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The English agnostic [[Charles Bradlaugh]], in 1876, proposed that atheism does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he endeavored to dilute the traditional definition of atheism.<ref>Discussion on Atheism: Report of a Public Discussion Between the Rev. Brewin Grant, B.A., and C. Bradlaugh, Esq., Held in South Place Chapel, Finsbury, London, on Tuesday Evenings, Commencing June 22, and Ending July 27, 1875, on the Question, "Is Atheism Or is Christianity the True Secular Gospel, as Tending to the Improvement and Happiness of Mankind in this Life by Human Efforts and Material Means.". Brewin Grant Charles Bradlaugh, January 1, 1890, Anti-liberation Society, page 10-12 [https://books.google.com/books?id=Dwk3yV5MOaAC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Charles+Bradlaugh+definition+of+atheism&source=bl&ots=JtjIlK7qaJ&sig=E0HjYgfEyKXdEA4zlLAd9m41cQU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEgQ6AEwB2oVChMIrcijucWLyAIVCXA-Ch00NACw#v=onepage&q=Charles%20Bradlaugh%20definition%20of%20atheism&f=false]</ref>

The English agnostic [[Charles Bradlaugh]], in 1876, proposed that atheism does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he endeavored to dilute the traditional definition of atheism.<ref>Discussion on Atheism: Report of a Public Discussion Between the Rev. Brewin Grant, B.A., and C. Bradlaugh, Esq., Held in South Place Chapel, Finsbury, London, on Tuesday Evenings, Commencing June 22, and Ending July 27, 1875, on the Question, "Is Atheism Or is Christianity the True Secular Gospel, as Tending to the Improvement and Happiness of Mankind in this Life by Human Efforts and Material Means.". Brewin Grant Charles Bradlaugh, January 1, 1890, Anti-liberation Society, page 10-12 [https://books.google.com/books?id=Dwk3yV5MOaAC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Charles+Bradlaugh+definition+of+atheism&source=bl&ots=JtjIlK7qaJ&sig=E0HjYgfEyKXdEA4zlLAd9m41cQU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEgQ6AEwB2oVChMIrcijucWLyAIVCXA-Ch00NACw#v=onepage&q=Charles%20Bradlaugh%20definition%20of%20atheism&f=false]</ref>

Since 1979, many atheists have followed Bradlaugh's thinking further and stated that atheism is merely a lack of belief in any god.<ref name="Divine"/> The motive for such a shift in meaning appears to be to an attempt to shift the burden of proof regarding the existence of God to the [[theism]] side.<ref name="Divine"/>

Since 1979, many atheists have followed Bradlaugh's thinking further and stated that atheism is merely a lack of belief in any god.<ref name="Divine"/> The claim that atheism is mothing more than a mere absence of belief has been refuted by several atheists themselves and by ''7 Myths You Still Believe About Religion'', a video by Canadian YouTuber Matthew Santoro. The motive for such a shift in meaning appears to be to an attempt to shift the burden of proof regarding the existence of God to the [[theism]] side.<ref name="Divine"/>

In the article, ''Is Atheism Presumptuous''?, atheist [[Jeffery Jay Lowder]], a founder of [[Internet Infidels]] which owns and operates the Secular Web (the Secular Web is a website focused on promoting atheism, agnostics and [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptics]] on the internet), states that "I agree (with Copan) that anyone who claims, "God does not exist," must shoulder a burden of proof just as much as anyone who claims, "God exists."<ref name="Divine"/>

In the article, ''Is Atheism Presumptuous''?, atheist [[Jeffery Jay Lowder]], a founder of [[Internet Infidels]] which owns and operates the Secular Web (the Secular Web is a website focused on promoting atheism, agnostics and [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptics]] on the internet), states that "I agree (with Copan) that anyone who claims, "God does not exist," must shoulder a burden of proof just as much as anyone who claims, "God exists."<ref name="Divine"/>