I started to apply to a private Christian school when I lived in KY. But I stopped filling out the application when I saw a box to check whether or not I attended dances, or ever drank.

Ballroom/jitterbug dancing were my favorite weekend activity, and at the time I had a case of expensive wine, so I decided it wasn't worth lying and trying to cover things up.

I live in Georgia and work in customer service. Every day I have some interaction where a church gathering or solicitation for prayer comes up. Everyone is assumed to be Christian and primarily Baptist around here. Hell I got weird looks when I was saying "Happy Hanukkah" that week of December because these people get personally offended if you don't say "Merry Christmas."

Luckily, I work Thursday-Sunday 8:00 am to 7:30 pm so I obviously do not attend church.

It is a sales technique. Every sales man or woman has to assume that his client cannot live without whatever they are selling. In science false assumptions are the main reason for failure of conclusions

Well, I live in the US-Bible belt and everybody presumes that everyone is religious. They do not seem to realize that living in this area means that they may presume that I'm a Christian when I don't look like that I come from a Muslim-, Buddhist- or whatever ethnic religion. If they start talking to me about blessing etc. I just tell them that I'm not religious and they stop, but stay friendly. I seldom meet people that hear that and turn away.
And in case of losing my job, I would not tell anyone that I'm non-religious. I had a Christian education so I can easily teach children in Christian schools. The income of people without a job is terrible in the US so a job is first. But working as a non-religious teacher would also have benefits, teaching children to think independent. For that I'm willing to fake.
Just like worker in WOII in the Netherlands that worked for the Germans, so he was seen as collaborating with the enemy. After the War they tried to trial him but it appeared that he used his position close to the Germans to help people in need, like people that were in hiding and people that were on the list of deportation to the camps.

Maybe I'm a sourpuss, but I think that the replies of eating babies are quite tasteless to me. I know it is meant as joking, but still it's not the kind of joking that I like. And above that these replies are off the subject of the post.

Pretty common when I lived in the Midwest. No much out here in Oregon.

Yes, I have. Several times. It's unavoidable in the bible belt. If you are anywhere in public and people see you as pleasant, nice, sweet, reserved, any kind of quiet, calm and collected, they just assume its "the holy spirit driving!" as one woman put it. When I state I'm not Christian they look at me suddenly as if my head burst into flames and I grew a tail or some silliness. I rarely bothered to ask why they would think so but it seems to not register to them that maybe, just maybe, they could have possibly been LIED TO about non believers and the need to be religious in order to be a good person. Even as a child I recognized the horrors people committed in the name of God. Why would I want to be part of anything to do with that?

As a child, this question made me feel... wrong. I wasn't an atheist, but my mother had stopped forcing us to go to church. Another kid my age asked me what church I went to, and I just felt as if there was something wrong with me. It haunted me.

As an adult, in liberal southern California, this never comes up, thankfully. But as a teacher, I hide who I am. I'm afraid even being on this site. Although it is illegal to fire me for my atheism, that doesn't mean the parents won't find out and complain about me in some other way.... It frightens me.

I don't hide the fact that I'm Agnostic. I study all there is to study and also pray. I also like to listen to Gospel music. I understand my logic, but this seems to confuse people. I adore the concept of Angels. One co-worker asked me if I'm not a Christian, how can I listen to Gospel music? It seems they are whispering or gossiping about me being fake. But, I understand it although others may not understand so this is me. I see possibilities and whatever possibility is of love, compassion, and righteousness, then those are the possibilities that I follow. I imagine and hope there are entities like Angels, so just in case there are, I pray to them. Gospel music is uplifting and gives me hope that there's a purpose and a rhyme and reason for all of this and that I'm not alone as long as I seek the path of love and compassion (whoever may be called family of this kingdom). There can possibly be a world of harmony and love like heaven. I believe anything as such is possible because I'm possible. I also try to consult with any potential aliens that may be out there; it's possible. But, I also pray to any being or elemental force able to hear my prayers or cries to guide and lead me to the truth and the light. This is me. And, I'm only trying to express myself and share me, because don't get too many chances to do this without some sort of weird reactions.

