(July 26, 2010 at 9:12 pm)DiRNiS Wrote: However, most people have heard the concept of unicorns or Santa Claus and while they do not believe such concepts are real, nobody is calling them "a-unicornists" or "a-santaclausists" are they? So why should it be different with a god?
Even if the term 'atheist' came second, it doesn't really mean anything.
If anything, the term 'theist' had to be invented for believers in god (or other religions) and we who are not participants in any religion had to be called something. So, we're called atheists. We were here first and we even needed something to be referred as once there was a second philisophical player on the field.
... well, in any case, I don't think it's a status thing. If anything I tend to think of atheist being synonymous with 'rational thinker.' (Also, a good thing to call yourself if you don't like atheism.)
Personally, though, I think of Atheism just like black people think of the "N" word. Theists use it as a derogatory term toward us, so I think that proclaiming myself as an atheist is an excellent way to say what I believe in with pride.
