Honest question: Why Atheist, not atheist?

[Nyarlathotep]

And, if it were a movement that wished to be officially recognized, it's only step away from becoming an organization don't you think? How does Atheist Fundamentalism sound?

What Mercutio said.

 

[c4ts]

A-thiest, surely?

From "theos," so it would be "ei."

 

[Jeff Corey]

I prefer to capitalise the last five letters to better emphasise that not only do I not believe in God, but I'm also going to be stealing an arseload of diamonds.

That's a sh!tload of diamonds!
A load of carrots, too.

 

[Iacchus]

And if it were not, it can just be what it already is.

I suppose, but it looks to me like a lot a-theists (at least on this board) are fundamentally squared off with the Christian Fundamentalists. Almost as if each merits a similar form of attention. A very vocal group you have here in fact.

 

[PogoPedant]

From "theos," so it would be "ei."

But... but...

Surely, I'm not the only one that has noticed that the foaming-in-the-mouth fundies routinely misspell atheist? I feel alone and misunderstood I'm gonna go drown myself in self-pity and freshly brewed coffee now.

 

[LotusMegami]

If their was an official Athiest Organization, all athiests would not have to join it.

Many unorganized religions capitalize, but they all share certain beliefs. Wiccans might think that capitalizing honors the god and goddess. There is nothing to be honored for athiests - no higher power that we must show respect to.

 

[Iacchus]

There is nothing to be honored for athiests - no higher power that we must show respect to.

Not even high gurus of the craft, such as James Randi or Daniel Dennett? After all, if these folks could usher in a new era, replete without superstition or, a God, how can we not help but offer up the highest praise and accolades in their regard? Indeed, maybe we could even make them into some sort of demi god?

 

[arthwollipot]

But... but...

Surely, I'm not the only one that has noticed that the foaming-in-the-mouth fundies routinely misspell atheist? I feel alone and misunderstood I'm gonna go drown myself in self-pity and freshly brewed coffee now.

In my experience, it is only those who can spell who are open-minded about religion. Although it might be the other way around.

 

[Shevek-72]

I'm know I'm missing something, but why do some capitalize the leading 'a' in atheist?

As a german I always feel the subconscious urge to capitalize nouns. Apart from that - no clue.

 

[Timothy]

Adherants to a particular philosophy traditionally are capitalized, with the words tending to lose their status of capitalization as the word is used to describe similar people, but with less formalized precision. Christian/Jew/Muslim/Buddhist/Taoist have for the most part retained capitalization in proper usage. So have Republican/Democrat/Tory/Libertarian when applied to particular organizations, although "republican" is probably the most frequently used instance to lose the capitalization when referring to someone who adheres to the principle of establishing a republic. The labels of Stoic/Epicurean/Skeptic/Cynic still retain their capitalizations when referring to someone who is a strict adherant to the original schools of philosophy, but all have acquired an uncapitalized version with a more generic definition.

"Atheist" traditionally acquired capitalization as a nod to its structured philosophy, and not with any intent of marking it as a religion. (I'm not suggesting what should have happened, just what did.)

While by no means universal, I have seen usage (which I find handy) that discriminates between the two by using "atheist" to mean "one who does not believe in a (any) God", and "Atheist" to mean "one who believes that a (any) God does not exist" ... in other words, positive atheism.

For what it's worth, the AP stylebook uses lowercase for all instances.

- Timothy

 

[cyborg]

Not even high gurus of the craft, such as James Randi or Daniel Dennett?

No.

After all, if these folks could usher in a new era, replete without superstition or, a God, how can we not help but offer up the highest praise and accolades in their regard? Indeed, maybe we could even make them into some sort of demi god?

No.

Idiot.

 

[c4ts]

But... but...

Surely, I'm not the only one that has noticed that the foaming-in-the-mouth fundies routinely misspell atheist? I feel alone and misunderstood I'm gonna go drown myself in self-pity and freshly brewed coffee now.

I often mispell it too, because I overlook typos on message boards. It doesn't make me right.

 

[Upchurch]

I often mispell it too, because I overlook typos on message boards. It doesn't make me right.

I have a tendancy, sometimes intentional sometimes not, to spell and punctuate words like they were spelled and punctuated in the post I'm responding to. I do that partially because I'm lazy and don't want to look up spelling any more than I have to, but it is also so that there is no confusion as to what I am referring.

I'll also adopt terminology that I might not otherwise use for the same reason.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

I have a tendancy, sometimes intentional sometimes not, to spell and punctuate words like they were spelled and punctuated in the post I'm responding to.

Unfortunately, I, too, possess such a tendancy.

 

[SPQR]

I consider atheism a way of thinking.

One does not often see liberal, conservative, or skeptic for that matter, capitalized. What makes atheism special?

 

[ntech]

I never capitalize any religion; christian, jewish, muslim.
What annoys me is that the spell checker tries to capitalize them for me. The spell checker does not try to capitalize atheist.

 

[GreedyAlgorithm]

I never capitalize any religion; christian, jewish, muslim.
What annoys me is that the spell checker tries to capitalize them for me. The spell checker does not try to capitalize atheist.

Heheh. It tries to capitalize them because it's proper grammar to do so. You can leave them uncapitalized if you like, but than u dun hafta grammeticalize nothin neither.

 

[the_bgma]

I consider atheism a way of thinking.

One does not often see liberal, conservative, or skeptic for that matter, capitalized. What makes atheism special?

Skepticism describes more of a philosophy of asking questions, I guess.

Atheism (the strong kind) on the other hand, describes more of a taking of that next logcial step. Christians take Pascal's Wager for their next step, Atheists take the Epicurean Paradox for their next step.

Plus, it looks silly to say "Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or atheist?" Looks much better if they are all capitalized.

And one more thing: Atheism has been much maligned in the US since the Red Scare of the 1950s. The phrases relating to Atheists that comes to mind first for most Christians are "godless communist" and "godless heathen". Language is a powerful tool, and so some of us would like to reclaim that word for ourselves, and use it as a strong counterpoint to the foolishness of religion.

"Atheist"

Even better, how about a whole phrase, a new meme, to replace "godless communist". Maybe something like "Good and Moral Atheist"?


**************************************************
The Bible of the Good and Moral Atheist

 

[c4ts]

I hate neologisms.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

I hate neologisms.

well I hate neologians

especially fundamentalist neologians...