Now and before.

[PETE_ROSE]

A lot of linguistic semantics around here.  Beliefs.  World view.  Faith. Every known word can have a different meaning depending on context or other inferences and implication.  

If I said white someone would argue that it is not white, merely devoid of color or the opposite of black.

Not semantics at all.

In discussions such as these, it is important to agree on how both parties are defining words ahead of time, or else we talk past each other.

As it is, most atheists define atheism as the absence of belief in gods. If you insist that the atheist uses your definition, then you are not engaged with the atheist in the same conversation. If you can't come to agreement on the definition, then the best thing to do is stop using the word, and discuss the concept.

I define atheist as the absence of belief in gods. But I really don't care if you use that definition or not. It is the CONCEPT that is important.

White is not devoid of color, it is the result of all colors being combined.

I had to google it...

In physics, a color is visible light with a specific wavelength. Black and white are not colors because they do not have specific wavelengths. Instead, white light contains all wavelengths of visible light. Black, on the other hand, is the absence of visible light.