Do atheists call themselves "atheist" because they still feel the need to belong to something?

Answer 1

Do you call yourself white because you need to define yourself in relation to every other race's presence of color? Athiest is the lack of religion as white is the lack of pigment in your skin. Hee hee hee.

Answer 2

I'm surprised to see so many swat away what I think is a very fair question.

Answering for myself, I don't generally identify myself as an atheist--only in forums like this one. This isn't because I'm opposed to being associated with other atheists, it's just that atheism is really a statement of what I am not rather than a statement of what I am. An atheist is one who holds that supernatural beings do not exist. That's it. And I agree with that. But what DO I believe in? I identify myself as a secular humanist because Humanism holds that we should live our lives by the guidance of reason, compassion, and values built upon human needs, human experience, and scientific inquiry, not handed down through traditions said to have originated with a supernatural being. Secular humanism emphasizes individual freedom and responsibility, and the need for tolerance and cooperation.

So, back to the question. Do I identify myself as a Humanist because it fills a need within me to belong to something? Yes. But it isn't a blind desire to be part of something--anything--that makes me a Humanist. I choose Humanism in particular because I respect Humanist values and want to be part of a positive movement that reflects these values.

Answer 3

I call myself an atheist because it sums up what I believe. I also call myself an atheist - proudly - so that there is a clear separation between myself and people like you. I want it made clear to the world that I am nothing like you, I don't want to be like you, and I could never think like you. If believing in god makes people act the way you do, I am staying as far away as I can get. And by calling myself an atheist, I make sure that others like you give me a wide berth. It's so delightful.

Answer 4

We're called atheists because that's the name that refers to those who deny the existence of god. Like, African American's don't call themselves African Americans just so they feel they belong to something.

Answer 5

Actually no. I normally just call myself a non-believer.

Don't quite know where the term came from. Probably some Christian yahoo like yourself that couldn't wrap their little head around an idea that someone didn't have to BELIEVE in anything to live happily, or BELONG to an organized anything.

I don't belong to anything..I'm my own person.

Answer 6

No, because we don't belong to anything. I'm not a member of American Atheists or the National Secular Society or anything.

We're all atheists, actually. I just believe in one less God than you.

Answer 7

Good question

Not all do
Its often so as to give christians a name to work by seeing as how they require labels so much.
Usually I dont really give myself a label, it just helps make it easier for some that really need one. Even though 'Atheist' can sound alot like 'Child raping murdering Chaotic monster' to many people, sometimes I dont mind them seeing me like that if thats how their mind works(its antagonistic I know, oh well).
But no its not to feel as part of a group.

Answer 8

Christians needed a word to call non-believers by.....hence the word atheists. The non-believers didn't come up with it. They don't need a label for who they are. They are beyond that. Christians are the ones who needed to label someone.

Answer 9

Atheists don't belong to anything, that's why we are Atheists. We don't practice religion and we don't believe in a god or higher power.

Answer 10

Atheist is just a shortened form of anti-theist. If we were so insecure that we had to belong to a group where we went on a regular basis to re-enforce, like religionists do, their deeply held misconceptions, then there would be an "Atheist Church " on every corner.

Answer 11

I don't - I call myself that because people keep asking me what god I believe in, and that's the easiest way to say I don't believe in any. It most represents my position. Besides, I belong to plenty of things - many professional organizations, skeptic/secular groups, choirs, clubs, etc.