West Tn resident here...and yea...I feel ya, bro. Luckily we got this site!

I live in a small town in South Louisiana. I know of only ONE other atheist in this area (not close with her, I just know she is an atheist) so I most definitely feel isolated. I have only one person with who I can talk with about these things. My brother is more of an agnostic but at least I can have a decent conversation about religion and whatnot. Being in the deep south, it seems like everyone is God this, God that all day long. So, I just try to ignore their Jesus-talk or avoid it if at all possible. If I do have to get into a "religious conversation, I try to contribute as little as possible. I don't dare reveal that I'm an atheist because I do not want to spend the rest of the day defending my beliefs and talking in circles with Christians who without a doubt KNOW they are correct.

Right now I live in a small rural town in California and it has had many difficulties being an open atheist. I have been fine with the BS I have dealt with. My kind of concern is that I am moving to South Carolina. Should I expect difficulties there with being an open atheist? When I lived in Los Angeles County I didn't have any issues with being an open atheist.

I wouldn't dare try to discuss politics or religion with someone unless I was at least somewhat aware of their viewpoint. There are plenty of other topics to discuss with someone you don't know well.

I'm near Indianapolis in a small town to the south. Church on every corner kind of town. Your concern bothers me, but I'm not quite sure how to handle it. I just make sure to cling to those who do think like me, not to create an echo chamber, but rather a support system in an otherwise frustrating situation.

While my area is a little more open to diffenet lifestyles I still keep to myself just due to all the drug fried brain dead people here. It sucks.

I was born in the South and still have relatives there. I know of a few pockets of non-theists, but they are hard to find, more available around urban areas.

East Tennesseean here. Bible Belt headquarters. Every public school here is a Christian school basically. You can’t drive a mile without seeing a church....usually several within that mile. I never realized how intense it was until I started this journey to atheism.

Yeah, it's rough man. It feels oppressive sometimes. As much as I love nature here, it feels like I'm always on the brink of just packing up and getting out. Not like my vote counts here anyways haha

I’m not sure there’s all that much difference in the South and other regions. I’ve seen a Pew report that shows only a percent or so difference between the South and the Midwest in the area of religious behaviors, and the other regions are only incrementally less religious.

My personal experience does not bear out the “South as Bible Belt” narrative. Could be just me, or the area I live in. I’m sure there are many places where going to church is almost mandatory for social acceptance, but those places are not just in the South IMO. Maybe it has to do with cultural isolation rather than region.

In any event, it slightly bothers me to see the perpetuation of negative stereotypes.

I too live in the south, and I get tired of the sickeningly patriotic Evangelical right. To me, even if they're atheists ,all Republicans and conservatives share a little too much in common with the evangelicals . My advice to you is just put your opinion out there and be yourself even if it pisses others off.

I, too, live in the South. The "Bible Belt." I am often discriminated against for being an atheist. They badmouth atheists all the time, but try respectfully questioning religion, and they want to lynch you.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't care if what I believe, or if what I think about anything, bothers ANYONE.

Those who know me, know that I will not "hide my light under a bushel basket".
If you ask me what I think about anything, or anyone, I WILL tell you.

I live in the South, too. This is how we make change. This is how we shake off
the yoke of religious idiocy. We speak out against it. We don't shy away from the truth. We don't hide what we believe because it might make the delusional "uncomfortable".

To echo another poster, FUCK 'EM.

I avoid those conversations with all but a handful of people.

Social media helps fill in some of that isolation. Personally, I don't feel isolated talking about politics. I share a lot of political beliefs with people at work. Religion on the otherhand isn't as comfortable to talk about. I haven't met another atheist where I live but I do know several atheists near my hometown, and I'm part of a Facebook group with them.