The fact that you do not want to engage with Christians says more about their likely intolerance than their love for you.A true follower of Jesus would listen to your views however antipathetic they were to his or her faith without rancour in the hope that you may see the light one day.Even if you made it clear that you cannot envisage circumstances in which a leap of faith would be possible your believer interlocutor should should continue to hope you may change your mind whilst holding out the hand of friendship.If anger is the reaction to the communication of your views try someone else but do not give up.You do not live in Iran or parts of Indonesia but in the USA which guarantees freedom of speech

Agnostic can be a easier way as most religious people understand what agnostic is. Atheist is moor taboo and also misunderstood more so with out the chance to explain your beliefs they could presume some stupid idea about what that really means. I say Atheist whenever possible. Mainly to draw out any misconceptions but this can be riskier as could leave someone ignorant believing very incorrect info about you.

I personally wouldn’t bring it up unless prompted, and even then, I’m careful to read the situation before spilling the beans.

I don't. I guess mainly because I don't see myself as an atheist because I never went to church. I say stuff like "I'm a retired physician." or "I'm a mandolin player". Because those things are real to me, whereas their religion is real to them.

I usually do not go out of my way to talk about religion to people I've just met. Usually I just say "no" if people ask if I go to church. Most of the time they don't try to press the matter. I don't mind a good discussion in certain circumstances though. It just depends on them.

Sorry, that just isn’t my jam.

how i tell religious people i'm an atheist: i say "i'm an atheist." i don't hang out with religious people, but you never know -- you could get a religious cabbie or be in a social situation with strangers. it can happen. so if someone asks, and it's not inappropriate to ask, i answer directly and honestly. if someone does NOT ask but just assumes, i respond similarly but perhaps with slightly less patience.

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I consider myself an agnostic, but still...

I live in Mormon Central — and at work, it’s even worse. But I am also a science teacher. Not exactly a place where I can talk about religion, anyway. For the most part, when I hear the religious stuff, I just nod my head and say nothing (yes, with colleagues, as well) — I am vastly outnumbered and don’t care to get into a religious discussion, especially since I could become very unpopular very quickly if I were to tell Mormons why their church is full of bull. If someone were to ask directly, I’d just go with something like “I’m not LDS” and that would likely be sufficient. If they push, I’d tell them I used to be, so no, they needn’t convert me.

With the students, I DEFINITELY can’t state my religious beliefs (or nonbeliefs). I talk very generally about religion — for instance, I told them there are plenty of scientists who are also religious, including a lot at BYU (just around the corner), so no one had to feel that it was an either/or situation. That’s about it. I’ve been warned about saying anything, including correcting a student who has an actual misconception about something in the Mormon church. Doesn’t matter if that’s a factual bit of knowledge as opposed to a belief one — it’s off limits.

I guess I’ve had people say “I’m Mormon” and I’ve said “I’m not”. But again, that’s really as far as anyone asks, and unlike those in the prominant religion in my area, I’m not out to convert anyone.

I say "I'm not religious" at work. Where I live it could get in the way of my career but I don't want to hide or lie. So I say that and let them figure it out.

Away from work I freely tell people "I am an athiest" or "I don't believe in God" if it comes up. It rarely comes up but if it does I don't hold back. But I'm not going to go out of my way to bring it up. To me that's too much like proselytizing.

It depends on how polite the tone of the conversation. Normally I just say I'm not a believer, and politely answer any questions that follow that disclosure. I have many theist friends who are okay with my atheism.

If i am asked by a religious person if i believe i tell them i am Agnostic and that i behave the way God would want a person 2 treat other people and Animals! And that i have nothing against you in believing.

Sometimes i say "i am an atheist," sometimes i say "i hold no gods" and sometimes i say "i'm jewish," depending on the context (i am a jewish atheist but that's hard for some people to understand, and i would hate for folks to think judaism was itself an atheistic religion -- too many christians already hate jews!) i don't hide who i am.

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The only times I miss the church are Christmas eve and Easter Sunday. I loved the music, the mellow feeling, the GIFT (plant or glow in the dark plastic cross) finally realized the 'mellow feeling' was mostly alcohol. I could not understand why un-baptised babies couldn't go to heaven, went to limbo? even if they had never seen a Christian who could baptised them. God loves all the little children? Too many rules, coveting is as bad as murder. My head spins. I agree with the golden rule many members subscribe to, but reserve the right to loudly disagree with hypocrites.

