There seems to be quite a lot of time wasted on the question of the meaning of the term "atheism." I think I can explain why people talk past each other on this. Quite simply, there is more than one standard meaning of the English term "atheism."
Take a look at:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheism?s=t
There you will see (unless, of course, they change it between when I quote it and when you look at it):
atheism
noun
1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
Notice, the two common and proper definitions are not the same. They are, as is common with words, related in their meaning, but they are not the same.
People commonly insist that the word "atheism" means one of these, but the simple fact is, in English, either meaning is right and proper. Notice, one of these is a lack of belief, and the other is a belief.
So, when someone uses the term with one of these meanings, and you want to use the other, the best thing to do is to explain which of the standard meanings you intend. It is of no use to tell people that they are wrong to use a term in accordance with a standard meaning of the term; being a standard meaning, they are right to use it in accordance with that meaning, but one is wrong to insist it must mean only one of the standard meanings of the term.
The same idea applies to other words. Most words have more than one meaning in a dictionary, and it is ridiculous to believe that everyone else uses one and only one of the meanings contained therein. If there were only one right meaning of the term, there would only be one definition in standard dictionaries.
Sometimes, with the word "atheism," both senses are given as if they were one definition in a dictionary. As in this case:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/atheism
a·the·ism
(ā′thē-ĭz′əm)
n.
Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
Notice, in this case, two different ideas are presented as if they were one definition, and not two separate and distinct ideas. Still, if you pay attention, "disbelief" and "denial" are not the same thing. One is not believing something, and the other is believing that something is false. One is a lack of belief, and the other is a belief.
Take a look at:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheism?s=t
There you will see (unless, of course, they change it between when I quote it and when you look at it):
atheism
noun
1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
Notice, the two common and proper definitions are not the same. They are, as is common with words, related in their meaning, but they are not the same.
People commonly insist that the word "atheism" means one of these, but the simple fact is, in English, either meaning is right and proper. Notice, one of these is a lack of belief, and the other is a belief.
So, when someone uses the term with one of these meanings, and you want to use the other, the best thing to do is to explain which of the standard meanings you intend. It is of no use to tell people that they are wrong to use a term in accordance with a standard meaning of the term; being a standard meaning, they are right to use it in accordance with that meaning, but one is wrong to insist it must mean only one of the standard meanings of the term.
The same idea applies to other words. Most words have more than one meaning in a dictionary, and it is ridiculous to believe that everyone else uses one and only one of the meanings contained therein. If there were only one right meaning of the term, there would only be one definition in standard dictionaries.
Sometimes, with the word "atheism," both senses are given as if they were one definition in a dictionary. As in this case:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/atheism
a·the·ism
(ā′thē-ĭz′əm)
n.
Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
Notice, in this case, two different ideas are presented as if they were one definition, and not two separate and distinct ideas. Still, if you pay attention, "disbelief" and "denial" are not the same thing. One is not believing something, and the other is believing that something is false. One is a lack of belief, and the other is a belief.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
