Are you an atheist?

If someone was to ask me "Are you an atheist?" and by that mean "Do you believe there is no God" and by that mean "Do you reject the idea that there exists an ominopotent, omniscient being that created the universe and everything in it, let alone one that has an interest in and is benevolent towards individual human beings?" I would have to answer "Only in the sense that if you call yourself a theist (or more likely a christian) you agree that you believe God exists, then I agree that I am atheist, in that I don't".

I might give a simpler answer to the question, which would be "In every practical way, yes".

This of course avoids that horribly semantic argument that ignores the weighting of evidence and probabilities, and in which everyone is, technically, agnostic. The argument goes like this:

Are you an atheist?

Yes.

Prove there is no God!

It can't be proven.

(Triumphantly) Then you cannot say there is no God.

This is perfectly true and reasonable. Of course, it applies in reverse, equally well, and thus quickly puts an end to any useful discussion that can be had. In these terms, we are all, theist and atheist alike, equally agnostic.