Atheists, to what degree of outness are you?

Question

http://www.atheists.org/comingout/othercloset.html
Degree 1:
Completely closeted. Not even your spouse knows. You tell everyone you're a believer, and you may even attend church services to convince those around you. You're living a lie, terrified that someone may learn the truth.

If you fit into this category something must change in the near term. Your spouse, who loves and trusts you for who you are, needs and has the right to know.


Degree 2:
Mostly secret. Your spouse knows, but most of your family and friends don't. You avoid the subject at all costs at work, and if it does come up, you will hide your atheism.


Degree 3:
Somewhat open. Some family members and most friends know, but you are hesitant to bring it up in conversation. It's still a secret at work, unless you are very close friends with a coworker or two who know. You have friends who are atheists, and may belong to an organization like American Atheists for moral support and connectivity. You may write a letter to a congressperson, but not to the local paper, because you don't really want your atheism published. You may avoid the subject when it comes up, but if pressed you will not call yourself a believer (though you may soften the blow by using the term "agnostic" or "freethinker", even if you're an atheist by definition).


Degree 4:
Mostly open. Almost anyone who knows you knows you don't practice religion. Coworkers, perhaps including your boss, all your friends and your entire family is aware. You don't shout it from rooftops, but you make no effort to hide your atheism when it comes up in conversation, and may occasionally raise the conversation yourself.


Degree 5:
Completely open. Every time the subject comes up, you state your disbelief with pride and frankness. Anyone who doesn't like you because of your atheism is a bigot and is not your concern. You've written letters to the editors of newspapers on the topic, and you may have an atheist bumper sticker on your car.

Corrosion is a 4th degree black belt atheist.

I asked this question last night, but wanted to get more responses from my fellow American atheists.

Answer 1

I was degree 5....but I think I'm down to level 2; I may have found a faith that I like, but I still have atheistic tendencies....



EDIT: Didn't we unofficially make Corrosion EAC the Atheist Pope?

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Somewhere between 3 and 4. Unfortunately, I am frequently put in situations where it would certainly be detrimental to my health to say I was an atheist. I made the mistake of telling a proselytizing coworker in Nigeria that I was an atheist, and while this only spurred him to even more zealous witnessing, his fellows weren't so happy about it. Fortunately, I finished the job 2 days later.

Answer 4

Somewhere between 4 and 5. I don't do the letter writing or the bumpersticker thing and I never will. I don't have to tell my whole life story to the guy sitting behind me in traffic! Not to mention that if I did have one on my car then I'd be sure to come out to a parking lot with either god pamphlet or a person ready to preach to me! (my best friend had the latter one happen so much that he took his bumper stickers off!)

Answer 5

degree 3. i do no longer communicate faith interior the placement of work because of the fact i think of that's beside the point. I additionally do no longer promote it on my automobile anymore because of the fact when I did, the automobile exchange into back and back vandalized. i do no longer cover my atheism oftentimes, yet at paintings I basically prefer to concentration on paintings and not own stuff. i do no longer recommendations having issues printed and that i does no longer lie approximately being an atheist if requested, because of the fact i'm the two an atheist and antireligious and that may not something that i've got faith might desire to be hidden.

Answer 6

Somewhere between a 3 and a 4. Closer to a 4. Maybe 3 and 3/4.

Answer 7

Somewhere between 3 and 4. I don't talk about religion or politics in a professional setting. But I do with friends or family.

Answer 8

Interesting. Probably a 2 or a 3.

Answer 9

somewhere between a 3 and a 4

Answer 10

i don't really fall into any of those.Thats sorta something that you would do with religion.If people are talking about religion and ask me where i stand,then i'll tell them that i don't have religion,but i don't run around looking for people to tell it to.Its not as big a deal to me as it is for religious believers.I also think that it should not be kept as a secret or mentioned to everyone that you meet.If you like jeans instead of slacks should you keep it a secret and not tell anyone or come out the closet and let everyone know.