I should probably point out that you can be non-religious, and still be a theist...

To be religious, you need to follow a religion. But there is no requirement to follow a religion in order to believe in a deity. Many people consider themselves to relate to a "personal god" - much like the one existing within the framework of AA. These personal gods are attributed, on many occasions, physical abilities - like the ability to help sobriety - whilst differentiating from any religiously defined god.

Basically, every religion has a god, but not every god has a religion. Theism is the belief in a god/deity. If you believe in a god without a religion, you are a non-religious theist.

Btw, it's the same anon as below *laughs*

I used personal gods as an example, seeing as any named example would be made redundant if anyone else understood it, given that for you to know of it there would need to be some form of religion spreading the deities name.

I was saying that the follower of any non-religious god, that being one without any sort of canon or religious structure in its foundations [the greek/roman pantheon would be considered religious, so believing in those retains the title of "religious" in the believer] would be considered a non-religious theist.. so we have a non-religious person who does not fall under the classification of "atheist"

I'm pretty sure you need to go back and look at the two things that need to be avoided; canon and religious structure.

what do you do? Bring me religious philosophies - which arguably have both - yeah... that was real smart...

*cradles head in hands*

You either believe, or you don't. If you don't give two shits, you obviously don't believe, as nobody who believe in a god [or various god] would whimsically dismiss his/her/its existence. Somebody who doesn't give a shit is probably an agnostic atheist [or de facto atheist, which is pretty much the same thing - by admitting the possibility, however slim, that a deity may exist.. you become agnostic]

you can also not care, which is what i believe that squadmissile was referring to. this is called apatheism.

"I think there is a God"

So you're a theist. My argument isn't that every non-religious person is an atheist, only that those who do not give a shit are predisposed to being an atheist. You're what we'd call a laxed catholic.. you believe in it, but you don't practise it [I assume you don't practise, given you don't give a shit - if you do practise, you give enough of a shit to practise, so to claim you don't give a shit is crazy]. It's likely that you're atheistic by nature, given your lack of conviction in your faith [one doesn't question that you are a theist, or religious, only that you are inherent so - I'm basically saying is learned belief, shown by the fact you stick by the words of another, rather than find your own].

You're right, you aren't going to convince the extremist.. but mine was a statement of fact - using definitions to make my point. you don't need to convince someone of something if your argument is over semantics, given that words such as "atheist" are easily and accurately defined.