My own experince with atheists is that whether stated as principle, done in practice or prettied with semantics, not believing in the possibility of a diety is an essential.

"I don't believe in this being even possible  because if I did it might compromise my position, ergo it doesn't exist" isn't a great argument.

I don't think "most" atheists conclude it's possible.

My lack of belief in god is identical in your lack of belief in bigfoot, call it what you will. The ones who are more aggressive in stressing the impossibility of a deity are usually so focused on the forms of the Abrahamic religions, which simply have much more to disagree with.

A lot of atheists I know would call you a fence sitter for that Goa and many would say you're just an uncommitted agnostic.

If you cannot see the difference between 'I do not believe in god' and "I don't believe in the possibility of a deity' ... I am not sure what to say. Maybe this will work for you. I wouldn't have any problem believing in a deity were there any real reason to do so ... I am still waiting. I am more than willing to change my mind (real conditions warranted) ... but you guys are not. I want religious folk to just look at the science and learn ... I am not trying to convert anyone to anything. I can take anyone reasonably educated, sit down with some school books and explain the evolution of man and if they are honest they will at least understand it. I do not actually believe that the Christians do not understand the sciences and how they are all intermingled amongst themselves. I don’t think they care in the least bit about reality is all … so they just do what they always do … they ignore it and hope it will go away, go figure???  This is not a good sign of higher intelligence IMO.

An agnostic is one who typically doesn't even take a belief. He chooses not to either take a belief in or disbelieve in god. I on the other hand do not believe in god, I am just not so arrogant to claim I can (or humanity ever will) prove so. So I do not say that it is impossible for their to be one.

That said, there are many different kinds of Atheist. You could classify me as a "weak atheist", which is basically what I said above. This is in contrast to the strong atheist, who is certain that there is no god, which appears to be the only form of atheism you've run into. A true agnostic believes that the claims "there is a god" and "there is not a god" are both impossible to prove and thus considers both to be equally impossible.

Boobz--not to be obtuse--it isn't me.  It's atheists.  Goa's chart above shows a lot of the established views but there are atheists with strong convictions in every one of those directions with varying views of the others.

A lot of atheists I have met flat out reject anyone as truly an atheist if they waver on the point of being open-minded regarding a "Creator".  Yes, open minded if evidence is presented but otherwise it must not only not be believed but not considered.

Whether any of you fall into that category or not, that is a large number of atheists feelings.

I don't care anymore for your atheist friends views than yours. If you will not believe me when I tell you in plain English ... then the problem is most assuredly not mine... If you insist in putting words in my mouth based on what you or your friends have to think … what reason do I have to speak at all … obviously it is not doing any good. How in the world am I going to influence you in any meaningful way … when you refuse to even accept a simple description of myself in my own words? Ever felt like you were treated like a piece of shit hahaha … typical theist hypocrisy everywhere (any book) I look (in). Most try to make this nonsense all about Christianity alone … but there are a few more religions and movements to be considered. But all Christians that prescribe to a major Church do not have a single independent thought of their own because it is not allowed … if they have drunk the funk enough to completely disavow reality … it no longer has any meaning to them … thus their denial and the quest for death (mentally) … for some after life. This is just plain too bizarre for me???

You are being obtuse … and it has nothing at all to do with atheists. This chart from “GoaFan77” is used by confused atheists who seem to need to explain themselves to theists and religious folk to help better group their prey. I don't do "groups" very well is all because it always involves someone else’s views and usually tries to involve me #^T#b$5!~!#.

Here are a few notables that have always appealed to me:

Of all religions, Christianity should without doubt, be the one to inspire tolerance the most … however from its inception to the present, they have proven themselves to be the most intolerant of all mankind?   [Voltaire]

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. Give a man religion and he will starve to death praying for a fish.   [???]

Two hands working can accomplish much more than a thousand hands clasped in prayer, prayer just seems more productive to many than actually doing something.   [???]

I wasn't talking about you Boobz--I was talking about atheists in general.  I wasn't saying you were being obtuse, just stating I wasn't trying to be. I have no idea where you and Goa stand--other than what you've said.  My point was just that most atheists I know fall in practice into what I said. 

Sinperium; you cannot use the term "atheists in general ..." because it is meaningless. Beyond the point that atheists do not believe in any god ... which IS our only common point ... there is no general anything. Christians categorize everyone to deal with them in groups (thus your comment ... "I was talking about atheists in general" ... there is no such thing. The only thing a group of 100 atheists will have in common is that very same disbelief ... beyond that, we are just 100 different people with our own personal wants and desires. You cannot generalize people like that ... that is reserved for the Christians and other religions ... oh hell ... you are a Christian (pun intended) hahaha.

This just doesn't seem very difficult ... so why try and make it so? I do not believe in god and because of that, I don't believe in the religions spawned by the gods and because of that, I do not believe in the books of any particular religious calling which were all compiled to justify their specific barbarianisms. Now if many of the religious folk can read ... and they read the above ... then they KNOW what they are getting into beforehand ... just as I do. I cannot speak for the others.

 

That reflects how you feel about atheists and athesim but what many atheists say but it's not strictly true.  Go to an organized publicly active chapter of the Freethinkers for a bit.  I guarantee you it isn't as egalitarian as that.

Atheism has many common points--even if all atheists don't share them all.  That how organized efforts by Freethinkers and the like come about.

And again--I'm not trying to make you do anything so you don't have to be offended by what I believe.

I've had atheists friends for years--I'm not talking out of my hat on this.

 

I think you may find this 2006 LifesiteNews article about a world famous atheist scientist who converted interesting...

From "Obnoxious Atheist" to Believer: Journey of World Famous Scientist
who Cracked the Human Genome

By John Jalsevac
BETHESDA, MD, June 12, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a world where the rate of scientific discovery outpaces anything ever dreamed of in any other era of human history, the idea that "science disproves God" is perhaps one of  the commonest arguments now invoked against the existence of an omnipotent
Deity...

 The full text of the story is available at:
 http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jun/06061203.html

My big issue is that I don't see atheists as "my enemy" but that perspective does not seem to be shared with them--and that's sad.

Sinperium, If you insist on discussing this atheist nonsense … then take to my post, I am not going to just keep repeating myself on this ridiculous subject here.         https://forums.joeuser.com/414656/page/1/#3052369  

I'm just posting, not "insisting".  You also don't have to read or respond.  Nothing personal--we have just had a difference of experience.  Should I deny my own to satisfy yours?

 

Sinperium has a point. The reason I think is because in years past Atheism was mostly restricted to private disbelief in God, but now it constitutes a predominant "Modern" worldview. A widespread segment of our culture is expressly atheistic, that is, it either rejects God ourtright or believes God exists, but lives as though He is not there.

Also, we can rightly say, "atheists in general" because Atheism is a central assumption of Communism, Socialism, modern philosophy and psychology and materialistic science.