How do you tell people you are an atheist

[5thHorseman]

Alei,

you could just say. 'these tits are too marvelous for me to stay a virgin till marriage'

[mayor of simpleton]

Perhaps reversing this question might add a bit of perspective here?

How would someone who is a theist tell people that they are a theist without annoy the hell out of them and putting them off?

Maybe just mentioning it only when it is relevant to the conversation, so to say, as simply a matter of fact without making a debate of the issue is the best method.

I find that people simply don't really care to hear too much expansion upon other peoples personal perspectives unless it is really the topic at hand. Such an "aggressive" pushing the conversation to argue a point comes across much as endless baby pictures do when one meets a person they have not seen in a long time. It's a question of not being annoying.

Meow!

GREG

[AthiestAtheist]

I have been grappling with this for a while. Namely how do you tell people that you an atheist without unnecessarily off putting them.

Since I know many Christians (even fundamentalist ones) in my life who are frankly better human beings than I am. I suppose I would be upfront and say I am an atheist, however in particular Australians done like blunt people very much.

Maybe some people can help me on how to say to people you are an atheist, without being too blunt or trigger an emotional reaction in them.

It depends on who. If it's a friend or family, you don't need to tell them directly, unless they ask you. Just let them figure it out by themselves. Telling them directly makes a big deal of it, which I never felt the need to do. I would say tell them, but only if there is a specific reason. If they want you to take part in a religious activity, tell them that you are not religious, and then don't take it any further than that, unless they do. I don't think it is something you should say just to say, because it is nothing to make a big deal out of.

Now, if it is somebody you don't really know, and it doesn't really matter, don't tell them. Unless it comes up in a conversation, which you might as well tell them. There is no point in hiding anything.

So I guess the ways to deal with it are kinda pretty much the same: no need to make a big deal out of it.

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Aussies aren't blunt?

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I guess I don't know Australians, or maybe someone who isn't one would be more in a position to talk. I don't know. Has anyone not from Australia been there? Are they relatively not-blunt?

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Someone gives you hell, you get in that ass

You could have worded that better.

[belphegor]

i'm relating this to your question because the overall feeling of being uncomfortable or not knowing how to address these questions is probably similar:
i have a lot of christian representations of satan tattooed on my chest and hands. it's a juvenile way of rejecting that religion, i realize this. i still dig it, though. as you can imagine, i run in to a lot of questions regarding the tattoos from the general public. it's particularly bad lately because i took a seasonal job in the MALL for some extra cash.
for the longest time, when asked about about any of the tattoos, i would tell them that i wasn't interested in discussing them. that's the easiest way out. if you say that you simply don't want to discuss it, they'll back off unless they're annoying people.
lately, however, i've been pretty blunt about what they are and don't even go in to why i have them. work's been too busy to try to save my reputation, you know? screw 'em.
i don't think that there's an easy way to tell a stranger or someone you know in a professional setting that you're not part of the majority. you can either stick by your guns and deal with the anxiety of the situation or you can tell them you're not interested in talking about your atheism. if you find another way, let me know

[scatterman]

I just tell people I try to have a practical outlook on life.

[Minimalist]

I usually say that I don't believe in any of the absurd gods invented by the mind of men.

That usually gets the point across.


If they persist.....I say "even yours."

[belphegor]

yeah, but the OP was asking for ways to answer the question without putting the christians in his life off. saying you have a more "practical outlook" or that you "don't believe in any of the absurd gods" is likely going to evoke a defensive reaction.
expressing that you hold a different opinion than the majority regarding something as serious (to many people) as religion without putting them off is something that takes a lot of charisma and skill. personally, i have no idea how to go about it being the awkward person that i am. i think that letting someone know that you don't reject or think less of them for their beliefs is a good way to disarm someone. lead by example, maybe

[Minimalist]

yeah, but the OP was asking for ways to answer the question without putting the christians in his life off.

Listen. It is NOT FUCKING POSSIBLE to tell one of these xtian assholes that you don't believe in their fairy tales without them being "put off."
If they are true believers they will go ape shit.

[Norfolk And Chance]

Agree with Minimalist here. A xtian who gets offended by somebody saying "I am an atheist, I listen to reason" is a person not worth knowing. So what if they get upset? Fuck them. I'm slowly turning into an anti-theist.

[belphegor]

yeah, but the OP was asking for ways to answer the question without putting the christians in his life off.

Listen. It is NOT FUCKING POSSIBLE to tell one of these xtian assholes that you don't believe in their fairy tales without them being "put off."
If they are true believers they will go ape shit.

i disagree. part of being an adult means you can share conflicting ideas with other adults and not go ape shit. i have plenty of religious people in my life that, while disagree with my stance, tolerate and respect my opinion and me as a person. i think the OP's goal is to get these people to tolerate his views without pissing them off.