I wish I felt safe coming out as atheist in my community. It's not so much physical safety as it is job security and keeping a social group- which it seems I've never really had both

Im nothing. Any time talk of wizards and umber hulks comes up, I clam up. People "believe" all sorts of crazy, subjective stuff and metaphysical unprovables, and Carl Sagan taught me from 10 years old to value facts and the truth.

This is not to say that the core of faith and the works of faith have no value, this position is absurd. Our human cultures have been shaped by these myths for good or ill, they are our past, but they should not dominate the future and wont.

For me, im not a joiner. I don't like labels. Ive atheist hissed at me like "arsonist!" or "abortionist!" people are too fucking crazy about this. I don't like that people wear black shirts with a red a like its a crime. I don't like people that say they are "militant atheists" and there is no militancy. I don't like that atheists get together at atheist church on Sunday and sing, because they need to belong. I don't like atheists that attack people and call them stupid (even kids!) instead of showing them whats up. I sure as hell didnt like that sexist display during "elevatorgate" no matter what happened. I make the mistake of thinking that atheist people are all woke and beyond that sort of thing.

I avoid saying it or using it for these reasons. I avoid being group associated and labelled.

The reason there has to be a word for us that have no belief in the gods, is that the majority of this country is batshit crazy when it comes to god belief. They want to enact laws from their religion, and deny science and reason because it contradicts their fairy tales. If it was an innocent delusion like a belief in ghosts, there would be no reason to make a stand against it.

Very comfortable. We (atheists) need to start telling people to normalize it so it's not so taboo.

I can see the value in religion. It explains the inexplicable. It provides hope in hopeless situations. It provides comfort in mortality. It sets a moral code. Sometimes I envy the religious, because they have nothing to fear in death, and they genuinely believe that, through the power of prayer, they can avoid or get themselves out of bad situations. It must be reassuring to have that hope.

So I do wonder whether people, given no influence in either direction (including scientific explanation) would come to a state of religious belief on their own. Perhaps to explain why the sun rises and sets. Perhaps so that they can pray that their crops don't fail or the volcano doesn't erupt. Perhaps so that they can come to terms with their own approaching death, or the death of someone they care about.

It must have started somewhere. I believe human beings are naturally superstitious, and religion is just an extension of that.

very comfortable

I don't have a problem with it at all. Of course, I'm retired and don't have to worry about a boss or a job, my kids seem to understand, and I'm well-prepared for anyone who would question this choice or start to proselytize.

I'm comfortable with it. but in some company it can be threatening. As in people will threaten you for being an atheist. I count my blessings for being free to say it. I know it isn't true for everyone and indeed, may not always be true for me.

I identify as an agnostic, though I am perfectly comfortable with others identifying as an atheist. I have had to explain myself a hell of a lot more as an agnostic than as a pagan or an atheist.

I use the word atheist slightly differently than most people I've seen. Most people tend to use it as a noun, "I am an Atheist", whereas I use it as an adjective, "I am atheist". This gets away from some of the labeling issues, at least for me.
Here in Australia, and I assume globally, the majority of people claim to hold some form of religious belief. Saying I am atheist is a fairly quick way of saying that I do not hold any such beliefs. If we ever reach a point were humanity is rid of beliefs in deities, the word atheist will have much less relevance.

Being an Atheist was an interesting phase. But the time came to move on. I reserve that word for the occasion where my religious perspective is asked for, but no longer do I label myself as atheist. Human, that serves much better.

I consider myself to be a "being" of the Cosmos and could not give a flying fudge what anyone thinks. I have a problem with authority figures anyway, so god is the so-called ultimate in that dept. I do not like people "lording" over me with their fairytales and thinking they are superior because they know the truth and I don't. Never have so many people been bamboozled by so few, ( insert church here ) in the history of humanity than by the god story.

