>>Atheism might well mean that in literal translation but atheists are far less than "not theists." You're making the severe mistake, common among non-atheists (God, I love that - gotcha, berstids!!), of trying to define us on religion's territory. I should add the bleedin' obvious, of course: atheism was not designed by anybody for anything. <<

I have to disagree with Steve Shaw.

Everyone I know who self disguises as "athiest" is anti-thiest. Certainly people like Dawkins are.

There may be people who truly don't believe and are neutral about whether or not God exists. But I have neither heard from them or of them.