I live in America and am surrounded by Christians.
Whenever I talk about myself to religous people, I want to say ,"I am an atheist". Do you say that? Is there a better way?
Honestly, I think it depends on the setting, if it’s a stranger or a loved one, & if you’re in a situation where you could lose your job or something like that. If everything is in the right circumstance, sure! But if you could risk an important relationship or a job opportunity, I’d say no. But if you’re comfortable saying it, I would try to make it not sound like an attack. But don’t sound ashamed either. Make it sound like you’re talking about the weather. Their reaction is less likely to be over the top if you do it that way. & if they don’t like it, well. That sucks for them. You deserve to be happy, your lack of conviction of whether a god exists shouldn’t be a precursor to that.
I usually don't, it isn't any of their business.
When I tell anyone I am an atheist they argue with me. Try to convert me to their views. It's not going to happen. I have been thru too many religions on my search. Been baptised 3 times, in three different religions. It is impossible to believe their dogma.
Say it like you are saying "I ride a bike"
An Atheist without religion is like a fish without a bicycle
When people start talking about their religion, I simply say "I don't believe in God" and walk away. I don't like debating with religious people, especially in groups because there's power in numbers, so I walk away.
Tell them youre a Jedi and the Metaclorians fired all of the gods.
I have a similar thing over being gay and transgender. I want it to be 'out there.' I don't especally need it to be a regular topic of conversation, I just don't want to feel like I'm hiding it.
My solution is wristbands. I wear them pretty much 24/7/365. One for Pride, and one for Sparkle (basically a UK transgender pride.)
There is an atheist symbol. There are various jewellery items available that display it. My recommendation would be to get one of those and wear it the way a Christian might wear a crucifix.
When I want to go soft on them I say
"I am not religious"
Otherwise I just say I'm agnostic.
In real life you only discuss religion and politics if such a discussion is invited, and you're still free to opt out. In a quarter century outside of theism the topic has only arisen twice. Once one of my surviving older brothers asked if I no longer believed in god. I responded that I do not. He said that's too bad, and never brought it up again. The second time is when I was introduced to a new circle of guy friends where there was already an "outed" atheist, they sensed the same mindset in me and asked if I was atheist and said yes. I was accepted into the group anyway.
So in everyday life I don't meet theists or atheists, I meet neighbors, acquaintances, colleagues, and the like.
Online is a different story. People come to places like this specifically AS atheists, agnostics or whatever, often for the specific purpose of discussing and debating these matters. Special case.
I don't. I stress that I'm an agnostic. It works for me.
Up front. Usually in the first or second conversation. If they don't understand or respect me then fuck them
I only tell good friends that I trust. On occasion, if a group is trying to convert me at my doorstep, I will say I am an atheist, it seems to make them scatter. I have had a couple bad experiences with bullying when I have had people try to pull out of me my belief system, I keep quiet about it in real life.
I had a missionary ask me if I had heard the good news. I just told him I was a philosophy major. Then he walked away. So I guess that works?
It they ask ... I just tell them . Most people couldn't care less, if they do care or are ' offended' in some way , I don't care anyway .
Ah what fun.
I will usually introduce a discussion that includes the many past (burning witches, killing gays) and current atrocities and lessons taught in the bible, (human sacrifice, the fun a killing babies, slavery OK, sell daughter as sex slave).
Eventually they will tell me they are a Christian and occasionally ask if I am Christian, At that point I can talk about how Christians are supposed to get their morality from a god that killed nearly everybody during the flood etc etc . . and how the stories of the bible paint their god as an insecure self riotous monster. This is all laid out in their holly book.
I tell them my sense of morality is much less destructive to society then those of Christians because, in addition to not accepting (faith) (belief without evidence) claims as truth, I realize there is no invisible sky daddy to forgive anything I do that is destructive so I take responsibility for my actions in our social environment.
So, No, I am not a superstitious theists as I use evidence to evaluate truth claims.
One method is simply asking: you believe in jesus what was the reason that convinced you of jesus?
Generally once you ask this question they have an idea you don't really believe.
Every time I have to deal with this they assume I'm an old man who just never knew anything about the "good news." Sometimes even telling them that you were once a preacher doesn't even work. They assume there is something "new" that I must have missed. Many coming to my door with their message even want to tell me of sunsets and trees, etc. God works in hysterical ways!
Telling a Christian your an atheist tends to kill the conversation in my experience
Yes, good point. That is why I address that question as detailed above.