Do you believe in God? Why/Why not?

[Peh]

JWeinCom said:

Peh said:

What's the definition of "not a theist"?

What's the definition of "atheist"?

The definition of not a theist is not a theist.  I don't know how to define it more clearly than that unless I'm given a definition of theist.

If we define theist as a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods, then "not a theist" is literally everything that does not fit that definition.  A bean bag chair, a light bulb, a pig, a baby, a guitar, a star, a taco, a fabric swatch, a worm, my left foot, the instruction manual for Wario Ware, etc.  

Atheist is not a direct logical negation, so it doesn't have such a clear cut definition.  Atheist is a label that we are using to define a group.  It's up to us to create the label in such a way that it describes the group we want it to describe.

I would say a good definition for atheist would be "one who holds the position of atheism".  I would define atheism as "The position that the proposition "a god or gods exist" has not been demonstrated to be true."  This definition would I believe include everyone we mean to talk about when we talk about atheism, and would exclude everyone we don't.  For example, you acknowledged that we do not really care about babies when we're discussing atheism.  So, this definition would exclude them. 

I think this is a pretty good definition that accurately conveys what we mean to talk about when talking about when we use the term atheist.  Do you have a definition that you feel better conveys what we mean?  If so, what is that definition and why?

By your definition I am not allowed to say that I am "not a theist" even if I am not considering myself a theist. Is that correct?

Also, if you define "not a theist" as something as literally everything that doesn't fit the definition of a theist, then this would include an atheist. Am I correct?

Your definition of atheism would exclude people who  are  even being presented with evidence still wouldn't believe in one due to other reasons. For example, god being a mass murderer. Is that correct?

 

I don't want to sound pendantic, but let's get to the bottom of it.