Yes, but the topic is about the existence of gods specifically. I have known quite a few church-going atheists in my day, so the idea that people go to church to learn how to be good from a god or gods doesn't quite mesh.
Yes, people go to church for that, but does that necessarily require belief in gods?
Do people in strict Buddhist areas forgo the temple because there is no creator in Buddhism?
Semantic purism seems to be just a reason to be lazier than normal. If you can convince others that your meaning is the only true meaning then you don't have to put forward any effort to change yourself.
Say someone comes to the conclusion that the universe is peaceful and happy by looking at a field of flowers. There is no truth to this. Everything is in competition for resources or wholly indifferent to our existence. One must value the "truth" they find beforehand before it can be...
Sin is also an irrelevant concept in my life, except in moments where blowhards like telling me I'm somehow in the wrong and that their religion is the only way out of it. ;)
Consider the fact that he experienced this in his teens and young adulthood. How many teens call themselves Satanists or Christians or Buddhists or atheists or vegetarian without actually following what the label applies to?
Sounds more like teen confusion and rejection of parental opinion...
I am actually rather offended that people think semantics is a waste of time. If it weren't for semantic clarity discussion would devolve just as that one did. People can't simply assume that what they say is appropriate for their audience or that they are using a word correctly...