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How do you define "Atheist"?

Sledge said:
Someone who says "No" when asked "Do you believe in a god or gods?"
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+1, same.

There might be additional baggage defining HOW you came to atheism, but atheism is only not believing in gods. One coming to atheism through self introspection, examining claim and evidence is as much an atheist as one not carring a bit, or as a Buddhist (or was it Confucianism?).
 
Have we done the bit about the difference between not believing gods exist and believing they don't exist?

Sometimes it's fun* when people don't get that.

*Holds for very small values of 'fun'.
 
It depends on context. Do you mean passive or active atheism?

Passive atheist: Person who does not believe god(s) exist.
Active atheist: Person who believes no god(s) exist.
 
The sound of a baby's laughter? That's atheist. The feel of a lover's gentle caress? Atheist. Finding a tenner in a jacket you haven't worn for a while? Atheist. The satisfaction of finishing a good novel? Atheist. Winning that eBay auction at the last second with a bid far below what you expected to pay? Atheist. Discovering a hat you look good in? Atheist. Sex so good it makes your spine tingle and your knees buckle? That's Airwolf.
 
Brian-M said:
It depends on context. Do you mean passive or active atheism?

Passive atheist: Person who does not believe god(s) exist.
Active atheist: Person who believes no god(s) exist.
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I suspect most atheists are both of these, depending on how the particular god is defined.
 
Multivac said:
Someone who doesn't believe in god, or any other form of sky daddy.

Atheists do not hate god, as they know he/she/it doesn't exist.
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I know. I am one. I also posted the definition of it above so I'm not sure why you are replying to me with this?

If you check the thread you'll see I was only responding to a statement that the question should be posted on a religious website to see how they define the word.

That's what I posted, 'christians' giving their stunted and negative opinions of what atheists are. Think those messages say more about their attitude than ours.
 
When somebody says "Do you believe a god or gods exist?" - you're an atheist if you give any other answer than "no."
 
Denver said:
I think it would be more interesting to ask this question on a religious web site, and summarize the answers here,
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I would like to see that, but i don't want to actually have to register at a religious site to do so, and I want someone to edit all but the serious responses too, so I don't have to wade through the flames and hate-spewers.
 
An atheist is someone who believes in one less god than a Christian or Jew or Muslim.
 
ddt said:
An atheist is someone who believes in one less god than a Christian or Jew or Muslim.
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This does not work in the Christian case.... moslim/Jew....ok..... Christian...no.

Christianity believes in THREE gods....albeit three in one and one in three and all that twaddle .... but still.... Jesus is going to sit at the right hand of God on jewel encrusted gold thrones.....there are Two....one next to the other...... so there are TWO of them.... don't know what happened to the holy spooky though??? Poor thing...he does not get a bejeweled throne to sit on...he is doomed to be forever the cooly for the other two.

So unless Jesus is going to run from one throne to the other to appear as himself sitting next to himself....then there are TWO at least and with the phantasm that makes three.

So it does not work with Christianity I'm afraid....you would be still left with two ore one God on your hands if you subtract one.
 
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According to the most common definition, atheism is the belief that God does not exist.

Atheism = There is no god
Agnosticism = I don't know
Theism = There is a god
 
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