Agnostics

[robvalue]

I could see myself deliberately misusing it if surrounded by people who are so ignorant that they have a violent reaction to "atheist", and I see no chance of correcting them.

You can profess to be agnostic or gnostic, and atheist or theist. It doesn't mean you actually are what you say you are. They are descriptions of fact, not positions to be chosen.

By contrast, if I say I'm a Christian, then I am one, regardless of what I actually believe or don't believe. It's a label I choose.