Lieing about my own belief

[Captain_Shinzo]

The other day, we had P.E. class and went outside to play some football.
After the fun two laps around the football field, we talked abit about football.
All of a sudden, randomly, a kid blurted out to where everyone could hear asking if I was Atheist in a smart way:
" Hey Nick, So I heard your Atheist? "
Considering this was infront of the teacher and infront of all the kids, I just nodded my head saying I was not.
If the teacher wasn't there, I would show him how much of an a** he was by shoving my grim-covered shoes down his esophagus.
It would have been ok if he asked me in the hall or something but out loud?
and I knew it was just to make fun of me that I was " different. "
It was worse to know who it was, considering that kid hangs out with the Excludes.

( Excludes was a group of people I was able to sum together. These people are friends of one another and act like a total a** towards anyone and anything. I'm especially made fun of considering I am not like them in any way. People like them wants to make me break my Pacifist rule. )

Well, after brushing it off and forgetting about it, it leaves me thinking how sad this world is at times how, so easily, people can be hated.
I haven't even met the kid before.
The other reason I didn't say I was Atheist was because of the coach.
If he caught word of my beliefs, he would gossip it to the faculty like they all do and one of them, ones that usually are serious about religion, would try and " help " . By help, I mean getting nosy and getting me in trouble for what I believe in with the local churches and my parents.


To the real matter at hand, have you ever had to lie about your beliefs or have you ever gotten really pissed off at something or someone(s) involving your beliefs?  

[brainnsoup]

If someone directly asks me about my atheism, I'll tell them the truth and, depending on the person, maybe offer some insight in to atheism or tell them that I am a good person with morals who respects religion but am an atheist, politely and firmly.
This may sound paranoid, but I have done this with a few very Christian friends and I have to be firm and unafraid, but not defensive either, otherwise they will never respect my beliefs.

Other than that, I usually don't tell people unless I know them pretty well or it's important to the conversation.
For example one time in gym class one of my catholic friends went on a rant, "I ******** hate ******** atheist. They're so damn snotty and bitchy telling me that I'm stupid for believing in God and everything. Yeah, well you're going to hell, atheist b***h!"
He had a way with words...
So I waited until he was finished and said, "You know I'm an atheist, right?"
Everyone else kind of stared at their shoes while stuttered half-hearted apologies for the next few minutes...

I like to reverse people's beliefs that atheists are pretentious, acid-spitting demons with no morals who only want to question their beliefs and drag away from God.
But for that same reason I usually wait for the right time to tell people.
I've never lied about bein an atheist though.  

[Captain_Shinzo]

brainnsoup

If someone directly asks me about my atheism, I'll tell them the truth and, depending on the person, maybe offer some insight in to atheism or tell them that I am a good person with morals who respects religion but am an atheist, politely and firmly.
This may sound paranoid, but I have done this with a few very Christian friends and I have to be firm and unafraid, but not defensive either, otherwise they will never respect my beliefs.

Other than that, I usually don't tell people unless I know them pretty well or it's important to the conversation.
For example one time in gym class one of my catholic friends went on a rant, "I ******** hate ******** atheist. They're so damn snotty and bitchy telling me that I'm stupid for believing in God and everything. Yeah, well you're going to hell, atheist b***h!"
He had a way with words...
So I waited until he was finished and said, "You know I'm an atheist, right?"
Everyone else kind of stared at their shoes while stuttered half-hearted apologies for the next few minutes...

I like to reverse people's beliefs that atheists are pretentious, acid-spitting demons with no morals who only want to question their beliefs and drag away from God.
But for that same reason I usually wait for the right time to tell people.
I've never lied about bein an atheist though.

It is nice that you have a school like that. However, if were in my case during that period and I said that, a total flame fest would happen.
Stutters of apologies wouldn't be thrown but yells of hatred and fire would.
It is funny how these Christians imagine Atheist to be Fire-spitting bastards that like to ******** the devil when the are the ones acting morally wrong in my case.
I don't even have to TALK to get this kind of attention.
I told my most dearest friend in school. Word got around until, finally, the wrong people heard.
Immature children + chance to try and have fun in their own way = Annoying ******** Fest Parade.

As said, I wouldn't have needed to lie if it just weren't for the time and place where I was. It is better to keep your mouth shut then to share your beliefs and pay for it later.....pay dearly.  

[I Am A Mountie]

I understand why you did that. I feel so bad that you were pressured to do that.  

[=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=]

Your actions were rational and understandable.
I would suggest that you stay as far away from them as possible, too
(You probably already are anyway). And honestly, don't ever get mad
in front of them. Once you go off, they have the perfect chance to
prosecute you. Just ignore them for long enough and they'll leave
you alone.

If they don't, however, normally I would suggest you to go to the office
and report for harassment. However since it seems like your whole
school is christian and no one is on your side, I'd suggest you to just
be the more tolerant one and wait it out. Get a sandbag for punching,
maybe. XD

Best of luck.

