I thought I was in the closet!

[TheGreatInfidel]

Get this. Some members of my family used the word "atheist" in reference to me. :D

Due to the negative connotations of the term "atheist," I've been reluctant to tell them directly that I'm an atheist. But I guess I won't have to anymore. All along I was killing myself for being in the closet, as it turns out, I was never in it. THey figured it out.

I guess I was like that one gay cousin whom everybody knows he is gay except himself. When he finally realizes that he's gay, he decides to come out of the closet - only to find out that everybody already suspected it.

[catalyst]

Well, at least now you don't have to worry about how you will bring this up to people, given the way word spreads.

[Proxima Centauri]

Looks like you've got the problem sorted with little agro. You're lucky. Please come back to us if you need to.

[Occams_Razor]

For future reference, if you don't want to be outed, you need to stop laughing maniacally every time someone mentions god.

[Gothic_J]

For future reference, if you don't want to be outed, you need to stop laughing maniacally every time someone mentions god.

hehe. my fam suspected months before I told them.

something about buying american atheist mags did it. .

[openeyes]

I guess I hid pretty well. When I "came out" a year and a half ago to my family, most were very surprised. I thought that maybe more of them had figured it out.

I think it had more to do with their prejudices about atheists in general. I didn't fit. I seemed to be living a competent, responsible, happy life. The kids seemed to be turning out ok. Didn't compute.

We still interact for the most part as before. I think most of them try to forget I mentioned it, but at least my mom doesn't expect me to attend Mass anymore when I visit. :)

[OldAngelMidnight]

I think I'm still "in the closet" to maybe half my family. My mom overheard me arguing against creationism as early as the 6th grade (one of my best friends then was the son of a Baptist preacher), and I think I yelled "Genesis is a myth!" Mom made some comment about how people get mean when they're in pain (I had injured something, but Justin and I were continuing the argument).

But I'm also godfather to one of my numerous nieces (big Irish Catholic family). And the godmother was my sister (a fellow infidel; in fact, the first one I told about my atheism). But my other sister (the mother of the kid gettin the dunking) asked us to be the godparents without batting an eye.

I was also my eldest niece's confirmation sponsor, although that niece and I have skipped church for breakfast on a couple occasions.

[walt6]

Welcome to the light. Don't go back in there, its dark.

[Nismo97se]

I guess I hid pretty well. When I "came out" a year and a half ago to my family, most were very surprised. I thought that maybe more of them had figured it out.

I think it had more to do with their prejudices about atheists in general. I didn't fit. I seemed to be living a competent, responsible, happy life. The kids seemed to be turning out ok. Didn't compute.

We still interact for the most part as before. I think most of them try to forget I mentioned it, but at least my mom doesn't expect me to attend Mass anymore when I visit. :)

Thats kinda the situation i'm in..except no one knows what i think except one or two close friends.. other than that, the topic never has come up and i really dont see much reason bringing it up.. My family for the most part goes to church for an hour on Sunday and dont think about religion for the rest of the week.. Guess i lucked out in a way.. :)

[Dark Jedi]

I have seen a few people, gay an atheist alike, who thought they were in the closet, but everyone knew.

Maybe we should call this phenomenon a "Glass Closet"

[fr8trainman]

Better out than in, I say! Too much stress to not be yourself.

Some people are still surprised when I mention in passing that I'm an atheist. "but...but you're such a nice per-son!" It's nice to break their stereotypes :)

Happiness 2 U,

Fr8trainman