Atheist

There are two in-use definitions of the word 'atheist':

1.) A person who lacks belief in a god or gods. People who use this definition categorize atheists as either negative (or implicit or weak) atheists or positive (or explicit or strong) atheists. Negative atheists, while they don't believe in a god, do not positively assert that no gods exist. Positive atheists, however, do.

2.) A person who believes that no god or gods exist.

Those who consider themselves atheists (who are usually positive atheists) tend to define 'atheist' using the former definition, and those who believe in a god or gods tend to define 'atheist' using the latter. In both cases, this seems to be a demagogic practice intended to classify either as many or as few people as atheists as possible. Negative atheists are usually referred to as agnostics.

While neither definition of atheism entails any personality traits of atheists or of those who do believe in a god or gods (sometimes referred to as 'theists'), both atheists and theists tend to believe that certain traits apply to all atheists/theists. Common myths about atheists include: all atheists are arrogant, immoral, rebellious, and/or intolerant; all atheists really believe in (the Christian) God and are simply in denial; all atheists are depressed and believe life is meaningless. Common myths about theists include: all theists are naive and/or intolerant; all theists don't really believe in their god(s) and just pretend to because they're afraid that if people realised that no god exists, there will be complete chaos; all theists are weak and look to their god(s) for comfort. It hardly needs to be said that while these myths apply to a select few individuals in each group, the claim that they apply to every atheist or every theist is false.

Negative atheists justify their lack of belief in god(s) by pointing out that no evidence exists for the existence of god(s), and justify their lack of disbelief by pointing out that no evidence exists for the nonexistence thereof. Positive atheists often assert that while no evidence for god(s) exists, it should be by default assumed that they do not, until evidence is found. Some also try to use logic to prove that God does not exist, but this is often attached by theists and weak atheists as being mere wordplay. Some theists and weak atheists also assert that logic is superficial and meaningless (which is an easily refutable claim), and that only one's inner feelings can lead them to truth. Some positive atheists (and deists), however, are led to their stance through their feelings. Some feel that because the world is filled with evil and malice, and all-loving, benevolent god cannot exist. Those who are led to their stance through this feeling, however, cannot justify their disbelief in a malevolent god in the same way. Some reject the idea of the Christian God because the Bible states that non-Christians are condemned to Hell, and reject the idea as being too disturbing. While the same argument can also be made against the gods of various other religions, including Islam and Zoroastrianism, it cannot be made against every god (in Judaism, for example, Hell does not exist).

Okay, little kids. Atheists are NOT bigots, racists or Satanists.
Atheists don't believe in God, or Satan.
True Atheists are not assholes who run around saying DEFEND ATHEISM. It's not a religion. I'm Atheist and I don't go around doing it.
Infact I'm completely embarressed about arrogant people running amiss saying stuff like that.
Anyways, Atheists are normal people, who just don't believe in god, or satan.
They aren't demon-possessed.

And with the whole suing people for saying god in class, that is a little rediculous.

But if you're Christian, would you want someone going 'THERE IS NO GOD' in the middle of your class? I think not.

They're normal people who are tolerant of any religion unless it's being shoved down their throat.

I mean I don't think any religion tolerates that.

So please, stop saying we are satanists, demon-possessed, stupid, bigots, and racists.

Do you want me calling you stupid for believing in a supreme being? I think not, and I don't think you're stupid for that, anyways.

But please stop.

We're just people who don't believe in God, OR Satan.

atheists: People who lack belief in a god or gods. From the Greek: 'atheos' a+theos "without god" or godless.

A person who does not believe in a god. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the opposite of theist which is a person who believes in a supernatural being or deity.

Someone who lacks belief in a deity or higher power. That's all. Atheists are not the hateful, arrogant, stubborn jerks they are often made out to be. Stop disrespecting atheists based on negative encounters you've had with some of them. Not all of them are intolerant, arrogant people who think they have the answer to everything. I've met several atheists who happen to be very intelligent and respectful people, and in turn are very respectable. It's true, some ARE arrogant, some ARE hateful, some DON'T know when to shut up, but honestly, that is no reason to judge all of them. They have the right to believe or not to believe in whatever they want, just like everyone else does. By the way, this is coming from a Christian!

A person who believes that there is no god. A person who rejects the validity of religion as a concept and generally has more faith in science and logic.

A person who believes in the absence of any supreme being or anything regarding the supernatural...There are 2 kinds

Good Atheist: A person who has read and studied thoroughly the concepts of science and religion. He/She has come to the conclusion that there is no supreme being and therefore does not believe in any god or gods. In spite of this however they are open to the concept and enjoy having mature, intellectual debates on the issue without being critical or condescending.

Bad Athiest: A self-involved, egotistical jackass who does not believe in a supreme being not because what they have read or studied but usually because they hate religion or religious people. They usually go out of there way to make religious people feel bad and accuse them of being close-minded while they, themselves, will not listen to any other arguments but there own. They are impossible to try to reason with because they are usually self-centered, condescending,unscientific, and downright immature. Their arguments are usually full of anti-religious cliches and therefore easy to break apart.