For the most part I don't share my beliefs with others. I know I have discussed religion with some believers and I shared my thoughts with them. As a former believer who drank the kool-aid they are now drinking, I see through their points and have answers for them. But I don't press it too hard. I think everyone has the right to believe what they want as long as they don't push their views onto me and tell me that I'm wrong.

Haven't been told I was pushing my beliefs on anyone, but I have been in many arguments with my mom about it and then she starts crying and says she doesn't want to talk about it anymore. She starts to cry even when we are having a civil discussion. So, I can say i've been guilt tripped and shamed for not believing in God.

I was on break simply reading an "atheist" book (Imagine there's no Heaven by Mitchell Stephens) while at my part-time job this summer and I had this one co-worker come up to me and ask me what I was reading. I told her it what it was and she asked if I didn't believe in God. Told the truth then she was like "oh" and asked me to put the book away because I was making her uncomfortable by pushing my beliefs on her.
I admit I laughed a bit before telling her no and going back to reading. If she had been anyone else I might have engaged them and asked why they thought that but this lady was a religious nut: constantly telling customers to "have a blessed day", that "Christ is with you", and other religious mumbo-jumbo, and preached to co-workers while it was slow. Talk about pushing beliefs!

A lot of comments here mocking the religious person in this story, or at least being dismissive of them, but yes I've met some atheists who are pushy, who become very indignant dismissive of those who believe and talk down to them, one was actually a friend. Which to me seemed a little hypocritical, seeing as she told me that exact kind of attitude is what pushed her away from religion to begin with. You can be a nonbeliever and not be a dick about it, and yes there are some atheists who, like religious people, who use their belief (or lack thereof) to be a dick.

All I can say is be patient, and explain yourself when they ask, after that if they hear ideas that they dislike, they've no one to blame but themselves.

Lol sounds like your friend is afraid of coming to reality so he doesn't have to face the fact he's been brought up with these comforting beliefs. I get the same things when I point out obvious views about stuff that just doesn't add up about religion.

No, I haven't....and I haven't because I don't waste any time talking about Atheism with people whose brains are intoxicated with religion.

"Anyone else experience this with believers?"

Only constantly. Our society's entire history has been that one-sided. Christians and Muslims are taught it is their sacred duty to convert everyone they can. Anything that contradicts them they chalk up to being Satanic influence.

All the time. Religion is in politics, and affecting legislation. It's on out money. It's in the pledge. It's on tv, and in the media, all while Atheism is looked down upon. You have religious people from multiple denominations walking door to door preaching "the good word". You have religious people putting church fliers under my windshield wipers while I'm shopping. And there's a church on damn near every corner. But I simply explain what I believe, and "I'm pushing my beliefs down somebody's throat." Hypocrisy at it's finest.

I experience this every day living in South Carolina. The way I approach people like that is to point out that as an atheist I stick to what I know to be factual and true, not what I believe or wish to be true. What I personally believe is irrelevant. It has been my observation that religious people, by design, don't want to focus on actual truth. They would rather live in fantasy and will lash out like a frightened animal at anyone that challenges the validity of their beliefs.

It is not just religion that yields this type of response, it is anything that is counter to core beliefs of someone. It is common to be told not to push your beliefs on them when you make them question any core belief because they want to protect those core beliefs.

The reason your friend termed you a "pushy atheist" is because you were taking him out of his comfort zone. Some people like to live in a vacuum, in the 'Land of Mush'.

As far as talking about anything as unimportant as man-made gods, my choice is to be able to understand and read about the latest scientific finds, in any scientific field; enjoy some great jazz; read an incisive article about the human condition. Yes, "jazz", a person will burn out if they don't stand back and take a rest.

Yes but these people do not see that way. Their religion states go out and inform the nonbelievers and convert them to our business which is what religion is. The other ploy is to fall back on faith! You must have faith to not be able to explain basic things. Commandments are rules for a society to live by and for priests to make a living by. These ploys make it easy to explain their position in life.

I always thought your belief or nonbelief was personal and it was no one's business.

Yes. Frequently. It usually happens in one of two ways. The first is when the local mission gang climbs up to the deck and taps on my door. In this case I usually greet them with a smile, then ask them what denomination they are. They happily tell me, the sound of uncertain certainty riding on their words. It is at this point I tell them I am an atheist/evidentialist/rationalist. They will usually respond with an uncomfortably crooked little grin, and bid me adieu. However, there are times when they press on like the undaunted vacuum cleaner salesmen they are. It is during these sessions when things get a mite sticky and I hear the pushy atheist comments, sometimes accompanied with the proverbial 'we'll pray for you' or the 'aren't you worried about going to hell' or the 'god has a plan for everyone' lines. This happens just before they leave.

The other case is when I get into a conversation with someone new about any topic, then they cleverly maneuver it around to something religiousy. I will make one of my snarky sarcastic remarks specifically attuned to their line of discussion, and then it begins.

Recently I responded to a question about the moral character of the laws of kashrut (Jewish feeding frenzy rules) by saying that those laws are thought of as chukkim (stuff that doesn't make any sense but we do it anyway because ... god, ya know). Interesting how those things seem to take on a life of their own in an instant.

Ha! I've experienced it HERE! How can you push non-belief? Atheism is no more of a belief than baldness is a hairstyle & health is a disease!

I have had similar reactions from members of a particular faith of which I used to get invited to social events, and then get asked about my lack of faith. Then when having been pushed for details they would get offended that I was as you said pushing my agenda.

It is too close to their doubts for them to be comfortable. You are reminding them of their doubts and they might just jeopardize that afterlife thing. Trained to be afraid of reality and many will die that way.