On Wed, 02 May 2018 13:18:24 +0200, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

On Tue, 01 May 2018 08:09:11 -0600, Chris L Peterson
wrote:
It is not a matter of opinion that if you say "atheist" means
"denying
the existence of gods" then you are wrong. The overwhelming majority
of people who self-identify as atheists or who are identified by
others as atheists make no such claim.

Do you have a source for that claim? Some sociological study perhaps?
Preferably a study which is not US-centric...

Well, you could just participate in atheist communities, and you'd
learn that. You could listen to talks, or read articles, coming from
atheist organizations. You could read Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris. You
could take a class in religious philosophy.

I have not found there is anything I'd call a U.S.-centric atheist
community. All the forums I've encountered are very international. The
atheists, anti-theists, and humanists I engage with are about half in
the U.S., the rest in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Canada.

And none of these claim there are no gods. It's simply not
conventional usage.

If you want to use "atheist" that way, do so. You'll be misunderstood
and your usage won't describe people who don't believe in gods. If
that's your idea of a good way to use language, go for it.