There's a church for Agnostics and secular Christians per say (who sway more to the belief of Jesus but think differently than other Christians) and others ... all ideologies or theologies and it's call the Unitarian Universalists; so, I have an answer when people ask me about my church although I don't practice or believe in any one specific religion. I'm a true Agnostic... how the crap do I know what's true and false about realms outside of my perceptions? We wouldn't know anything about microbes if not for the invention of microscopes although humans for the most part had some idea that sicknesses were caused by some elemental force humans not able to sense. But, I do know that I choose whatever it is that is righteous and good against all that is evil (all may be subjective and extremely difficult to decipher and even so only higher order Beings may be able to decipher ... who really knows? I know that I don't know) ... it's very tricky ... I always said even when I related to Christianity that it's bigger and so grander than most may comprehend and will also shock and awe the majority. Just my thoughts. Can't help the way I see the universe and think.

But, it's weird to me; it's like some people will trust a Christian immediately, and from my experience, most of them aren't even kind, considerate, or compassionate. It depends on their motivation for seeking God and following Christianity. Some use it as a front, or a solution or healing from bad habits, some just don't want to suffer in Hell (so, mainly a self-preservist). I relate to many descriptions of what some would call an Empath; so, I basically can see straight through the exterior or surface of most people.

I was called the devils workman and was told my family was going to hell. I stated I did not believe in myths and we would all return to nature someday. Most assume that you are religious because we still do not receive recognition as an alternative life style. To bad for them!

People have often asked me "Ok, fine you're Atheists, but why do you have to be so vocal about it ?"

It's precisely because people assume that other people are religious that makes many Atheists as vocal as they are.

Lately I've enjoyed this assumption falling out of favor and find myself not having putting up a vocal front.

As a side note though, many religions teach you can't be "good" without "faith". Thus not believing in god or Jesus is connected with automatically being a bad person.

Yep, until they figure I'm not, then I get dogged with you need jesus in your heart and Ill pray for you comments. I they look in shock as I ask them questions about there religion that they can't answer while they try to preach.

Never anywhere but the South and they usually assumed I was a Jew due to my beard, glasses, and last name. I was given some books about Jesus. A lot of people confessed stuff they did that would have been frowned upon after they absorbed the fact that I am an atheist.

Presuming religion isn't generally done on the West Coast in or near cities.

I get it a little I also get the opposite in that people think I have a problem with them being religious. Much like the pepai challange it's really hard to say you are neutral on this subject.

Checking in at the docs, lady asks “how are you celebrating Christmas” I say I celebrate Hannukah. She asks if that’s a new way to celebrate Christmas. I say I’m jewish and she asks is that another way to celebrate Christmas? Btw, I’m a humanist Jew. I have a cat

I live in south Louisiana, so yeah I get that. I love telling people I'm Agnostic. Some don't know what that means and some do and just shake their heads. I wear a pentacle necklace with a dragon on it and an old lady saw it when I was walking out of the a store and grabbed her chest and gasped, she actually gasped. I didn't know why for a while until I thought about it and looked down. It gave me a good chuckle.

I have gotten the "which church do you go to" question or something similar in the distant past. I can't recall anything in recent years. Maybe I look less approachable than I used to.

Its not really like that here. I just had a comment from a friend who is Jewish. Oh you're not religious thats why you're on that Atheist site You've never been religious. Fine with me. Known her for 25 years.

Yep in Brasil you are presumed religious from birth. Most catholic....yuck

Although I have to ask, @silvereyes: Does this mean we don't get to eat babies???

Phhhtttt! I live in Texas so ... yeah. It's assumed one is Christian, so the questions asked instead are whether you go to the better mega-church.

I'm interviewing for jobs and it's a tough call. Feign Christianity, or contradict them and lose the job opportunity? Religious paraphernalia is always on show throughout the offices.

I tell people at work that I don’t believe in religion, they reply with “you have to believe in somthing”, and I say, no I don’t. You can’t argue with them, so eventually after they get red faced, they quit, but they still love me. They stopped quoting the Bible at me when I quoted it back, actually quite fun. I even made up my own religion called bullshitism, in which we worship the great space turtles, and the pastors are called turtle priests. They get a kick out of it until they think I actually believe what I’m saying.