I announce at the earliest convenience that I am a card carrying, flag waving atheist. Then I explain that was a figure of speech. I have no card or flag.

If I'm speaking to a religious fanatic at my front door who tries to put me down for my non-religious thinking, I usually tell them to stick their stupid religion where the sun never shines and go on down the street. To all others I simply state that I am not religious.

Yes there is a better way. Educate yourself in geology, cosmology & physics, and talk to them. Don't be in any rush to convert people. Just help them to awaken the rational part of their brain, if you can. Worldviews don't collapse in a single moment.

Faith in God yes not holy book religions. Some evolution God played a role in. Souls spirit are from God given to humans. Use logical reasoning in positive ways focus forward. Pro choice and pro life both. Science and God. All starter knowledge and skills is from evolution and God. All our natural given abilities can be used for good.

I just say I'm Buddhist, and let the chips fall where they may. If they inquire further, I'll try to explain that Buddhism has no god figure. That usually results in the discussion moving on to another subject. I feel no need to challenge religious thinking unless it's being inserted into my politics or education.

When religion comes up and I'm asked what my religion is I always say I'm not religious, I'm an Atheist. Never had an issue....yet. And no, I've never felt uncomfortable starting my position or beliefs.

I personally am somewhat of a believer. As in I believe in a god but not so much in religion.

If the subject comes up--surprising how seldom that is, given where I live--I just say I'm not a believer. Conversations usually move one to more interesting topics.

No need to tell them until they ask. and If they ask then one must try to tell them in more moderate way with smiley face. Like if someone ask why you don't go to Church then answer is simple, sorry dude i am not Christian, I am atheist, if you like Church then it is Ok, your believe has nothing to do with our friendship. If he still remain friend then be friend, if it annoys him then he deserve to leave him alone

I'm pretty upfront about my atheism. It may be off putting to some but I expect my lack of religion to be respected the same and they expect their religiosity to be respected.

Every situation is asking for a proper reaction. If asked I will answer, but if they don't ask they will have to figure out from the conversation. Most of my friends are religious and I am not hiding being an atheist. I like to be with intelligent people where any opinion or believe can be challenged in a civilized way. At one occasion I had a conversation with a Rabbi. I told him that I am an Atheist. His wife overheard the conversation and she told me, you can't be an atheist you have a Jewish soul. I didn't challenge her. I have no idea what a Jewish soul is.

Surely all you have to do is say " I do not believe in yours or anybody else's "god" so please leave religion out of any discussions we may have".

When asked, I simply respond with, "I am atheist." Sometimes the subject will come up in a peripheral sense, such as a gathering that traditionally includes prayer. Since I decline to participate in prayer, some inevitably notice. I don't exactly wear my disbelief on my sleeve, nor do I make any effort to hide or downplay it. I'm accustomed to having it come up frequently because I am the only atheist (as far as I know) in my extended family. I have a niece, a brother-in-law, and a son-in-law who are ordained ministers.

Im curious what drives your urge to say it? I don't mean to disagree, just curious what's behind it.

Don't bother.
When people make their unsubstantiated and ridiculous assertions just tell them you don't believe them and ask for some evidence.
When they claim faith point out that all religions claim faith but they contradict each other. Faith is not a reliable path to truth.

As simple as they claim to be a Muslim, Hindu, Christian or Jew. Lol ????

When ppl say bless me or I'll keep you in my prayers..... I respond, thank you but I don't believe in any of that. I'm atheist. Folks reaction are always different, but always ends with something about the devil ???????????

OK---Prove it!

Any time someone brings up any kind of religion rhetoric. i'd say. ok prove it.

I also live in the Bible belt , having my own business I just say I'm not religious . I don't want to chalenge their beliefs and I don't want them chalenging mine . I allowed my children to go to church with the and make up their own minds and they are agnostic and being adults now thank me for it . They've been told their going to hell as I have been and I just say there are a lot of good people that will be there . So my friends when this life is over I'll see you all in HELL ha ha ha ha ha...... ha ha ha ha

Religion doesn't usually come up in conversation the first few times I speak to someone, basically because I don't want to hear about their beliefs (or that they were on the football team in high school, or how smart their rotten kids are, or the fact that they've had runny nose for the past eight years)... When someone asks me what religion I 'belong to', I always come right out and tell them that I'm an Atheist, and that it doesn't automatically make me a bad person any more than any other phrase used to describe me [brunette, myopic, blood donor, hockey player, dog lover, etc.]

I usually tell them that I am a secular humanist. Explaining that to them allows a gentler way to say that I am a non-believer. Discussion rather than confrontation often results.

I would rather tell my family I was gay than tell them I'm an atheist. To be clear, I'm not gay; I just think my family would prefer I was.

I may actually have enough points to comment! This question really resonated with me because I have recently become immeshed in a complicated situation with a friend who has just re-discovered God. She is giving all her power to Him, claiming no power or responsibility for anything she says or does. It's all in God's hands and if He wants me to . . . iI's a long story that I don't want to get into if my comment isn't actually accepted. I'll pull a Great Orange One by ending this part of my comment with . . .

. . . ah, my comment was accepted. Anyway, when I listen to my friend I get to the point that I'm almost angry with her for not accepting responsibility for the decisions she's made, deciding if the relationship she covets doesn't happen, it's because it's God's will. No, not really ! She plays a big part in how this new friendship could develop into something she'd like to be more permanent. No dates yet, not even coffee, but she asked him if he was a Christian. When he said he was agnostic, she didn't know what that was. Her reply, you mean you don't believe in God? I listened to her tale of woe, then told her I was an agnostic, probably closer to being an atheist, and she was shocked. You mean you don't believe in heaven? in hell? in the Holy Spirit? that Christ is the Son of God? and so on and on and on and on. She asked me why I was an agnostic, and I said it's taken me my entire life of reading and learning and experiencing to get to this point. That if you put ten agnostics in a room, you'd have 10 different stories. I actually got short-tempered with her because I had finally heard enough about what God had told her to say, what he wanted her to do, etc. so I said, "It makes me sad to see that you are giving away all your power. That's why God gave you a brain - so you could think for yourself. You''re supposedly made in his image and he wants you to think. Our one phone call was almost 2 hours long and I couldn't take it anymore. I'm tired of typing and thinking about it, but she is missing out on so much by not thinking for herself. She's my dearest friend, but she is not my problem.