QUIET ATHEISM CAN SPEAK LOUDER THAN LOUD ATHEISM

Negative atheism says that lacking belief in God is the minimum requirement for being atheist.  It does not claim that there is no God but that you just don't believe.  Positive atheism claims there is no God.

This looks like it is confused for surely atheist should mean you believe that God is not real?  The answer is that as God is a claim about a loving benefactor, a creator who gives you all you have, then to oppose commitment to God is implicitly affirming that he is fiction.  So negative atheism is denial but just not straight or blunt or direct denial.  Silently saying "God is unreal" is atheism.  Silence speaks.  It is clear unspoken denial.

Let us reiterate.

You don't need to justify not believing.  But if you make a claim you take responsibility for showing why you should.

Objectors say that just not believing does not amount to saying there is no God.  Not believing in Argentina does not mean you are saying it does not exist.

But we have dealt with that.  It expresses functional atheism and leads to deeper functional atheism.  Functional atheism shows that you do deny God but not in the sense that you make a clear vocalisation that he is an untruth.

Also, we are all conditioned to want a higher power so lacking belief in God is denying God.

CONCLUSIONS

If lack of belief is a belief or leads to an implicit denial of God then negative atheism is believing there is no God in its own way.  Lacking belief in God is minimalist atheism.