Atheism doesn't have to be a belief!

[godBoy]

You can exchange 'belief' with 'think' if it makes it easier, people believe what they think is right.

So after your best evidence seeking if you're yet to find anything to make you think that a God exists - you don't think God exists, you don't believe God exists. This is different than saying "There is no God".

I'm not sure where you think the damage has been done to the public's view of atheism, I agree that most people see atheism as more than simple non-belief in God. There's a lot of people who see atheism as a position against God, where it's not necessarily the case.