this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2026
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I'm 60. Thirty years ago, I didn't tell people I was atheist for fear of retribution. Such as being shunned, or getting fired from my job. Not that being atheist is the reason that would be given. That was a real concern at the time. I did get fired from one of my first jobs very soon after admitting I was atheist. It may have been coincidence, but I don't' think it was.
I also didn't know of any other atheists apart from my parents and one good friend. No surprise since no one else was speaking up either. But, I did feel isolated.
I've never met IRL someone who fully rejects all types of supernatural belief, as I do.
In short, no, atheists are not going around telling people they're atheist without being prompted. I do recommend you start a low carb diet, though, and get more exercise.
You have now. I think of all religion the exact same way as I think of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Roman and Greek Gods, Harry Potter, etc.
And I don't mind sharing that belief, either. I'm not rude about it, I NEVER bring it up ony own, but I also won't politely accept their superstitions as a logical argument for ANYTHING. If we're doing something because God wants us to, then I'm against it. Show me a real reason that isn't a fantasy, and I'll consider it.
Religious reasons are the same as saying Mickey Mouse told me so, and I would have absolutely no problem saying "I'm not doing this just because your "God" says so, give me a real reason," no matter who is in the room. That's not being rude, being rude is demanding I do something stupid because YOUR psychopathic imaginary friend says so, and you're terrified that he will punish you if we don't. I'm not doing something I disagree with, just because you are afraid of your own imaginary friend. Go fuck yourself with your childish nonsense.
It helps that I'm self-employed, and my incompetent boss has the same beliefs as me.
I've met plenty online, but never face to face. As I didn't grow up with religion, I wasn't aware of the wide range of beliefs and the various terms people used. When I was first starting out in life, I thought there were atheists, and believers, and didn't understand there was a gray area in between. A deep soup of "spiritual" beliefs that people ascribed to, mixed and matched, and would still describe themselves as "atheist", and strictly, they were sometimes, it just wasn't how I thought of atheism. It took me a while to sort through all that.
I remember in grade school, when I had first encountered the word "atheist" and knew that described me, I mentioned it to a kid. That kid was my sometimes-antagonist, almost-bully. When I said I didn't believe in god that little shit was shocked. He never talked to me or bothered me again. LOL.
I try to be respectful of other's beliefs, we're all just trying to get through life, and some of us don't have as many cards to play with. That "respect" usually means I don't talk about such things with them, and that usually works just fine. But, as I'm sure we all know, there are a few who just can't stop themselves from "spreading the word" with every encounter. Them I avoid.
Hello! Fully atheist 79+ over here. I grew up in a Protestant Christian home, even taught Sunday school, but somehow never really caught the bug. I flirted with a mother goddess/earth spirits flimflam for a while when I was in a hippy phase, but soon came to my current stance: I'm glad some people find comfort in myths and fairy stories, but I don't buy any of it. Death is the end, there is no soul (I mean, look around you!), no afterlife, no heaven or hell. It's all methods of social control or (at best) self-soothing.
Luckily I've never had to deal with being ostracised for my atheism. The closest I've come was a friend chastising me for blasphemy. I pointed out that you had to be a believer for it to count as blasphemy. She also tutted about some Mexican-style skull decorations in a cafe, and I had to break it to her that it was some weird Christian thing, a bit like the Roman torture device she was wearing, lol.
I still did not tell anyone, not even my parents that I am an atheist. I am hardcore atheist like you. Just a lot younger than you
I'm very fortunate in that I was raised without religion. What's strange to me is that out of four kids, I'm the only one that didn't end up with some sort of spiritual beliefs. We were all raised in the same house by the same parents, but the others... I don't know what happened with them.
maybe they got inspired with new age spirituality wave that came in 70s