I had a lady ask me if I believed in God and I replied, "Who's God?". The problem as I see it is not the belief in God but the belief that your God only has value if it or the belief in it gives you some undefined superiority over the ones who choose not to believe or believe in a different God.

Trump not the most politically savvy man around claimed to be a believer and had his Bible with him on his inauguration day. I could tell by his body language it was a stunt. Believer or not he needed to appeal to a country that does not take well to Atheism. Even non religious people bulk at the idea. Exceptions abound of course and varies State to State. So tred carefully if you don't want to upset them.

Personally if your not willing to lie then your silence is a better option. Its not fair but as an Atheist you must see the world as it is. If you disagree I will not mind. I like disagreement it stimulates my mind but I implore you to only reject this because
you think it is wrong not because you don't like it.

Why would you say you are an atheist unless someone asked you, I am 71 and I have never been asked.

“I am an atheist”?

I never volunteer.... if they really push the envelope and want to know then usually all I have to do is to say "you don't want to know". That throw them off and cannot tell if I am joking or what.

Just say "I am yet to see compelling evidence for any supernatural entity". Most will dazel at your big words and move on to talking about something else.

If they want to start to convince you, I ask for a set date and time to debate. No one will take you up on it. I think many who claim religion are really on our team and are not at a place where they can embrace it. I am content to let them do as they like.

I don't start by telling anyone I'm an atheist. If a person who doesn't know that I am starts sharing about their beliefs but keeps it brief, I say nothing. If a person shares about their beliefs to the degree that it's obvious they want to keep the topic going, or makes an automatic assumption that I share their beliefs (not uncommon in my neck of the Bible Belt) I enlighten them by saying I am not a believer. For acquaintances who know that I am an atheist, but bring up the subject for more than 10 seconds, I make one attempt to change the subject. If they persist, I leave them to their own company. Life is just too short.

I'm a "devout agnostic", but I never volunteer the fact. I just smile and nod when religious beliefs cross my path.

When I was a (paid) construction supervisor for Habitat for Humanity, sometimes people would ask me. I talked about the work, how the ancients believed we should do our best work, even where it doesn't show, because the gods can see in there. But I believed that we should do our best work where it mattered, whether that is concealed inside an electrical box, or outside where it is visible. And I didn't care whether "the gods" can see in there or not.

Sometimes, if someone pressed me one-on-one, I'd admit that I was a "born-again heathen", which threw them because they (briefly) thought I was going to say something else. (To their credit, Habitat never asked me about my "faith" before I was hired. And it was a broad, major-metropolitan chapter of HfH which was non-sectarian and was not affiliated with any specific church. I don't think I could have worked for a specific-church-based group.)

In other contexts, I'm open about being an atheist, though I might say secular humanist first. I have complained that there is no "secular humanist" check-off on Matchdotcom, and if you are on there, you should, too. Sometimes I say, "I'm a Free-thinker, which is an old name for an atheist." "Free-thinker," because the word is so little-known today, seems less threatening to the religious believers. I might speak about freedom of religion, which I do believe in, and I say there is no freedom of religion unless there is freedom FROM religion. Everyone is an atheist regarding other people's gods. (If you're not sure about that, ask a Christian if they believe in Allah, or Thor.)

There is no telling what words might offend people, though. I recently told my sister "I'm not a religious man," which she surely already knew. (She was asking me to participate in a ceremony that I chose not to do so.) Her response was that she hated that word ("religious" ) and didn't want to hear it again (though it surely describes her and the upbringing she is giving her kids). My response was that I had said the same "I'm not a religious man" to our very devout, late grandfather, and he just replied, "I know."

Sorry for running on so long. Thanks for listening. I'm glad to be here.

Unless the topic of religion is raised, I don’t feel the need to state that I’m atheist. If it is though, and the person is really bible thumping, I will tell them matter-of-factly that I’m a non-believer, and depending on their reaction, we will continue conversing or I will politely withdraw from the discussion.

I am an athiest!

I am direct because I have no doubt. I don't believe in god or religion.