You atheists.... (believe, Christ, atheist, beliefs)

[Chango]

Don't you get tired of being labled, shoe-horned, pigeonholed and otherwise labeled and generally pointed at purely because of your unbelief?

Do religous folks really base so much of their personal identity in their religion that they cannot conceptualize an existence without religion?

Are they truly so unaware of the wider world?

Or does being in an atheist forum where people are thinking about it too much just make it seem that way?

[nep321]

The word "atheist," unfortunately, has a bad ring to it. That's why I tell people I am "nonreligious" or that I am a "nonbeliever." It holds much better when talking with a believer. From a nonbeliever's perspective, in an ideal world, there would be no such thing as an atheist. The atheist position serves to be nothing more than a counter position to theism. If theology didn't exist, atheism wouldn't exist.

[mgt04]

I agree I say non-religious and I don't usually talk about religion with family or friends and I'm fortunate that no one in my family or group of friends imposes there religion on me.

[Hueffenhardt]

I am proud to be an atheist, but I am not flamboyant or confrontational about it in real life. In real life I very rarely talk about religion. My family and close friends know I am atheist.

There is only one thing that really gets to me, and that is when people blame one of my personal misfortunes on the fact that I am atheist, as though it would not have happened if I were following God.

Thankfully, that rarely happens.

[LuminousTruth]

the oldest record I know that contained the word "atheist" was when the Romans were persecuting Christians for being "atheist".

[catman]

Actually, the Christians would properly have been 'heathens' according to the Roman polytheism, since they believed in the 'wrong' god.

I am tired of being "pigeonholed" for being an atheist. The only place it often happens is here on C-D, since I rarely mention it otherwise, tiring of the 'same old same old' when I mention it otherwise. The people I like the most know about it and don't give me any friction, being sufficiently non-judgemental.

[Fuzz]

This seems appropriate here...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228644_10150164107831787_717081786_7093959_6146277 _n.jpg (broken link)

[achickenchaser]

It's not a big deal in my life. Most all of my friends aren't very religious. We rarely talk about God or bring up our personnel beliefs to one other.

I couldn't care less what some random religious stranger thinks about me.

[InsaneInDaMembrane]

Originally Posted by catman

Actually, the Christians would properly have been 'heathens' according to the Roman polytheism, since they believed in the 'wrong' god.

True, but I think an atheist back then was similar to what some consider an atheist today. If you don't believe in THEIR god and you admit as much, you're an atheist in their book.

[catman]

Maybe so, but it certainly does a disservice to the definition of 'atheist'.