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How comfortable are you with the word "Atheist" ?

We don't have a word for non-believers of Santa Claus or non-believers of The Tooth Fairy, yet we live in a world where those who don't believe in God(s) or supernatural religious philosophies are labelled Atheists. I think that the state of non-believing is the normal state of things as it doesn't need to be taught, unlike religions. I am consequently uncomfortable with using the word and I feel that I concede grounds to their insanity when I use it. What are your thoughts?

Chris90045 5 Sep 29
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565 comments (176 - 200)

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0

Very..... it usually makes the ppl that are paying attention uncomfortable.

Vico Level 5 Nov 30, 2017
1

I use it for political reasons ,and I use it because I get tired of explaining Agnostic to people that obviously do not want to hear it.

I agree with that -- I feel like it's a bit presumptuous to declare there's no god, but I oppose the employment of god or belief in it in public policy, so I identify politically as atheist. And also the explaining thing.

0

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. 🙂

0

sticks and stones dude stick and stones.

0

very comfortable like being called an American.

0

I believe it is just a way of grouping and dividing people. I'm not comfortable with the word "Atheist" and what it implies. I have to catch myself correcting or justifying my position. Now, I just attack Christianity... LOL

Christianity deserves to be attacked. The God of that belief system is downright hideous!

0

It seems to be a double edge sword . You see a sun rise,, the birth of a child, healing of the sick, unexplained blessing , you would say there must be a God .. Then you see a child dying , war , famine , all kind of injustice and wander where is god . Does he exist , or why am I so blessed and others are not . Then we are taught not to question what god does ,its his will . The bible says seek and you shall find , so we seek an answer and God replies,"its my will ". I would still like to know why .

0

It seems to be a double edge sword . A baby is born , the sun rises the sun sets both are beautiful . Unexplained blessing , the healing of the sick , you say there is a God . Then you see the death of an infant , sickness, disease all kind of injustice in the world . You wonder is there a God , does he exist . If so why is he allowing all this to happen. Why is everyone in such turmoil and I am so blessed . The bible teaches seek and you shall find so I asked God why he said its my will , . WILL FOR WHAT PURPOSE. Its a matter of trust , trusting there is a God and everything works for the good to those that love him . To love him or her is to know him , talk to him or her through our prayers and faith in him . Watch how he works in your life . The country prayed for healing of our land and Trump became president, now everyone seems to be pissed off he is . Faith and trust .

0

While a identify as a Huxleyan agnostic I think that leads to being a post-modern atheist: ie, one who does not believe in God(s). So I am comfortable with being identified as an atheist in that sense.

Which Huxley is that?

Oops! Should have been "While I identify" Thanks for the pass on the typo. That would be Thomas Huxley, the scientist who coined the word agnostic in 1869. He initially was encouraging young scientists to resist religious pressure and insist on evidence in order to accept something as true. He specifically said that we couldn't know about "metaphysical" statements in the absence of any evidence one way or the other (about th existence of a God, for example.

0

I love the word Atheist. I have to remind myself not to be so smug about it on the inside since I'm surrounded by deluded people. Ha ha ha!

0

I'm totally fine. I'm up in the air with the word agnostic though. People I encounter tend to use it to describe people who "haven't found Jesus", like if I only knew what they know, I am still saveable. That's just not true, though. I left religion, it wasn't that I just didn't get into it.

I am just honest about atheism and how nobody can be truly 100% certain. We can say there's no evidence, and act as though that's the same as there not being a god, but they're logically two different things. It's like saying no oranges are blue. That's awfully hard to prove. It's just as hard to prove as someone saying somewhere there exists a blue orange, but I can't tell you anything more about it.

0

Although I've referred to myself as an atheist at times, I'm not totally down with the word, which originally was employed only to condemn those who doubted religion. I wouldn't categorically deny the existence of something I cannot even conceive of, but I will remain skeptical. After all, I don't believe anyone knows everything there is to know, or even much, about this universe, existence, life, reality -- whatever -- and its origins.
In fact, I don't even know why my profile picture is sideways.

1

When I look at all the misery caused by religion, I thank god I'm an atheist.

2

honestly, Im from the bible belt, so calling myself an atheist here is like asking to be thrown in a viper pit.. so not that comfortable.

i do anyway, sometimes to do christians a heckin concern.. sometimes in a feeble attempt to educate.. Ive met two christians with an open mind as a result. theyre genuinely good, curious, and self driven people though, so very different from the masses.

the word atheist has gotten such a negative connotation over the years bc of the radicalization of super religions.. maybe we should rebrand to "Realism" and see who gets it

1

Having Catholic Schooling even on College. the first time I lied to a priest in the confessionary and I wasn't stricken by the Mighty Reach of God Almighty while still on 4th grade... the Faking and Lying On church Started. The Rest is History... Very Comfortable.

0

I agree with your point. I like non-theist better, if a label must be applied.

2

I don't think we should call our selves atheists as much as we don't call each other non-flat earthers, non-creationists, non-astrologers, etc.

0

I'm a new member here. I just usually say I'm a non believer. I live in the USA and sometimes some people have a look like you don't believe in god? They seem bewildered. That seems strange to me.

2

I have only recently "come out" as a non-believer, and have pretty firmly decided that I do not want to be labeled as an atheist. In fact, I do not want ANY labels attached to me that reference whether or not I believe in gods/supernatural beings, etc. My desire is to simply be known as a fellow human being, who like everyone else, must find their way through this life and make the best of each and every day...to do good, and to do no harm...

I like to say I am a humanist.

0

I am comfortable with the word, and I think it is needed because it seems like the norm is to have a believe in a deity. If a majority group was trying to install Bigfoot worship in our children's school, we would need a name for Abigfootists who were rational. I wish theists would come to their senses. Maybe some day they will join us, and the world can be as one.

1

Well, before Trump was elected, I was comfortable with it.

I work with Bible Belt Christians. If asked what my religion is, I no longer reveal that I am an atheist. Now, most fundamentalist types cannot deal with atheists, so I tell them I'm Jewish. They love Jews; makes them feel superior because they have jesus and Jews don't.

0

Nope. I'm not actually an atheist. I believe in many possibilities, but since I don't actually know what's out there, I define myself as agnostic, or more specifically, a pantheistic buddhist christian agnostic. (it comforts me to retain some belief in christ, illogical as that it.)

0

The word "atheist" carries an awful lot of baggage in the world. I prefer "agnostic." This word seems to make room for investigation while "atheist" seems so absolute and sure..... and militant.

0

Being an atheist is the human default position. We're all born atheists. We have to be taught that other nonsense. I'm totally comfortable with the word "atheist".

0

I am not comfortable with it. I think it implies a certainty that all the mysteries of the universe are known by only by me. It doesn't leave any room for doubt. I'm not that certain that I know the shape of the universe, or every entity in it. I just don't worship anyone.

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