I find the term means, anti-Christian. I am fine with folks believing whatever they want, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus.......whatever. I except the beliefs of others, and would like others to accept my beliefs.

Amazingly comfortable....

It's just a label.

Not concerned with labels

Atheist is my second name. Totally cool and PROUD of it

When I was younger I liked the tag #atheist. It worked for me. As I've grown older it feels like it carries a lot of weight with it that I just don't want to carry around. Do I believe in any gods? No. I don't. But I'm not as dogmatic in my unbelief as I used to be. I leave the door open, a la possibilianism for whatever else might be out there. That works for me, anyway.

I am much more comfortable with it than the people who I tell it to. Some are schocked others say I will pray for you some actually accept it. At times it generates discussion which have been very entertaining. Many times I am able quite quickly to place a logical question that befuddles them and normally end sthe conversation.

I'm not at all comfortable with the term. I'd rather not apply labels to myself at all, because it puts me at risk of being held to account both by others who wear the same label and those who don't, and because it can suggest faithfulness to a particular viewpoint for the sake of maintaining the reputation of that viewpoint and those who claim to hold it rather than merely being convinced of that viewpoint for the time being. In the case of 'atheism' that viewpoint would presumably be that there are no gods—whatever gods are—making it appear to be as much a "faith" as any other.

I feel entirely comfortable with my position that I am somewhere between and agnostic and a atheist

I really think a lack of knowledge is the default, until you experience or are taught something. There are some primitive things that are inborn, I think, in the brain stem used for survival like sucking to eat, flight or fight response. My info comes from a basic psych class way back in the 70s. I probably should review it.

Well, when atheist is the name for someone that believes there is no god (there is no proof of a god, just as there is no proof of the fact that there isn't, that's why the term "agnostic" is preferable to me), someone that doesn't believe in Santa Claus should be called an asanta and for the tooth fairy it's also simple athoothfairy. The thin is that there are only a few adults that still believe that Santa and the Tooth Fairy are real. So, if 99.9% of a population is not believing in either, you can't call it a group that should be separated. In that case you better point it out as now happens, "my children still believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy". Way easier.

As an Agnostic, I would say I am not, however, I have no issue with anyone else who does identify as an Atheist.

I am always proud to say that I am an atheist

Two things spring to mind.
Firstly, the reason that we don't have a word for non-belief in santa or fairies is because non-belief is the most popular position with regard to those things, and that only immature minds buy into them, when it's quite the opposite when it comes to gods.
Secondly, I think shying away from the word atheist is counter productive, if people have a bad reaction to learning you're an atheist, it's a good idea as an atheist to dispel the misconceptions, rather than retreating to another label that means exactly the same thing with regard to belief in gods.

Prefer anit-theist atheist sounds like we are one of them

The belief in Santa Claus disappears with age and you pay a significant social price if you continue to believe when you grow up. However, God belief is not only accepted but expected, you pay the social price for not believing. Hence the need for a way to be different from the "norm" and, for me, atheist says it in the most direct way

I agree completely that it is a word that should not need to exist. Sadly, should doesn't always align with what is. I'm fine using it, it has great utility and cuts to the chase.

I'm not fond of the word from the standpoint that it comes from the premise that Theism is the normal thing. That said, we're probably stuck with it, and I definitely subscribe to what it means, until and unless presented with credible evidence to the contrary.

You know, I once told someone that God was Santa Claus for grown ups - I nice idea but just not real. As for the term "Atheist", I was uncomfortable at first - mostly due to the knee-jerk reaction I got from everyone around me. But, I'm comfortable with it now, at least in respect to how I feel about myself.

Atheist is a specific class of non-believer. Because theism is so widespread with quite a diverse number of variations belief in no god at all needed its own category. Atheist does not preclude spiritual practices. The term merely means that a person does not include a deity of any kind.Universal tenants such as the binding of humanity via a common soul is just one such belief.

I am comfortable

I can undress in front of it with no qualms.

A-theist is a term I wear proudly. It would likely not be as "needed" if so many religions & their followers didn't try to impose their beliefs & lifestyles on the rest of us. Since that is the case, here & in many areas of the Middle-East & Africa I proudly oppose that intrusive dogma.

Of course. I mean, the only thing that Atheist means is that I reject the claims made by theists. I think the best thing I've read is " I'm good, without God. I'm good without God." That comma makes all the difference but the meaning ultimately remains the same. We simply reject the claims of theists, that's all. There are other names for what we "are" but Atheist seems to fit.

I get pride when people call me an Atheist... I mean yes I am!