I wonder if it was because I was born in 1948 post war baby boomer (England) people were just glad to find themselves being alive after all the bombing and the excitement of rebuilding and 'New' Everything in the fifties was 'new' 'contemporary' 'iconic' people got 'Art' on their walls and started to drink 'coffee.'

Interest was in the things 'out there'- acquiring the 'new' washing machine - I don't know anybody in my childhood who was interested in religion - religion wasnt 'new' it was 'old' taken for granted you'd get the baby christened in a church but probably have a registry office wedding as that was the' new'. My parents only went to church for births marriages and deaths and they didnt believe I do think the war knocked all that out of them - My mother was a welder on teh dockfront itn the worst bombed place in the war - they saw too much they couldn't unsee and afterwards packed it all away and began to live -

Nobody ever tried to make me believe or disbelieve anything

I'm sure the majority of my family would have preferred I was gay. When I finally let it out I saw the truth about religious indoctrination from a first person perspective. It's not a pretty sight.

I found using “agnostic” was easy but “atheist” is difficult. It could be because I was brought up strict Catholic (as in my uncle was a bishop catholic), or perhaps because I generally like to hedge my bets. But when I was being honest with myself, I knew the answer was atheist, so I switched.

Darwin had a hard time coming out with his thesis about evolution because of his wifes ardent Christianity so I imagine there are wwquite a few who had a tough time of it.

I still find it hard it certain situations, for instance, I have lost business by mentioning I am an atheist, even in the most gentle way. But until we all do, we are going to advance as slowly as the LBGT community did. When they got bolder, some things started to get better, (and some worse), but they have a LOT more acceptance than they did when I was younger.

I've never had to "come out". I've always told people my belief system is logic and science since I have been an adult.

The only problem was decidng I was an Atheist. Over the years, I have had a few negative experiences, but even they were minor.

You don't need to come out They will eventual find out and let the smile show you the way