If an atheist doesn't get beat over the head with threats of hell, facing religious based laws they have to live by, being hated and feared for not believing, dealing with the suppression of science for theistic belief, etc... There wouldn't really be much of anything to say. Atheist then would have about as much meaning as a word for someone who doesn't believe in fairies.
I guess in this current society, atheism can mean something, but society changes, and so does words.