PS: Have you tried looking for other possible atheists? Maybe hanging
out with them will back them off since it's harder to intimidate a group
than it is a person. Oh, and your title is spelled incorrectly: it should be
"lying", not "lieing".

 

[zen traveler]

100% okay what you did, mate. Don't be ashamed.

I was just sitting and working in my Aquatic Biology class in high school one day, and the teacher walked up to me and gave me an informational pamphlet about her church. I felt a little embarrassed, and in spite of it not happening again, I told her that I was already part of a church. I did so just to avoid the awkwardness again, and because I don't need her breathing down my neck every few weeks asking how I am, etc.  

[Captain_Shinzo]

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

Your actions were rational and understandable.
I would suggest that you stay as far away from them as possible, too
(You probably already are anyway). And honestly, don't ever get mad
in front of them. Once you go off, they have the perfect chance to
prosecute you. Just ignore them for long enough and they'll leave
you alone.

If they don't, however, normally I would suggest you to go to the office
and report for harassment. However since it seems like your whole
school is christian and no one is on your side, I'd suggest you to just
be the more tolerant one and wait it out. Get a sandbag for punching,
maybe. XD

Best of luck.

PS: Have you tried looking for other possible atheists? Maybe hanging
out with them will back them off since it's harder to intimidate a group
than it is a person. Oh, and your title is spelled incorrectly: it should be
"lying", not "lieing".

XD Exactly what I do right now. But you have to understand that I live in the deep south. Meaning that there is about 1/100 Atheists here. If there are some in my school, which I doubt, then they are a closet Atheist which kinda proves that there aren't many here.  

[[-Erik-]]

If attacked, strike back.

 

[Deaths asistant]

Well I guess I could understand if you were in a catholic or christian school (or any religion for that matter) but the one thing you and every one should do is not care what people say or do about your religion because in your mind you know there isnt a god... and if every one else wants to fall for all that "GOD" b.s. then let them. "Religion" is an opinion and it dosent pay to lie for somthing you know isnt right...  

[Henneth Annun]

I've never really outrightedly lied about them, I've just done extremely good jobs of avoiding questions and dodging them when they come. ninja

Related:

Last week at lunch my friends and I were discussing evolution and such with another friend who's conflicted over that and what the bible says. After 20 minutes this girl walks over and demands to know if any of us are athiest, and nobody says anything. She was being too confrontatitonal about it and we just didn't want to deal with her.

One of my friends asked her why it matters, and then she went off on us saying that she doesn't believe in science and that "her grandfather wasn't a monkey." All of her so-called "arguments" stemmed from her failure to grasp even the most basic scientific principals, and none of us had the time or patience to explain it to her. stare  

[Celestial Fireflies]

I don't know about outright denying my atheism (except for the one time a couple of door-to-door people came to my door and I lied just to get them to leave), but I suppose I've been dishonest about it. I've described myself to certain people as "rather agnostic", which isn't a lie, but also isn't the whole truth. I consider myself both agnostic and atheist, in that I don't have a belief in any deities but don't think anyone can know for sure (I usually just say Atheist, though, because it's easier). Otherwise, I've just avoided the subject entirely or played along with someone without outright stating my beliefs.

I don't blame anyone for lying or generally being dishonest about it. I feel sad and angered that we feel that we have to sometimes, but I understand the need to just go with the flow. The people we meet on our journey through life won't always be considerate and understanding of where you're coming from. In fact, many of them are ignorant, hateful, and arrogant about their beliefs. Some of them might be people close to us- family or friends- and I know it can hurt to lose them because they see us as some sort of heathens.  

[D i v i n i t y]

I haven't been an atheist quite too long... I haven't lied about it yet, I don't think, BUT I don't go around professing to everyone that I'm an atheist. For instance, I think my girlfriend's sister would care if she found out I was an atheist but that doesn't mean I'm lying to her... she just never asked o.O  

[alteregoivy]

Hahaha, I can't remember ever out and out lying about it, but I have avoided the question before. I was visiting my roomie's house during a break at college, and her grandma asked me what church I go to. My reply:

"I used to go to the Southern Baptist church."
She replied, "Oh really? That's nice."

It's 100% true. I just neglected to tell her that I didn't go anymore because I lost my faith due to falling in love with another girl. I don't think she would have liked that much.

I think it's fine what you did. There's really no point in making your own life hell for it. Hang out online and vent about it. ^_^ We've got your back here.  

[Mrithyu]

Well if people ask, I just say "yep, I'm atheist. You got a problem with that?" and usually they will back off, but if they don't, I have my friends to back me up. Luckily I live in a pretty mellow school district, every one smokes/has smoked pot. so people are pretty chill, except the fanatics...unfortunately, those people live in my house gonk  

[FuzzBall 005]

Ive been an atheist for about 10 years and stoped beliving in santa for about 9 years, yep...the thought of a fat guy traveling around the world and breaking into my house without anyone noticing was more belivable to me the god XD. Well anywho my parents think I still belive...even though I have dropped some pretty big hints...for example "I dun belive in god"...the next month she got me a Saint peter necklace...so I dont know if thats really lying or not but I figure if they still believe