atheist how many here ?

[lovegrenade]

Just out of curiosity;
what do TRUE athiests believe?
is it a renouncing of the Christian Diety?
or is it a lack of recognition of ANY Diety at all?

I don't like the biased wording of either of these questions. I don't "renounce" or refuse to "recognize" any diety. Those questions seem to suggest that there are gods out there, and as an Atheist, I'm choosing not to accept them or turning away from them. I realized that I was an Atheist because when I finally shed all of the "dogma" that was indoctrinated into my head throughout my childhood, I realized that there was absolutely no tangible evidence to support any supreme being. This wasn't an easy thing to accept, as I had spent years arguing against that very conclusion, but it is nice not having to suspend my rational thoughts.

As far as the "morality" question goes, I think it's kind of sad to think that people are only moral because of their religion. I was a moral person while I was religious, and I am a moral Atheist. People who are only moral for a reward, or out of fear of damnation, scare the hell out of me.