Definition of atheism debate: classical (affirming God does not exist) vs. modern redefinition as "lack of belief" to avoid burden of proof

John explains that the classical definition of atheism is the positive claim "God does not exist," but many modern atheists redefine it as merely a "lack of belief" to avoid carrying a burden of proof. John notes this may be partly motivated by that goal. He argues pragmatically: rather than debating the definition, clarify what the person actually believes and respond to that. Cameron agrees: skip the definition debate and get to the arguments.