Belief that a god exist and belief that no god exist are two separate sets of beliefs.
Exactly that is the point of the OP here. One claims a belief in God by faith and the other claims they do not believe in God or have a lack of belief in God by faith.
Those two beliefs are the same. But you're forgetting the two "lacks," lack of belief that no god exist and lack of belief that god exist. Both atheism and theism can fall under the first one, but only atheism can fall under both. When you are asked, do you believe that no god exist? The only valid answers are you believe that no god exist or you lack the belief that no god exist. Your belief that god exist is irrelevant to that proposition. When asked, do you believe that god exist? The only valid answers are, you believe that god exist or you lack the belief that god exist. Believing that no god exist is irrelevant to that proposition. Your misunderstanding in the difference between the two proposition is the source of this confusion.
Ok so we agree in the above first section that those athiests that believe there is no God or in the existence of God have the same type of belief those who believe in God do. It is to these that the OP is directed. However I want you examine this lack of belief in God of gods in relation to the etymological root for the word meaning of atheism. Are you really saying here that this form of Athiest is really agnostic? - think it through. What is the belief of someone that is agnostic? Is not a lack of beleif really another term for no belief or someone who does not believe in God or does it mean a person that has some belief in God or futher more does it mean that I person is open to believing in God? If a person is open to believing in God how can he be Athiest when an Athiest is defined as...
“
Atheism” is typically defined in terms of “theism”. Theism, in turn, is best understood as a proposition—something that is either true or false. It is often defined as “the belief that God exists”, but here “belief” means “something believed”. It refers to the propositional content of belief, not to the attitude or psychological state of believing. This is why it makes sense to say that theism is true or false and to argue for or against theism. If, however, “atheism” is defined in terms of theism and theism is the proposition that God exists and
not the psychological condition of believing that there is a God, then it follows that atheism is not the absence of the psychological condition of believing that God exists (more on this below).
The “a-” in “atheism” must be understood as negation instead of absence, as “not” instead of “without”. Therefore, in philosophy at least, atheism should be construed as the proposition that
God does not exist (or, more broadly, the proposition that there are no gods). (
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Atheism is, in the broadest sense, an
absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly,
atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense,
atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. The etymological root for the word atheism originated before the 5th century BCE from the ancient Greek ἄθεος (atheos), meaning "without god(s)".
(
Wiki).
Atheism, in general, the
critique and denial of metaphysical beliefs in God or spiritual beings. As such, it is usually distinguished from theism, which affirms the reality of the divine and often seeks to demonstrate its existence. Atheism is also distinguished from agnosticism, which leaves open the question whether there is a god or not, professing to find the questions unanswered or unanswerable. (
Encyclopedia Britannica)
Atheism a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods; a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods (
Merriam Webster dictionary)
Atheism the doctrine or belief that there is no God or disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. (
Dictionary.com)
Atheism The term “atheist” describes a person who does not believe that God or a divine being exists (
Encyclopedia of Philisophy).
Athiesm a'-the-iz'-m (atheos, "without God" (
Ephesians 2:12)): Ordinarily this word is interpreted to mean a denial of the existence of God, a disbelief in God, the opposite of theism. (
International Stantard Bible Encyclopedia)
Athiesm the belief that God does not exist; not believing in any God or gods, or relating to such beliefs (
Cambridge Dictionary)
Athiesm the belief that there is no God, or denial that God or gods exist godlessness (
Your Dictionary)
Someone who believes in Atheism...........?
Atheist, a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates
atheism (Merriam Webster dictionary)
No do not midunderstand what is being shared here. I understand that there is many brands of Athiesm as there are Christianity and there is no misunderstanding of the two propositions only the questioning of them.
Thanks for your thoughts. Hope you better understand where I am coming from.