Atheism and Anti-Theism same thing?

[abaris]

What is the difference between atheism and anti-theism. I have seen some people use these terms as synonyms, are they the same?

As far as I understand it, and from a purely personal perspective. Atheism is not believing. Anti theism is doing atheist missionary work. Personally I don't believe, but I couldn't care less what everyone else does believe. As long as they leave me be, I won't bother them.

[Excited Penguin]

  To say that I'm passively "against santa" would be absurd.  

I don't think so. Not sure what else I can say. I'm looking at it from a philosophical perspective and we're talking about language here. I think it matters how we understand words and I don't think any language is perfect, in fact I find language to be inherently imperfect. This is why I constantly try to seek any troubling words' deeper meanings so as for them to better serve their purposes at any given moment.

[Aegon]

Hm, it's a different question from my point of view.

How so?

Now that I think about it, maybe it isn't. But hating things that makes someone happy and doesn't affect you doesn't make you a good person from my perspective. Actually, it makes you a dickbag. 

Well, first of all, it is liable to reinforce the morally bad and epistemologically inadequate beliefs associated with their religion.

Second of all, it's a waste of time. It doesn't serve any purpose.

Lastly, it's a despicable custom that makes one feel unnecessarily servile towards an imaginary entity, something which has probably not very good effects on the psyche.

1. Morally bad? Majority of Christians do not care that the OT has sexism, slavery, etc. They care about the overarching message of Jesus and the New Testament. "Red-Letter Christianity" is a thing for a reason. For many people, religion actually helps them be better people, be more charitable, etc. The nicest people I ever met were at my local church. I still like to volunteer there when I have time, despite being an atheist. They're not beating their wives because the Bible says it's okay.

2. From your point of view, yeah sure. But I could say the same about a lot of things. Why are you registered here, taking the time to post things like this? I could argue this is a waste of time too. Unless you think your anonymous arguments will have any effect on the world...

3. Oooooooo they spend an hour in a building with other people once a week and get free circular pieces of bread. And you know what? I also heard that sometimes they will spend 5 minutes before bed thanking this imaginary thing and being grateful for their lives! What slaves! FREE THEM FROM THEIR ANTI-INTELLECTUAL PRISON!!!

[Excited Penguin]

Well, I'll wait for you to apologize for calling me a dickbag if you want me to respond to the rest of your post.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

I don't think it's a matter of intellectuality, more about being delusional and how damaging it can be.
Just sayin'

[The Grand Nudger]

I don't think that santa belief is damaging...if that helps.   I suppose that's the difference, to me, between asantaism and antisantaism....and it's probably the difference between atheism and antitheism too.  

[Ivan Denisovich]

1. Morally bad? Majority of Christians do not care that the OT has sexism, slavery, etc. They care about the overarching message of Jesus and the New Testament. "Red-Letter Christianity" is a thing for a reason.

And what is this message? Cursing the trees? Beating the shit of merchants? Necessity of hating one family to be disciple of Jesus (Luke 14:26)? Or maybe it's fragment about sword - Jesus must have been quite peaceful dude judging by Matthew 10:34 - Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For many people, religion actually helps them be better people, be more charitable, etc.

It does? How do you know?

The nicest people I ever met were at my local church. I still like to volunteer there when I have time, despite being an atheist.

Nicest people I ever met were atheists at my University. But neither you experience nor mine prove anything.

They're not beating their wives because the Bible says it's okay.

So they have other reason for beating their wives?

3. Oooooooo they spend an hour in a building with other people once a week and get free circular pieces of bread. And you know what? I also heard that sometimes they will spend 5 minutes before bed thanking this imaginary thing and being grateful for their lives! What slaves! FREE THEM FROM THEIR ANTI-INTELLECTUAL PRISON!!!

I'm afraid they start to like their prison and tries of freeing them would be met only with aggression.

[Excited Penguin]

I don't think that santa belief is damaging...if that helps.   I suppose that's the difference, to me, between asantaism and antisantaism....and it's probably the difference between atheism and antitheism too.  

Well, I believe it is damaging, being as it is a false belief. There is no such thing as a good lie, in principle. All you need to consider in order to see that this is so is a world in which no one would believe ridiculous things in spite of evidence to the contrary/better reasoning available and then compare it to the world as it is right now. Which world would you rather live in?

[The Grand Nudger]

I can tell you, as a parent, that there are a great many good lies, lol. I'm not a vulcan buddy, I like a little whimsy. I like the world we live in if what you just described is the alternative.

[c172]

Can an atheist identify as an anti-theist?

I identify as having moments of antitheism.

ETA: but to contribute to the OP's question (I'm still a bit sleepy. Sorry.): I am always an atheist, regardless of my level of antitheism.