necoandjeff wrote:

> Atheism is certainly easier to embrace in Japan because there isn't the
> horrible stigma like there is in the West. I have little doubt that there
> are probably (just guessing though) more "atheists" in Japan. But to say
> most are, or even that a signficantly higher number are than in the U.S. is
> stretching it. I think the average person on the street would not deny the
> existence of God, gods, deities, etc.
> 

There are more atheists but not more atheists?

I've got a suggestion, try thinking out a position before you
start rambling on.


> As explained above, I wouldn't. And I don't think there are many atheists
> who would. Religous people who want to consider them atheists are probably
> just giving in to the temptation to slap that evil label on anyone who
> strays too far from what they consider acceptable. I've used the word
> apatheism before to denote people who don't really care whether there is a
> God/gods. A lot of Japanese probably fall into this camp. But I would not
> consider them an atheist. An atheist to me is some who has actively come to
> the conclusion that there is no such thing as God/gods/spirits, etc.
> 

There you have finally made a point, which is to define a word
the way you want it.