It has always been compulsory, although I understand the benefits of being an asshole. I'm not signing up on their team.

The charge of being "impolite" or "rude" or "hateful" is itself wrong.

Look closely at what atheists have to say to theists, and apart from a few young hotheads who are just as evident on the theist side, what atheists are doing is simply expressing disagreement -- and not even really voluntary disagreement, since belief is the inevitable result of what you know and how you understand it.

Failing to agree with your beliefs is not "impolite". Its honest. And the appropriate response is to engage substantively and respectfully and honestly with those concerns. Because not doing that would be ... er ... impolite.

To be honest I don't I don't spend a lot of time thinking about religion because I don't believe in religion it would be like spending my time trying to convince other people there's no Santa Claus it's a waste of time so what I do is I generally try not to talk about it because they have potential to get very crazy and sometimes violent if you threaten their religion so the best thing to do is leave them alone and try to keep your lips sealed

If it is a normal conversation then all the normal rules apply. If you press me or try to put me down for not following the fiction you subscribe to then the gloves come off. Since I live in a very hard core right-wing area the gloves have been placed in the drawer so they'll be clean if I ever get to take them out. I am described at work as the resident atheist.

Very carefully, or not at all

Atheism is part of my personal belief system. I never argue the point with anyone.

i don't feel a need to broach the subject. why would i? i don't walk up to strangers and tell them i hate celery, or that i think john wayne couldn't act his way out of air, or that i don't intend to get a haircut ever again, so i wouldn't walk up to them and announce my lack of religious belief for no reason either. i might mention any of those things in an appropriate context: someone tries to serve me celery, or show me a john wayne film, or encounters me while my bangs are growing out and i happen to let out a frustrated yelp and then strengthen my resolve. if someone brings up religion, i am not shy about my lack of belief. in the right context, i might bring it up myself, but i am more likely to bring up politics, as it's on my mind more. this is a nice site on which to discuss such things (and discuss other things with folks who also hold no gods) but the fact of my being here doesn't mean i am obsessed with gods or atheism. it's not as if i have an agenda, like trying to get people to quit their religions. i do have a bit of an agenda regarding people who try to lay their religions on me!

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I think it’s totally fair to discuss atheism on Sunday, since that seems to be the day reserved for the ceremonies of belief.

Why would one bother to object to another’s philosophy unless they were proselytising. If a group believe in fairies or ‘Greys’ how does it affect an agonostic or atheist unless they felt threatened. A polite atheist is no different to a polite Christian in essence.

Humor

when religion is not in the open

Try talking to other atheist, agnostic, free thinkers and avoid the others where possible. I don't visit mental institutions seeking conversational partners so why converse with the believers unless absolutely necessary? They have a history of persecuting those of us who can think and refuse to buy into their madness.

Whenever a conversation starts to feel like Team God vs Team Athiest I work to find common ground in topics that are not about the ultimate reality of existence.

Sometimes I cuss like a sailor but I am really a very nice and kind person. When it comes to being a polite atheist I'm pretty much like David Silverman.

Why broach the subject at all? People have the right to believe as they like, whether or not you approve.

I avoid religious people who preach at me, and ignore anything to do with the subject.

Why by rude to people? Plenty of those on this forum already, but I block them.

By the way, this website has a bit of a learning curve, so here's some info, in case you need it.

For members who are open to dating, certain thumbnails and profiles have a heart symbol on them with a percentage. This identifies which members are open to dating, and the percent shows approximately how compatible others are with them.

You gain website points by answering all the profile questions and writing a bio, which also earns website points, and helps other members get to know you.

Commenting on posts and writing your own posts earns more points. At level two you can private message people, and at level eight you get an agnostic T-shirt.

If you want to date, the website uses profile algorithms to find member matches, so the more details one includes, the better the match.

Many people prefer to see a written profile talking about interests, hobbies, and backgrounds that can be quickly perused to find others with similar interests..

In case you didn't know yet, to find members near you, click on the "Browse" button at the top of the page, then on "Members," and enter your preferred search parameters.
Click on the "Discuss" button, then "Nearby" to find members near you also.
Or click on the "About" button at the top left of the page to find links to FAQ or the website tutorial.
Points are now being given to level 3+ members who chat. You can see chat rooms on the group main page or at [agnostic.com].

I am courteous and polite. Being atheist has nothing to do with that. However, if religion is brought up, I simply say that I am an Atheist and I do not discuss religion. If that is not good enough, I end the conversation.

A polite atheist is one that isn't speaking up.

I treat people the way I want to be treated. I rarely have anyone ask me about religion, but if they do, I tell them I am atheist/pagan. If they ask me about it, I answer the question they ask. If they want to discuss it, I am fine with that. If they preach at me, or try to convert me, I tell them no thanks and walk away. I don't broach the subject. I would never try to convert anyone to my way of thinking, about religion. No need to be rude, manipulated, convert Christians, or be preached to.

I'm an atheist but not an anti-theist. Some people on here have been hurt by theism and are emotional when discussing it due to that. Personally I have not been hurt so I simply disagree. I don't offend anyone until they get deep into a discussion and want to know my opinion on their belief. Then we call Houston.

I never bring it up, but if asked I will say "you don't want my opinion, I'm an atheist"
Usually however that is blood in the water and the blood wine sharks start circling, questions fly and I answer them.
Invariably it is the theist who gets angry first, and accuses me of being disrespectful, then of being a bigot and then tells me I'll know the truth when I am screaming for mercy while burning in hell.

If the mood takes me I will then say something to the effect that I wouldn't care to worship someone who would do that to me under any circumstances and I can only conclude they do so out of fear not love, and then leave.

No. There's no point in trying not to be offensive.

Polite? ?

I don't honestly think being an Atheist, or a believer has any bearing on being polite.
I've seen both.
I've known believer to be rude, and pushy and very impolite, I've also known some that are truly good people. The same thing applies to Atheists as well.

Growing up I was taught to 'hate the sin, not the sinner.' Today I strive to 'hate the belief, not the believer.' Almost all engagements on religion appear pointless, as they bear little fruit--at least, not at first. But it is possible to plant seeds, as the believer will always remember with fondness, that nice nonbeliever who treated them as a person, and didn't behave at all like they were expecting.

Don't be the first one to bring it up.