Perry said: " The ultimate authority for definitions is of course the bible."
WHAT? You can't be serious... So the 'ultimate authority', in your view, is a book that basically is a compilation of stories and beliefs that existed centuries before Judaism, christianity and the Bible itself? A book that essentially stole, or let's just say 'compiled', tales from ancient 'pagan' religions? A book that condones rape, murder, genocide, bigotry and hate? And that's a fact. Certainly, you must be kidding...
The Bible is a book full of primitive writing meant for primitive people.
You can define 'atheism' as you want and try to generalize the term, but let me ask you, if you 'in your heart' say something with certainty, isn't that a 'belief'? Another thing, that example about the man in the office... pure rubbish. The word 'belief' exists and functions outside the context of religion. For example:
1. I believe in electricity
2. I believe in the sun
3. I believe mankind is cappable of great goodness and unspeakable evil
4. I believe global warming is happening but that it's not entirely man-made
5. I believe the Bible is rubbish
6. I believe religion is rubbish
7. I believe I'll have another drink!
See? the word 'belief' is not tied to religion, it's tied to the individual, which means that believing in something does not make it automatically real. I believe that 'God' does not exist, which is the same as saying 'I don't believe in God'. In your mind, what I believe, is irrelevant... so there, again, the word is tied to the individual using it and, in your mind, my belief in God or lack of it, does not change your perception in the matter.
So, even if the literal definition of 'atheism' is 'without God', it's all about perception and what YOU want to believe and what sources you use to base your definitions from. I prefer actual scholar sources than 'stolen' ancient manuscripts. Now copy and paste this in your next post (from Wordreference.com):
| atheism | ||||
| A | noun | |||
| 1 | atheism | |||
| a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods | ||||
| Category Tree: psychological feature +cognition; knowledge; noesis +content; cognitive content; mental object +unbelief; disbelief +atheism | ||||
| 2 | atheism, godlessness | |||
| the doctrine or belief that there is no God | ||||
| Category Tree: psychological feature +cognition; knowledge; noesis +attitude; mental attitude +orientation +religious orientation +atheism, godlessness | ||||