When speaking with others of the same ilk, I refer to myself as a de facto atheist, or non-theist - I think they're pretty close. But "non-believer" suits better when I tangle with religious people. For the reason that being any kind of "atheist" is an affront to them; a strident position stating "Your God does not exist". If I'm pushed to make a statement on whether god exists or not, I will revert to "non-theist".

Long story short: atheist <b>no</b>, non-theist <b>yes</b>.

I'm fine with "Atheist." But I consider myself "Anti-Theist."

Completely comfortable with it. I do occasionally have to explain that I am atheist and not anti-theist as some people struggle to accept that not believing a claim is true is not the same as believing it is false.

Vey comfortable. and by the way the Webster definition is incorrect and religious. Try the oxford one.

A-Theist just means non theist
just like A political (it does not mean you belong to another party)
A-sexual is not a sex position.

Very comfortable, but I never need to use it. I'm British, and in the UK hardly any of the native white British population, of my parents generation or younger, are believers. Therefore being an atheist is considered the norm. Religion in UK does not form a major part of politics here either. The situation is a little different amongst the immigrant communities. The tend to be more religious, as they bring the beliefs of their homeland with them. For example, many immigrants from Africa are Christians, Pakistani immigrants are usually Muslim,and Indian immigrants are often Hindu.

I am super comfortable with the word atheist and I am a proud Atheist. Even my t-shirt says so.
We could call ourselves
"People who don't believe in shit that has not one lick of scientific proof and are not stupid enough to be sheep to an invisible evil master"
But that's to long...

One of my pet peeves is when people think that atheism is a religious belief Other than that, I have no issues being openly atheist. It is quite an insult in certain circles, but I get amused when evangelicals clasp their pearls when they start speaking to me, so no problem there. In my opinion, the more open we are with the world, they will be forced to accept that atheist is not a dirty word.

The looks I get when I tell someone I'm an atheist is indescribable.....but I really hate, when they say, I'll pray for you....

I was having a great debate on line last month with a Muslim ,to the eyebrows chap in the U.K..
It was interesting how he immediately branded me a Christian or Jew, How dear I , a kafir , debate their holy diatribe. Once noticeably triggered and angry he blasphemed Jesus Mary the slut!! Praise Mohammad. Last word of God etc. I broke it that I'm atheist. Honestly it's a concept to horrible in his mind to believe. To conceive of a man with no God was to foreign. He would of been more accepting if I was gay, as long as I was Christian. Atheist monster. Allah won't allow a peaceful afterlife. Not to Atheist scum. I just thought Wow. Then learned he and his extended family made life for non Muslims in their suburb or borough as unpleasant as possible. Those of you left of centre , pro immigration. Legal or not need to pay more attention to Pommy ( not a slur) visitors like Douglas Murray. Katie Hopkins, And bless him Milo. Are accused of racism against a religion. ( embarrassingly stupid) History will ( books ) not media. Show that the much despised " Muslim ban. " although plenty not from the counties Obama first outed as hostile and now on the ban. They don't want to be American # not all .. of course 2 nd 3 rd generation citizens are the exception. But the rest truly won't rest until Islam is as dominant as Christians , if not more. Europes eulogies are being written this century for Sweden and France Germany even London. Don't let America
Be next. Atheists are a oppressed minority . If identity politics ruled our victim points would be high. ????

Completely comfortable. But, just to give context, I am also an A-fairyist, A-Lock-Ness Monsterist, A-floating tea cup around Mars-ist, and so on. Wasn't it Stephen Fry who said that if people kept coming up with stupid ideas for which there is no evidence then he would keep saying he was a non-believer. If they didn't keep making them up, he wouldn't have to. Amen.

I identify myself as atheist. Unfortunately, many people don't seem to understand what the word means.

I think it helps people understand how many of us there are if we don't skirt around it with agnostic. It's not well understood that a much larger minority in america is secullar because there's naturally the fear with labeling yourself. To say agnostic is true because it can't be known without evidence but it also sounds like we're on the fence. I like to say agnostic atheist because it clears the muddy waters. Agnosticism is a claim to not know atheism a claim to not believe.

It's accurate?