Vocalist wrote:

an atheist (and boy do I hate that word)

Why's that?

MakeMeRawr_8TeenF wrote:

Vocalist wrote:

an atheist (and boy do I hate that word)

Why's that?

You do not call a none Racist anything for not being racist. Nor a none Communist a none communist, someone who isn't homophobic a none-homophobe.. etc.

Yet when someone states they do not believe in a God, they are called Atheists. The one and perhaps only time a word is used to describe somebody for something they are not.

You wrote:

I would also argue that it is the same people who were most likely to burn it who are now wanting to burn it, so it really has not made a difference.

Pastor Jones left his bonfire of books alone, he got the 15 minutes he wanted and now does not have to worry about the death threats. Though there are plenty on the fringe who are now emboldened by his (lack of) actions.

Vocalist wrote:

You do not call a none Racist anything for not being racist. Nor a none Communist a none communist, someone who isn't homophobic a none-homophobe.. etc.

Yet when someone states they do not believe in a God, they are called Atheists. The one and perhaps only time a word is used to describe somebody for something they are not.

That pre supposes that athiesm is the natural state of mind.

(I would argue its not, but that is irrelevant here.)

I would also mention that those who do have a view to there being a natural state of mind as we Muslims do ("the fitrah", which is considered to be pure), still have a name for our religion. More its a name given to the religion by God as revealed in the qur'an.

Some things just have names - and having a name is not always a negative thing.

You wrote:

That pre supposes that athiesm is the natural state of mind.

(I would argue its not, but that is irrelevant here.)

Only through indoctrination as a child does one become a Muslim, Christian or whatever. You are a Muslim because you were born into a Muslim family etc.

I could argue that we only have religion because we have Frontal lobes which are too small and our adrenal glands are too big We fear death, the dark and anything unknown to us and so we create religion.

We are only just getting to understand the universe and we are so infantile in our knowledge... so far!

Vocalist wrote:

MakeMeRawr_8TeenF wrote:

Vocalist wrote:

an atheist (and boy do I hate that word)

Why's that?

You do not call a none Racist anything for not being racist. Nor a none Communist a none communist, someone who isn't homophobic a none-homophobe.. etc.

Yet when someone states they do not believe in a God, they are called Atheists. The one and perhaps only time a word is used to describe somebody for something they are not.

Well someone who's not a racist or homophobe is usually called something else...
like 'liberal' or 'tolerant' or other such words. Those words cover a wide range so they're used to cover other things too, they're vaguer than perhaps atheist.

I don't see what's wrong with giving a label to something that requires it tbh.

If you'd rather, maybe people could call Atheists Heathens or Infidels instead?

MakeMeRawr_8TeenF wrote:

If you'd rather, maybe people could call Atheists Heathens or Infidels instead?

Heathens Much better

Vocalist wrote:

MakeMeRawr_8TeenF wrote:

If you'd rather, maybe people could call Atheists Heathens or Infidels instead?

Heathens Much better

It's quite a nice sounding word really.