Why capitalize the common noun "atheist"?

What effect is the word "Atheist", spelt with a capital A, intended to have on the meaning of the sentence in which it appears?

@fmf said
What effect is the word "Atheist", spelt with a capital A, intended to have on the meaning of the sentence in which it appears?

Since “atheist” is not a noun requiring capitalisation as in the name Andrew for example, then I would say that it depends on the context of who’s writing it.

Consider the word “trinity” for example; as well as the addition of “Holy” (also capitalised), sonship will write it as “Holy Trinity” with both words capitalised in order to lend the objective some increased importance or significance when in fact the word “trinity” isn’t even in the Bible.

“Atheist” when written with a capital A by sonship then would be him lending the noun a mock importance or significance in my opinion. Outside of this explanation I can see no reason to capitalise “atheist”.

@divegeester said
Since “atheist” is not a noun requiring capitalisation as in the name Andrew for example, then I would say that it depends on the context of who’s writing it.

Consider the word “trinity” for example; as well as the addition of “Holy” (also capitalised), sonship will write it as “Holy Trinity” with both words capitalised in order to lend the objective some increased im ...[text shortened]... significance in my opinion. Outside of this explanation I can see no reason to capitalise “atheist”.

However, in many cases, irregular capitalization is mainly a question of style.

This is evident in many writings of the founders of America in documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

@suzianne said
However, in many cases, irregular capitalization is mainly a question of style.

This is evident in many writings of the founders of America in documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

Writing styles and conventions - and the inconsistencies on display - from almost 250 years ago hardly seem relevant. Capitalizing "Christian" makes sense, but not "atheist" for the same reason one wouldn't capitalize "theist". And anyway, if we just agree to disagree on that, what effect does the style of spelling "atheist" with a capital A have on its intended meaning?

The post that was quoted here has been removed

Well done.

What's your answer to the OP question?

Hmm. If only there was an adjective to describe that sort of noun.

@bigdoggproblem said
Hmm. If only there was an adjective to describe that sort of noun.

Indeed, I acknowledge my error.

However in mitigation I offer that perhaps Atheist was also mistaken in this way.

@divegeester said
Indeed, I acknowledge my error.

However in mitigation I offer that perhaps Atheist was also mistaken in this way.

I think there are people on both sides that prefer capital-A Atheism; they'd like to make it into its own bizarro religion.

I am not one of those people.

@fmf said
Writing styles and conventions - and the inconsistencies on display - from almost 250 years ago hardly seem relevant. Capitalizing "Christian" makes sense, but not "atheist" for the same reason one wouldn't capitalize "theist". And anyway, if we just agree to disagree on that, what effect does the style of spelling "atheist" with a capital A have on its intended meaning?

As I said, it is a question of style. Usually, it can also denote emphasis on a word or words in a sentence. It is a styling not completely unheard of, as I already mentioned.

@suzianne said
As I said, it is a question of style. Usually, it can also denote emphasis on a word or words in a sentence. It is a styling not completely unheard of, as I already mentioned.

OK, so it's style. But I am asking about meaning. In your view, what effect does the style, where the word "Atheist" is spelt with a capital A, have on the intended meaning of the sentence in which this particular stylization appears?

@fmf said
OK, so it's style. But I am asking about meaning. In your view, what effect does the style, where the word "Atheist" is spelt with a capital A, have on the intended meaning of the sentence in which this particular stylization appears?

I suppose that as a proper noun it implies a greater commitment. What the (alleged) Rationalists call apathetic atheists would be lower case, but the upper case Atheists insist on attempting to talk believers out of their faith.

@fmf said
What effect is the word "Atheist", spelt with a capital A, intended to have on the meaning of the sentence in which it appears?

Someday when millennial Controll (<— joke if you don’t understand or you dont have a sense of humor) Congress they’ll do away with correct spelling punctuation because people text now.

@rbhill said
Someday when millennial Controll (<— joke if you don’t understand or you dont have a sense of humor) Congress they’ll do away with correct spelling punctuation because people text now.

Judging by your post it looks as if they've already done away with conjunctives.

@deepthought said
I suppose that as a proper noun it implies a greater commitment. What the (alleged) Rationalists call apathetic atheists would be lower case, but the upper case Atheists insist on attempting to talk believers out of their faith.

In the context of this community, a kind of paranoia indicator, then, if used all the time, as is the case with sonship.