Unlike the"N" naming, which can be horribly offensive to the person to whom it is applied, some names may not be at all offensive to
the party being so called,  but can be a term at the height of offensiveness to the party doing the calling. I suggest  that the name "Atheist" is an example of this.

The use of a name to gain information can be the use a naming word in a fairly neutral
sense I think. For example, to inquire are you a practicing "Religionist"?

A response to this of, Yes, I am a "Christian" may be a labeling that is a source of pride to the respondent while at the same time it may be either neutral or even offensive to the party asking the question.

Sometimes the word applied in a particular situation may be fairly neutral, in its
own right, and yet be insidiously offensive in its INTENT.

Take the word "Religion" for example.

It is reasonable, I believe, to state that 'theology involves a study of Religion'. Here
the use of Religion is in it self neutral. However to use the word "Religion" to lable
non theistic Secular Humanism [NTSH] or Evolution as such can be with a malevolent intent.

Take note,in that vein of thought, that the courts, eg.: The Appelate Court Decision, John E. PELOZA v. CAPISTRANO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Concurring with the District Court,  have  found that they are not religions. However, if  opponents to both of them...oponents to their being mentioned in public school education... can be successful in any efforts leading to SCOTUS to change lower couts precidence by naming them as religions, then like the so named "Intelligent Design" they would finally and successfully be prevented from appearing in public school curricula.

Which brings me finally to my motivation in wanting to write this piece. Recently, PBS has presented the documentary "Origins" narrated by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of The Haydon Planetarium. The presented data effectively dealt, in my opinion, with the origin of the universe and of man to the best of up to fairly recent scientific knowledge.

From personal experience I am aware that there are those who would readily name my belief in
the findings of science , in accord with the "scientific method",  as  "Religion" and I usually protest against such naming because of my suspicion of mal-intent in their doing so.

 However, after being educated by the revelations that I encountered in the  "Origin" documentary, I  personally will no longer take umbrage with that "Religion" epithet when it is applied to belief in science, because I now perceive that the outline of a  new "GENESIS" has been so revealed to me.

To paraphrase a religious bumper sticker I once saw, Science "("God")said it!"  "I believe it!" but, "Thats (not) it!" at all, for with science,there is no soon to come end times, and indeed there is yet much more in a science gospel to come.

emanuel