Krieger

I don't walk around telling people what I believe, but if someone asked I'd tell them that I'm an atheist and a socialist.

philechat

I don't tell unless directly asked. But I often invoke Pagan dieties and (irrelevent and inoffensive) quotes from historical atheists in my email messages--as a response to those who quoted the Bible or used words like "prayers".

Whether those believers guessed it or not is another question. Yet I seemed to get away from evangelical attempts quite easily.

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: philechat ]</p>

Pensee

Not everybody in my family knows. But I've resolved within myself to tell anyone when I'm asked or if it comes up. I'm not going to go around shouting "I'm an atheist" but I'll readily admit to it anytime it comes up, even though I'm still a little nervous about it.

ashibaka

How vocal I am about being a non-believer varies proportionally with how vocal the people around me are about being believers.

A Pumpkin Drifter

I'd agree with Ashibaka. If someone brings up Xianity or whatever their belief is, I'll bring up mine. I've learned that quite a few people I know are Atheists or at least persons who are unsure. Most Xians don't seem to care though. They're rather nice folks around these parts.

Butters

I have only started being really vocal about it in the last couple of years (my freinds and family have allways known, I'm the village atheist.) The weirdest reaction I get from people are things like "really?, but your so nice!" or "I would have never guessed that of you!" It's really a shock to some people that think atheists are all evil, immoral people, and it really makes it tough on them. I allways ask them. "have I ever lied to you?" "have you ever known mw to hurt anyone?" "wouldn't you say I live a moral life?" ETC. Yes, Atheists CAN be good people. Oh that hurts.

Allkholollick

It hasn't really come up yet. I live in fundy central so everyone assumes that everyone else is as fundy as they are. Most of the time they are right. I won't lie about it but I don't go out of my way to advertise.

LLaurieG

(Laurie) Do I proselytize for atheism? Yes I do, almost anytime the subject comes up.
It's bigger than merely atheism though. I feel strongly that people should:

• exercise their brains
• question preconceptions, "authority figures" and "popular knowledge" of all kinds
• fairly apply the same rules of skepticism to everything: scams, quack claims, political claims, corporate claims, religious claims... their own as much as they reflexively do other people's religions.

I am a skeptic, a contrarian, a devil's advocate, creed-free except for the scientific method, a believer only in critical thinking skills that are applied to everything. I don't believe in god and not shy about sharing it if the subject comes up. But I'm also a pragmatist, which means choosing your battles. For example I wouldn't fly my atheist flag at a job interview. (Hire me first. You'll find out later!)

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: LLaurieG ]</p>

gilly54

Ashibaka put it very well.

If anyone starts a confrontational religious discussion with me, I actually enjoy throwing their religion back at them. I have no problem saying I'm atheist. I haven't lost any friends because of my non-belief. All my co-workers know and don't care.

Garbles18

I usually only discuss religion when someone else brings it up and typically, I don't say whether or not I believe in a god unless asked or it's necessary to the conversation.

On the flip side of that, I do wear my "Godless", "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist", and "No Gods, No Masters" t-shirts in public, but most people don't even notice them.

Of the people who have noticed, most don't say anything and most who do say something either compliment my shirt or ask me where I got it. The one Christian that stopped me said the she was a "Friendly Neighborhood Christian" and shook my hand. One old lady actually sucked in her breath and quickly walked away from me. Fairly amusing all around.