All atheists have these characteristics?

[Pudding]

All atheists have the characteristics as described in the poll?

 

[YmirGF]

Like with theists, it is unhelpful to lump atheists altogether in neat little boxes. You can try, but, "Meh!"

 

[ADigitalArtist]

You want to make it really controversial, add quote "all known atheists are non infant humans" and watch people try and determine whether inanimate objects and babies who cannot formulate a question can hold the position of atheism, which then degenerates into whether or not atheism is a position or a lack of one. Then questions of whether atheism is a meaningful designation like nonstampcollector being a qualifier for a rock.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

All atheists have the characteristics as described in the poll?

Do you think that you can extend the deadline for the poll (Mar 14, 2026 at 3:32 PM) a bit? I'm thinking.

 

[Altfish]

Please can you add a "None of the above" option.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Please can you add a "None of the above" option.

That is true. If someone is going by the older definition of theism, which specifically refers to a personal God, one can be atheist and still believe in a deistic god or gods.

 

[Altfish]

That is true. If someone is going by the older definition of theism, which specifically refers to a personal God, one can be atheist and still believe in a deistic god or gods.

I object to the word "Belief". My atheism isn't a belief, it is a position arrived at by (lack of) evidence.

 

[MonkeyFire]

All atheist are nhilistic.

 

[MonkeyFire]

You want to make it really controversial, add quote "all known atheists are non infant humans" and watch people try and determine whether inanimate objects and babies who cannot formulate a question can hold the position of atheism, which then degenerates into whether or not atheism is a position or a lack of one. Then questions of whether atheism is a meaningful designation like nonstampcollector being a qualifier for a rock.

You would be surprised at how rotten skeptics get. Only a sith deals in absolutes, I will do what I must.

 

[Skwim]

Where's the "All atheists eat little children" option?

.

 

[Sunstone]

All atheist are nhilistic.

Ridiculous.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

All atheists have the characteristics as described in the poll?

Can you explain the difference between the first and second option, please?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

What characteristics do all theists have in common? It's about the same level of futility beyond the most basic thing that defines atheist and theist, as beyond that there is nothing.

All atheist are nhilistic.

That statement is blatantly and factually wrong.

 

[Revoltingest]

Need this option....
- Don't believe in gods

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

All atheist are nhilistic.

The most nihilistic people I encounter are Christians. They see the universe as an inferior space filled with base matter fit for apocalyptic annihilation.

They see man as a failed species born spiritually sick and worthy of eternal torture if they don't beg for forgiveness for being human.

They see the world about them as something decadent and to remain separate from.

The use the phrase "the world" contemptuously.

They consider themselves souls trapped flesh, "the flesh" being another term uttered with derision.

Many have told me that life has no meaning if there isn't a god and an afterlife, and that there is no reason not to go about berserking and wilding for sport without a god belief. What does that tell you about their view of reality? Isn't that a pretty empty position?

 

[Jesster]

All atheists are exactly like me. I am thirsty right now, so all atheists everywhere must be thirsty. Get us some water, please.

 

[Quintessence]

Other - those who identify as atheists disregard some particular god-concept(s). The nature of this disregard vary, and there are constant and (mostly) senseless arguments about which types of disregard are rightly classified as atheism.

Personally, I would only use term "atheist" when the disregard is active. By "active disregard" I mean the person is familiar with some particular god-concept, has evaluated it, and rejects that god-concept in some fashion. The rejection of the god-concept could be outright denial that the object identified as a deity "exists" (whatever that means), or the rejection that the object identified should be called a deity. This approach avoids many of the stupid implications that sometimes get thrown around with the term "atheism" or "atheist."

 

[Twilight Hue]

Everyone started out as atheist. There you go.

Add it on the list

 

[siti]

All atheists have the characteristics as described in the poll?

You really do need a "none of the above" option - for example, some Christians are functional atheists who believe that God exists but that they live in a godless world - they attempt to apply the teachings of Christ, believing in the existence of God but living "as if" "he" didn't exist. Other Christian atheists actually do not believe that God exists or that any of the miraculous events that served to identify the Son of God as the Son of God really happened, but try to follow the teachings of the Son of God anyway (Go figure!).

I think I might be an atheist who thinks that God doesn't actually exist (certainly not in anything like the imagined traditional conceptions of deity) but that our best interests might be served by living as if "it" did exist (in some form but not in anything like the imagined traditional conceptions of deity).

And by the way, according to my interpretation, the word is athe-ist (no gods) not a-theist (no 'Abrahamic' type God) - pantheists (for example) are not atheists and they are not theists - IOW they are non-theists but not atheists, likewise deists etc. I know this is a matter of opinion (although etymology comes into it too) but it just makes for an easier and clearer taxonomy of religious beliefs. Of course any individual pantheist (for example) could quite legitimately declare themselves to be an atheist if they feel so inclined. There's no reason Christians should hold a monopoly on paradoxical religious absurdity.

 

[suncowiam]

The core of atheists and theists are the same.

Just like we don't call an airplane a car, and a car an airplane.

Not all atheists arrived to being an atheists through the same paths but they have overlapping core beliefs. Same for theists.

Why even have semantics and proper definitions for objects in the first place?

What we're really saying is that blue car is faster than that red car. In the end, both are still cars.

This is the proper definition of an atheist from a dictionary:
"a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods."

This is the proper definition of a deity from a dictionary:
"a god or goddess (in a polytheistic religion)."

The definition of an atheist includes the definition of a deity, specifically, gods.

It's not fancy. It's simple.

At some point whether it's in a debate, a mathematical equation, or a court litigation, all parties have to unify their logic and speak the same language in order to come to a conclusion.

If all parties are redefining these definitions and logic, then no conclusion can be made. One can personalize their definitions. That's fair, but in regards to communication with others not having all personal context, we should default to a proper universal definition.

Personally, I did not choose to be an atheist. I let the word atheist define me because of it's definition. I am not redefining the word to fit me. I am a "person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods."