Can Someone be Simply "An Agnostic?"

[Simon Moon]

And if they mean the latter, I will correct them so they understand that lack of belief is also atheism.

Are you even listening? If people mean something by a particular term, it makes no sense to say they're using the wrong term. Words are used to convey concepts, it's no use to question the word if it's clear what concept they're referring to.

I'm not going to let someone else define my position for me. If they are using the incorrect definition for my atheism, I will correct them.

Let's turn the situation around.

If I met a Christian and I defined their Christianity as being Coptic and they were actually Eastern Orthodox, should I continue to use my definition for their beliefs, or accept theirs?

If I meet a theist that defines atheism as being the belief that there are no gods, I will politely correct them that atheism also means lack of belief in gods.

This has nothing to do with intellectual honesty, this has to do with what people usually mean with these words.

But if they're wrong, or unaware of other possible uses, I will correct them.

Why should I let them continue with their ignorance?

This isn't about educating them. It's about actually responding to what they're asking.

But if they are asking a flawed question based on incorrect or incomplete information, shouldn't they be corrected?

I know I would want to be corrected if I was defining someones position incorrectly.