I attend mass because my husband is Catholic. He attends Presbyterian services with me. I understand that it is the Catholic teaching that it is not a wafer but that’s not a teaching I agree with, so it would be inappropriate for me to call it anything else. The same reason it’s inappropriate for me to kneel. I can respect what the Catholics teach and believe but if I don’t agree it’s inappropriate for me to make motions like I do - any more than I should take communion there.
Now I hope I can add further clarification without sounding too persnickety. The word "host" in itself doesn't mean anything but a flat piece of bread. Even unconsecrated, we call them "hosts."(E.g. Fr. Raymond got a package of Mass suppies at the mission station via USPS, but unfortunately the box was damaged and a bunch of hosts spilled out. The ones that got dirty he put in the disposal.")
In other words,"host" is just a synonym for such words as "wafer,""cracker," "matzo" or unleavened bread.
However, here's what we think when the various words are used:
Host: "Ah, here's a good non-Catholic who knows a bit about terminology." (Accurate and neutral, i.e. does not imply belief.) :o)
Wafer: "Good soul, means well, but probably gets her religious information from People magazine.":o|
Cracker: "Bad news. An unpleasant person who actually doesn't know jack-chick about Catholicism.":o(
Matzo: "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu!! A Hebrew-Catholic!!":oD
After it's consecrated, it can be called a "consecrated host" (still accurate and still theologically neutral). We Catholic believers would also say "the Lord's Body" or "the Body of Christ".