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Are you an open or closet agnostic/atheist, and why?

GoodMan 7 Sep 25
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348 comments (326 - 348)

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2

I am in the closet. The mother of my children is Catholic and my youngest goes to a Catholic school. My oldest daughter lives with me but we do not discuss religion.

1

My parents know, my grandmother knows, my aunt and uncle know... other than that I keep it to myself. I live in a very religious part of Kansas so i would definitely be treated differently if others knew. as an example the place i work at has a large wooden sign in front that says "In God We Trust" right below the name. and one of my co-workers told me i was going to hell if i didn't accept Jesus as my personal savior... its not something i share with people freely, however if they ask then I will not lie.

1

I am open about it. However the same as I feel bout any (or lack of) is personal choice and something you can keep to yourself until someone asks

5

Just as much as I don't want a believer to wave their stuff in my face, I don't think they want me waving mine. As soon as they bring up the topic, I let them know it's not a good idea to bring that up. If they still pursue it, they get resistance to conceding any part of their delusion as being real - and that usually wears them out to the point where they stop bringing it up.

2

I would say im fairly closeted. If someone asks, I'm not going to lie and say I beleive, but im not going to bring it up either. My Facebook profile says Religion - None.

2

I don't volunteer it, but if it comes up I state I am an atheist.

1

II've only just admitted to myself that I'm an agnostic atheist, and I haven't "come out" in the sense that I've made an announcement about it... not because I'm ashamed, but simply I don't think it warrants an announcement. I talk passionately about things like separation of Church and state, and also vocally challenge theists on their beliefs, so I guess people are noticing that. I also post a few links to atheist pages, outlooks, etc, on my socials, so I don't think it's a secret.

I am happy to answer someone who asks me directly, but it has been interesting that nobody actually has asked yet!

1

I am an open agnostic, simply because I have a big mouth!

1

Very Open

2

I do not announce it, but i would not deny it.
The world is an urban jungle, and i won't put a target on my back on purpose.
I will debate with someone about god, from their own framework, because i want them to question their dogma, and change their ideals from old testament fire and brimstone to new testament to walk like jesus and love everyone as themself.

I'm not going to try to change someones label, just their beliefs about the label.

Angus Level 5 June 7, 2018
1

Open but gentle. Many people have doubts about their religious beliefs and I like to be able to talk to them about those doubts. I've found aggressively asserting my agnosticism shuts folks down or makes them hyper defensive. I grew up in a very religious environment, so I know the humans inside the believers. Conversations with those humans are more interesting to me than a debate that is, frankly, getting a bit tiring. Also, as agnostics and atheists, we have a pretty crumby stereotype to deal with. I like to subvert that stereotype. That's hard to do when you tell a religious person they're stupid for believing something. They often expect an atheist to be disrespectful and aggressive because they're taught to believe that's how we all are. Some of us are aggressive, and that's fine. Religion has hurt many of us. However, I try to be the agnostic that I am, rather than take on the expectations of people I disagree with. I've found gentle, open discussions are a powerful path towards helping people shed unhealthy religious views.

1

I'm not a self-worshiping egotistical athiest like Anton LaVey , nor am I agnostic. I am spiritual, but I do think there is some sort force of good and evil in the world. The dark usually obsesses me, but I know the difference between doing the right thing, and the wrong thing/ Steven Weinberg once said something along the lines of "In a world with or without religion, you would have good people doing good things, and evil people doing bad things. But for a good person to do evil tings, that takes religion". On a tangent, look at Hitler and Stalin. One was Roman Catholic for most of his life. The other was an athiest.

3

Very open especially on social media!! I try to explain that the belief in a creator is dangerous because it makes us complacent to how precious we really are! If we believe we can be reproduced by a creator after a globally catastrophic event we have lost respect for our own existence! If we let many different religious beliefs separate humanity we may never unite as one species
I find it very sad and dangerous when religion replaces knowledge and understanding with belief and faith! .

1

When it comes up : wide open Anti-theist.
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear, nothing to lose.

2

Probably a little of both. The subject doesn't really come up that often. When it does I mention it, but otherwise I hardly even think about it myself.

1

My husband is a Methodist; our boys are non-practicing Christians. I am very hidden in the closet.

1

I am open because so many carry bad stereotypes about us. I think it’s important for them to confront honest skepticism that challenges the you are mad or want to sin narrative.

1

Pretty open from the beginning. LOL an Army 1SG once aggressively asked, "you're just an unrepentant sinner"

YUP

Thankfully my family has always been supportive.

1

Open to family and friend not so much at work.

3

Open if any one asks . but I don't really see teh point in anyone knowing really because it is an absence of something not a presence and not really any part of my life as I have never been religious - It probably is hte least interesting thing about me something that isnt there.

3

Open... I had a new group at work and our manager had an intro meeting/dinner and we were each asked to tell something about ourselves. I said I don't believe in God to the gasp of a few folks. I have actually had a few really good converstaaions with one of the more religous people on the team. He was the most outspoken that night and made a few off the wall comments and we have had some really good chats..

4

I'm an open atheist, trying to do my part to un-closet current and future atheists, and rid this country of the taboo around atheism. Hopefully I'll live to see an atheist elected President.

3

I am in the closet with most of my family because I fear they would disown me if I told them the truth. With just about everyone else, I am very open.

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