I replied to this query via e-mail, but I think there are some
issues that are worth discussing in public.


I would recommend you to take a look at

1) your dictionary
2) alt.atheism FAQ files

to notice that atheism is _not_ a belief system, and what is common
to all atheists is not a belief, but a _lack of belief in deities_.
I cannot imagine how anyone could do research on atheism without
paying careful attention to this issue. 


IMHO, this is a poor method to do any real survey, although I'm sure the
replies might keep you amused for hours.


No, I do _not_ know what you mean. If you are surveying our individual
philosophies, fine, but that's not strictly atheism. Atheism is not
just another, godless version of the theistic explanations for life,
the universe and everything. It is not a belief system, and it could
hardly be called a philosophical system.

Once more: Atheism is characterised by lack of belief in deities. 
Do not twist the meaning, or assume that we have some kind of
philosophy we all agree on.

Some comments on your questions:


I would also like to hear more about this. Have we been able to 'convert'
anyone?


This question contains a contradiction in terms. _Beliefs_ 
cannot be acquired rationally - if they could, they would not be 
beliefs! You also seem to have rather strange ideas of how people become
atheists - those who are alienated from religion do not necessarily
become atheists, they just think very little about religion. It seems
it requires a considerable time of honest inquiry to find out that
religions are actually intellectually dishonest virtual realities.

Those who have never had beliefs will certainly find this question
quite odd - how can lack of belief be acquired? When did I acquire
lack of belief in the Easter Bunny? (I did believe in Santa, though ;-))


This question does not make any sense, since atheism does not deal with
these issues - it is not a worldview, or a philosophy, or a belief system.

Sigh, why haven't I seen a good, well-thought survey in the Usenet
for three years... and what is the point of doing surveys in the net,
anyway? Just to abstract some opinions?

Petri
