Which term do you prefer to be called?

[Chris OConnor]

Which term do you prefer to be called?Assuming you don't believe in a deity of any kind!Please pick one or provide your own.Results (total votes = 9):Atheist&nbsp5 / 55.6%&nbsp Agnostic&nbsp1 / 11.1%&nbsp Freethinker&nbsp2 / 22.2%&nbsp Secular Humanist&nbsp0 / 0.0%&nbspBright&nbsp1 / 11.1%&nbsp 

[marti1900]

Other than 'bright', I think all those terms are really irritating, labeling, pigeonholing, and jargonistic.I don't care what anyone calls me, just don't call me late to dinner.Marti in Mexico

[Chris OConnor]

I'm proud of the label of atheist.Chris

[Mr. P]

I hate labels. That is what is wrong with people...everyone has to be labeled as something other than "human"...and even human bothers me sometimes.Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

[Chris OConnor]

NickIf it is any consolation to you, I've never really considered you human. Chris

[Mr. P]

That makes me happy. Humans embarrass me. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

[Izdaari]

Of course I have to reject the assumption since I do believe in a deity.I voted "bright" since I am, not by my own definition, but by Mensa's (I qualify for membership - not going to brag about my IQ beyond that). That however has nothing to do with whether I believe in a deity or not, and for non-theists to claim otherwise is obnoxious and infuriating.I could also lay some claim to the term "free thinker" since I am open to all possibilities and take a skeptical approach.When I didn't believe in a deity, I could've called myself an agnostic and sometimes did, since I was one who simply didn't know if there was a deity or not, and didn't know if it was possible to know. However, at gut level I suppose I've always been at least a bit of a pantheist or deist, since even then I believed in the Tao... and still do. Now I just consider that another aspect of God.

[Mr. P]

Quote:That however has nothing to do with whether I believe in a deity or not, and for non-theists to claim otherwise is obnoxious and infuriating.You are so right...high IQ has nothing to do with the error of belief in a god. Some of the smartest people can be duped by even a mediocre con.You angst at non-theists using the term bright for the name of a group may be infuriating to you, but just think of how all non-theists, atheists and others who see reality that much more clearly than those of dogmatic faith feel when we are told that the capacity to be moral is reserved only for those who believe in a made up deity.You are participating in a majority atheist/freethinker/non-theist community...our goal here is not concensus with those who believe in a god or gods...or to make them feel warm and cozy.Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

[tarav]

Atheist, I am! I usually label myself atheist. However, I would also describe myself as a freethinker. I considered the term Bright, but haven't embraced it. I did the agnostic thing for awhile. Secular Humanist is one that I never considered, yet probably applies to me.Nick, your comment, "You are participating in a majority atheist/freethinker/non-theist community...our goal here is not concensus with those who believe in a god or gods...or to make them feel warm and cozy" should be a banner somewhere on our homepage! It could be preceded by the word, "Warning:"! How about it, Chris?

[Mr. P]

Ha...I like that! Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper