Yes, this has been the case. Ironic thing is, in America specifically, where stunningly, religious people act oppressed when it is them as a group, often, who attack non-religious people and oppress them. Imagine my not caring about religion, being an affront to some human who does not even know you? The mental gymnastics of changing from bully to victim inside a religious person's head???

I break it down this way to other religious people who try to argue me into some belief system..

You can choose to be religious and I literally do not care, and support your right to freely choose said belief system, but the same is not true for me, in asking for your respect and support in my life choices. Major example is when I make a rational choice for myself to not choose a mental restraint on my decision-making process, ESPECIALLY AS A WOMAN, you get mad and threaten me with eternal damnation in the hell you create for your belief system. You bring up sex automatically too, to weaponize my body and natural sex drive to shame me and humiliate me to be puritanical virginal, even after 40. You expect me to choose to be coerced and subjugated by this relgious system, as a woman, for whom religion would seek to force submission on me, literally foist it upon me as a admittance into such a belief system.

Yeah, that's a sales pitch few sane women would readily embrace, save for the fact had it not been for YEARS and YEARS of indoctrination by men, for the benefit of men, which is every religion in modern times, women would not participate in their own oppression and second-class membership into these systems historically.

Or, in simple terms, women were forced into these religious systems without choice for so long, it is hard for women as a whole globally, to resist. Add to the fact that this religious oppression and control exerted over women is inescapablely intertwined with government and law and politics, shows how little power women have to choose to be atheist. So of course men who have power within these religious systems will not want to give it up. Especially over women.

So atheist rejects this female submission theme universally, which is a huge and frightening dismantling of extreme male privilege, which weaponizes religious beliefs for their own male benefit. So atheist to many men, from decades of my own experience, equates to loss of power over women.

That is why agnostic is less frightening for some men. Around these types of knuckle-draggers, I choose atheist. Because it needs to be a choice I make in a country I am free to make it in, as many women do not have my precious freedom to reject religion as their government mandates it.

So to all the religious men who try to shame me, control me or oppress me with religion as an institution for control, I say I AM AN ATHEIST.

Do you do this around men specifically? Or around work? In what environments would you feel safe or more comfortable to use the word atheist?

@ClareCK I rarely comment at all in re my non-religious belief. As I do not consider myself “atheist”, I do not say I am. The best term to describe my belief is anti-theist.

Your politicians have not yet realized the power of blending religion with politics to manipulate the populace. (Our politicians learned it from third world.). This is what makes the US so “religious”…even though it is nearly 100% not being practiced.

@MsKathleen I doubt that they will ever go down that road.

Understandable there, but in America everyone eventually gets into battles over religion and politics as a cultural sport. It is literally unavoidable here, as because of our divisive and stupid 2 party political system, Democrats are seen as godless and immoral and Republicans as the defenders of "god" and morality. It is insane.

I used to do this, but to me "have a blessed day" is an insult. Why? Because THEY KNOW they are imposing religion on me, when they utter those very words, specifically knowing I am an atheist. It is a power wielded with manipulation as innocent well-wishing. It is so not that. Have a good day is not difficult to say to people. Have a blessed day is a choice to utter and they know EXACTLY what they are doing when they choose "blessed" over nice.

@ClareCK I understand what you are saying. Depending on the demographic that is encountered will determine the response.

For me, I prefer not to engage so when someone tells me to have a blessed day I respond with have a good day too and move on. That works for me but I know it doesn't for everyone.

Or as Carlin said, fuck off, I have other plans! Lol!

Good answer. Agnostic to some is a religion or people have said to me, "that sounds like a religion." This is why I often state, "I am not religious at all." To which they respond with typical American pseudo outrage, "how can you have morals without God?" Hahaha Well, hmm, let's see, I value the sanctity of human life and like to treat people with love and respect? Without threat of hell or offer of reward? I often ask them, why do you need a God? Or to be offered rewards or made to fear hell to be moral? Even animals show kindness and I am pretty sure they have no religious preferences.

@ClareCK Me to god mobster: "Your god is a genocidal maniac with catastrophic anger management issues, and you refer to it for your own morality? Hello?"