Should I hide my atheism?

[Paul the Human]

I agree that it is better to be 'out' as an atheist than to pretend otherwise, but there are even times when that alone would be enough to ruin a relationship. My wife admits that she is an atheist to our friends, but she has never told her family. Most of her family live far from us and are quite religious. If she told them she was atheist, it would severely damage her relationship (however long distance) with them, so she chooses not to tell them and I understand that. It took her a long time to tell them she was a Democrat! Haha! Thankfully, she doesn't hide it (either one) with anyone else.