Why call ourselves Atheist?

[Crow]

Even though I may not believe in a god and therefore atheist it doesn't even come close as a label at describing me as a person and is not who I am beyond my thoughts on a god. It doesn't mean anything other than a non-belief in gods, so for it to represent a person they would have to be a very one dimensional character. Language requires us to label things so we can communicate however inept those labels may be they give a slight hint at a persons basic position on a particular subject, when it comes to gods atheism does the job just fine. I don't want or need to define myself entirely by a label and wrap it all up in a bow, its pointless and futile pursuit that creates restrictions on the self-labeled and those who do are fast on their way to becoming a hypocrite. Somethings are best to just give it a basic name for communication purposes, it doesn't really matter what that word is as long as it creates a direction for discussion and understood by many.

'Rational people' is a daft label for atheists, rationality is a constantly shifting concept that isn't fixed. Hypothetically if evidence was found for a god and all reason and logic pointed to that being the case the 'rational people' wouldn't be the atheists they would be anymore they would be the believers therefore the label of 'rational people' to define atheists would be defunct and wholly incorrect in the first instance. I can think of many youtube and famous atheists that think logically but are anything but rational; they jump to conclusions without forming a measured opinion before shouting their mouth off and spurn those for thinking differently, whilst saying they can not abide by the pressures of religious organizations to make people conform. paradoxically they are the ones that would most likely embrace this label as it makes them feel big and important whilst providing them with their daily ego masturbation. I would say the label of 'Rational people' to represent a group of people or individual because they have a certain opinion is a total contradiction to rationality.

[Twentythree]

The problem is that theists also consider themselves to be rational people.

Further not all atheists are rational. Some people are staunch in their dismissal of deities but have no problem believing in UFOs, Bigfoot, lycanthropy, or any other myriad of odd superstition or spiritual gimmickry. Atheism is a statement of non belief not a statement of any sort of mental or emotional stability or superiority.

I think that socially atheism has been a term that is needed and useful because historically it goes again the natural grain of humanity. Worship has been an organic part of human development. Every culture on earth throughout all of history has had developed religions, organically and independently of one another. New religions and faiths are being born today. The atheistic view of reality actually goes against cultural majorities in most cases. I'm actually quite glad to be considered an atheist today. If I were an atheist a few hundred years ago I'm sure I would not have been called an atheist I'm sure I would have been called a heretic or a blasphemer or a witch or warlock or some other sort of nonsense and would probably have been drowned ,burned or hanged. So, when viewed through the lens of history, being called or identifying myself as an atheist today seems like a step in the right direction.

[DeterminedJuliet]

The problem is that theists also consider themselves to be rational people.

Further not all atheists are rational. Some people are staunch in their dismissal of deities but have no problem believing in UFOs, Bigfoot, lycanthropy, or any other myriad of odd superstition or spiritual gimmickry. Atheism is a statement of non belief not a statement of any sort of mental or emotional stability or superiority.

Very true!

[Amicale]

The problem is that theists also consider themselves to be rational people.

Further not all atheists are rational. Some people are staunch in their dismissal of deities but have no problem believing in UFOs, Bigfoot, lycanthropy, or any other myriad of odd superstition or spiritual gimmickry. Atheism is a statement of non belief not a statement of any sort of mental or emotional stability or superiority.

Very true!

This is more true than anyone knows, when it comes to me. For the better part of several months, chemical imbalances in my head caused me to hear voices and sounds that didn't exist, and it got so strong and so bad that it's hard to describe. The entire time, I didn't believe in God, but still somehow at least partially bought into what I heard in my head -- even if you know these things don't exist, it can be damned hard to ignore them when they're nearly constant. Still, I knew that I wasn't rational. I wasn't able to be, I wasn't stable enough to be. Medication and getting some help assisted me in being a lot more rational, but my atheism certainly wasn't any indicator that I was a rational person.

Anyways, yup, it's possible in several ways to be an atheist without necessarily being rational, although I'd wager that a lot of atheists and agnostics (not all, obviously) who are serious about their ideas do TRY to be rational, barring any mental health issues.

[Sweetdeath]

Maybe by being rational, the person means knowing that sex feels good , and Isnt just for procreation, how two people can have an amazing relationship without being married (or even raise a kid together.)
How birth control isnt only used to prevent pregnancies.

Maybe that's what they mean by rational?
By looking at facts, logic, and using life experience to make choices rather than a dumpty old fairy tale.

[Whitney]

If people actually believed in leprechauns then there would be a word for those who don't.  Since people actually believe in god there is a word for those who don't.  It's a matter of practicality more than anything.  There are other words that also describe most atheists such as Humanist, Secular, Rationalist, Freethinker etc and individuals can decide which label they prefer to use if they decide to answer when asked.

[Amicale]

Here's one interesting distinction I've seen made in several places: people who simply want to announce that they don't believe in God or gods will probably call themselves atheists, but for those who also want to announce that they don't believe in ghosts, pseudoscience, UFO's etc, the word they often use is "skeptic". They're not just skeptical about supernatural religious claims, but also claims generally that are likely bogus/lack evidence.

[The Magic Pudding]

Rational People?  I don't know, can we shorten it to Rat People?  Or Ratheists, it has some appeal for those who'd like to escape the ship that theists seem bent on sinking.

[Sweetdeath]

Rat people?  LOL!!!
I usually do say i'm skectic rather than an atheist.

[The Magic Pudding]

Rat people?  LOL!!!
I usually do say i'm skectic rather than an atheist.

Ah a new Sweetdeath word, sweet.
What is a skectic/skec tic?
I'm going to suggest an involuntary rapid shaking of the head which occurs when faced with the most ludicrous religious mumbo jumbo.  It could possibly have a protective effect, preventing our brains attempting to escape through our ears.

[Sweetdeath]

Rat people?  LOL!!!
I usually do say i'm skectic rather than an atheist.

Ah a new Sweetdeath word, sweet.
What is a skectic/skec tic?
I'm going to suggest an involuntary rapid shaking of the head which occurs when faced with the most ludicrous religious mumbo jumbo.  It could possibly have a protective effect, preventing our brains attempting to escape through our ears.

Gundam!!!
I meant skeptic

XD rawr, I am sucking hard tonight at English.

[Amicale]

Rat people?  LOL!!!
I usually do say i'm skectic rather than an atheist.

Ah a new Sweetdeath word, sweet.
What is a skectic/skec tic?
I'm going to suggest an involuntary rapid shaking of the head which occurs when faced with the most ludicrous religious mumbo jumbo.  It could possibly have a protective effect, preventing our brains attempting to escape through our ears.

Gundam!!!
I meant skeptic

XD rawr, I am sucking hard tonight at English.

I couldn't resist...

[Jimmy]

I do prefer freethinker, feels more right to me.

[Sweetdeath]

Yes, Amicale!!

In real life, I do tend to say Gundam or Gundamnit (instead of god  damn. LOL!! )

I like the term free thinker a lot too.

[DeterminedJuliet]

  Ratheist!

I like it.