(October 2, 2013 at 9:59 am)Doubting Thomas Wrote: Welcome. I live in a small religious town in the Midwest and it's not much better out here. You just don't go around announcing your atheism.
And atheism isn't the active assertion that there are no gods, it's just not having any belief in any gods. I may say that there are no gods, but it's just my opinion and I'm the first to admit that we as a species do not know everything about the entire universe. However, it's highly likely and mostly probable that the Judeo Christian god was made up by man's imagination, just like all other gods that were ever worshiped. Hence, I'm not afraid to call myself an atheist. But the moment that a god is discovered, then of course I'll believe it exists, but I'm not holding my breath. And of course that doesn't necessarily mean I'll worship it.
No, there is only one core thing atheists have in common, "lack of belief in god or gods"
Some call themselves agnostic atheists and others call themselves flat out atheists.
I like to make the distinction of time in defining myself. As far as past and current claims I DO claim those are all bullshit claims. I am only "agnostic" about the future although I see no future right now where evidence will prove the existence of a god.
