santa.

The term doesn't bother me in the slightest because to me it's no different from any of the other labels I use to describe myself (white, straight). If I want to soften it at all 'll say "they're all godless heathens like me." Somehow this seems to make it more palatable to religious co-workers.