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.

the only thing that bothers me is sometimes people have a negative opinion of it cause of how some people act, i try not to associate with the word as much cuz of it

I love it since it still provokes a perplexed and concerned look from most.

Yes! It is a little uncomfortable using the word with me at times. I think it can be ambiguous equivocal in its meaning. Also is the word the person's "Choice" or is it just what is Rational Result about it? When I use the word "Atheist" is not my Life's "Choice" It is how I see it as a rational "Fact" When Religious people say they don't like Atheist, I think it comes to them that people want that as a "Choice" in someone's Life. If I am to assume a God (?) and it was someone's "Choice" then I would not like my Outcome, because we will get our "Choice" for what we want in this Life. What others might be concerned about. I would use the word as this is the Outcome of things as a Fact. That I see about what is among us. But? I like "Agnostic" for which I am not that Determined about such a claim. I did once use the word "Agnostic" in the Hospital and then they put my choice under "Atheist" in the paper work. I was not that Determined to deny a God. I just didn't know for sure. I had no religious beliefs I wanted in the Hospital. That was all I was concerned about.

I don't say that I am atheist or agnostic when describing my beliefs. I don't want to have to explain agnostic, either. I just say, "I am not religious, at all." This works for me. Somtimes I have to repeat the phrase, but it usually works.

I'm fine with the term/label atheist, as I see it as literally 'anti-theist', meaning I don't believe in religion, or any of their gods. I just don't use the word much, because here in the bible-belt, it seems to make other people uncomfortable.

i like non believer way better...atheist sounds like a satanic term for some reason but what ever ..i just know dating sucks when i confess my non belief and im kind of tired of the label put on a person who values question and the freedom to be skeptical

I don't like the word, as the root meaning infers non-belief in a god that does exist. Agnostic works better for me, as I can tell people who want to argue about the existence of any gods that I'm happy to believe in their god if they can prove that god's existence. So far, no one has provided proof.

Totally comfortable. Gives me a chance to engage with people and educate them. I don't blare it out like proselytizers do with their idiocies, but I don't avoid it either.

I agonized over the word atheist for years. After all, a-theist presupposes that one considers the question of the existence of God to be worth addressing, and while I believe there is a God in the sense of a social construct humans have invented and used to justify killing, abusing and controlling each other for many centuries, I don't believe there is such a thing as God to accept or deny. But, atheism is as much a social construct as God, and as such is a term that at least conveys to others my stance with respect to theistic institutions. I am also a-yeti, a-unicorn, and a-cylon, though I would sooner believe that we are the latest iteration of a non-ending war between humans and cylons, before I would believe in a God. Thankfully, right now I don't need to assert any of these other stances very often to find people I could get along with.

I am completely fine with the word atheist and I have no problem stating that it defines certain of my beliefs - or lack thereof. One can't prove a negative, so in that sense I guess I am an agnostic. But I don't expect to someday fine god in the CERN collider.

Very.

Quite. <<<There it is, succinctly.

I prefer Antitheist. Makes people ask me what it means.