My parents are Agnostic themselves for the most part, but they introduced me to religion to the point I had to go through Confirmation class. Because, "Before you say you can't stand it, you need the full experience." The rest of my family is deeply religious though, so I just grew up as the black sheep.

My mother was a skeptical Catholic from the beginning, and went through the motions of being a good Catholic. She was always very liberal, but loved her mother and father who were very Catholic. To me I loved the structure and grandure of it all, but that's where it stopped. I love the pageantry and traditions and the stories. but could not understand why he gave my mother (and so many other children )polio at age 5. I remember her telling me that she had us baptized, " to be safe than sorry". She made me go to CCD, but after that it was up to me after 4th grade. I remember memorizing prayers and bible stories, and thinking it was pointless that this was all magical thinking, from a time before science could articulate reality. How could no one else see this? In the Military, everyone has religious affiliation, and fear more disowned by them then my family!

Where I live if I came out I would get stoned to death. Southern Baptist are the worst. I just play along with their illness.

I didnt have to, my family were atheists my children are atheists even though I never swayed them in any direction that I can remember .

My step-father disowned me. My biological father, who I didn't start talking to until I was 23, said it's my choice and he would support me even though the majority of his side of the family screamed at me over facebook and blocked me. My Mom just kind of ignores it even though she says it's my choice, she'll still ask me to say grace when I take the kids over for Easter or Christmas. My older sister thinks I'm possessed by the devil. With the exception of one cousin the rest of my family regards me as the black sheep. I no longer get invited to family gatherings, weddings or funerals and I'm normally the absolute last one to find out about any family news.

Friendship-wise wasn't much better. I have one friend that's an atheist and he's basically become my brother. We don't agree on much but we support each other when nobody else will.

I told my independent, fundamental baptist parents I left the church & was practicing witchcraft. Long talk, lots of "wailing & gnashing of teeth", prayer, blah blah blah then I laughed & said "I don't believe ANY of that stuff". They were so relieved I wasn't a witch, they missed everything else.

I remember as a young kid automatically being science minded.....I listened to the stories from the bible and thought, how am I suppose to separate this from jack and the beanstalk and other fairy tales, but it wasnt pleasant and it scared me....I thought about god and although I didnt really believe in him I thought, he sounds like someone I need to avoid lol coming out wasnt hard for me because it was never really in me, but I did lose friends later on in life and even a girlfriend. I often felt excluded mentally from events and even at the table during grace. I always felt that I had to play along and still feel the pressure to. Ive had to pray with families of my patients, ive had to bow my head at others table....I felt like Ann Frank in the attack at times.

I don't feel any need to formally come out. I have my beliefs. I allow others to have theirs. I don't care who approves or doesn't, so I just live my life. People who know can think what they want.

I was never a believer, although I was basically forced to go to go baptist church, it was either church or a beating by my stepfather. I think that it was the threat of being beat up, church = beatings/violence. It was Sunday school, then church, then back to Sunday school, for another hour of lies. I would never put my kids through the crap that I went through as a child

When I told my mom, her response was, "I believe in God." and I just said, "okay, doesn't mean I have to." and she's fine with it. My husbands family gives me grief about it, but I shrug it off. My husband is completely supportive of me, and he's a Christian. I've told a couple of acquaintances, but none of my close friends.

Complete shock. Coming from a southern black Christian family, it was completely bizarre to hear this from me. In my town, no one like me even existed. Like Unicorns.
Some where really mad....really mad! Assuring me that I was going to Hell, and that Satan had possessed me, and that I was a fool.

the words "came out as an atheist." is entirely too dramatic for my experience.

To my wife. We almost divorced because of it, and I think we would if we didn't have children -- one at the time. Having some guidance before coming out would make things easier, in hindsight.

But I found that most of my co-workers were all either very liberal (in terms of religion) or atheists, so it was not all bad. Just find a niche in your regular activities where religion is not central.

Easy for me - I have never believed.

In the UK, so not in the minority.

I have been told by many believers that I am "...just mad at God." To which I respond: "If Jesus loved me he would have treated me better."

Well it was not a trip in the park that for sure .

Badly. My ex was worried I'd ruin our kid. My mother was convinced I was only doing it to spite her. I lost half my friends. Most of my family still doesn't talk to me.

I just care a lot less now.

My parents knew I never believed. I came out at age 8. They were "disappointed" but understood that you can't force someone to truly believe. They made me get confirmed into the Catholic church when I was 11. I publicly denounced the church immediately after the ceremony. My parents couldn't say anything as I honored their wishes and followed through with my promise. I walked out of church and home. My dad dragged me back a few times, but I just left as soon as we got there. (The church was a 1/4 mile from my house.)