No, nor do I try not to think of the pink elephant that is not sitting next to me. It is what it isn't.

When I was still a "young atheist" it was on my mind a lot. Now, unless I'm on this site or someone happens to mention something about religion to me, it hardly ever crosses my mind (other than the occasional news story about something religious or see a YouTube video). I used to pay a lot of attention to the YT personalities and loved to hear what they had to say. Now I find it's rarely worth my time.

Happy to say, I don't need to try not to think about it - I just don't. In the words of Master Yoda - do, or do not, there is no try.
As someone else pointed out, I don't entertain it at all if it's not brought up. I've backed way off of social media because of it. I'm much happier!

and so you make a post about it trying not to think about it? Hmmmmm. You know the Easter bunny is coming soon, don't you?

Most of the time religion is simply not a part of my thought processes. It is not that I consciously try not to think about it. It is simply not relevant to my life.

Bingo. Yes. It feels good to have a few minutes a day of reading the thoughts of people who have earthly things on their minds.

I don't have to try at all, unless someone else brings it up.

It's hard to not think about it when you have family who practices it and you see it on the news all the time. I just tend to ignore it when it is referenced on TV, and my family doesn't discuss religion around me because they don't want to hear my opinion.

As a deconvert, I'm interested in sharing the thoughts I would have appreciated finding online during my own journey out of faith. I believe there are a lot of lurkers who are doubting believers, trying to figure things out. It's my way of "giving back" and undoing some of the damage I unwittingly contributed to by promoting religious faith.

But in real life (IRL) I do not think about it much and basically don't talk about it at all. It's just not relevant to my relationships or activities.

Yes, I know what you mean. I think many of us are surrounded by deep, dark woods. Having community to escape to is great. But when I have to go into the trees l have to rant on FB (or in person even) politically and that seems to coincide with criticizing religion. I find it threatening how factually isolated these "religious" people are and how they act in such heretical ways to their own beliefs in order to conform to their political purpose. It is a sad state of affairs when an atheist must remind religious people of their own religion. It is tiring but necessary I think, because of the ability of media to provide slanted content. I think dissenting voices must be heard. I hope one day to retire though.

It would so nice if that were even possible but in the USA, our society is ate up with it and you would have to be a recluse and a hermit without any modern technologies to to accomplish that. IMHO

Bloody hell!!!!! I'm only thinking about it because you asked!

Seriously though I don't in terms of 'do I have doubts?' or 'could there be?' etc, if I'm in the mood I will check out debates on Youtube which I just like especially the ones with the atheist heavyweights who know how to turn a phrase or two

generally i don't even have to try. i am lucky enough to live in a spiritual bubble filled with alternatives, eco warriors, pagans, new agers & other assorted airy-fairies - & i say this with the most respect there isn't much space left for any world religion here, so apart from the occasional "enlightenment" rant (mostly from my landlord) there is little or no spiritual pressure here - which suits me just fine.

since coming to this site though it got harder for me to avoid the issue of religion. so the idea of accepting believers in our midst truly raises my hackles - i'd probably leave before getting bible-bashed on a regular basis.

I agree wholeheartedly. I am in Florida and it seems everywhere you turn religion is being crammed down your throat. Just walking to the local grocery store there is a stand set up on the sidewalk with pamphlets about saving yourself and the eternal fire that is waiting for you if you don't. It makes me uncomfortable with their looming gaze upon me as I'm just going about my day. I thought Orlando would be a little more progressive than this, but religion is at every turn.

Unless the subject is brought up in some way, it's not really in my mind most of the time. There are days where it's going through my mind the whole time, but only when something maddeningly stupid in regards to it happens. And most religiously related things that I may encounter in the world or on media aren't much of a blip on my radar. Only worthy of a simple sigh and eye-roll before I move on with it.

when you can actually do something good just for the pure sake of doing something good without labeling it religiously, then you know youre making good progress.

I am waiting for scientists to create life from the inorganic chemicals available here on earth. It will be interesting to see what the religious community does, and says about human beings creating life. That will be so interesting.

It's difficult not to think about it where I live. There are churches about every half mile, and Billy Graham's place is just down the road. Gotta love the Bible Belt.

I don’t think about it much at all, really. Unless I’m commenting of something seen in public.

As others have commented; it's awfully hard not to think about religion when it is such a pervasive presence. I see people with megaphones and signs promoting it, tables piled high with religious handouts at the mall, billboards, churches everywhere. The sad and depressing truth is that although we are the largest single group (Nonbelievers), when stacked up against all of the various religious groups, we are a significant minority, so we are surrounded by believers "on all sides" and, even more terrifying, religion is making greater and greater inroads in (US) government. I would like to believe that this frenzy of religious fervor in the world is the long, last-gasps of it. I doubt it will end within my lifetime, but if it did I could forget it tomorrow

I love the history of it all. All the political intrigues and the lies and stuff. It reminds me of today's politics, and they are still using religion to control the masses..or is it "them asses"?

I find religion fascinating. I love to think about it, talk about it, study it.

Same way I feel about psychology, philosophy, epistemology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology, history, literature, art...

Yes I was hoping to escape that here, not dissect the whys for hours. I'm cool with my lack of belief already.

I don't try. If I tried to not think about something, wouldn't I be thinking about it? Lol

I just naturally don't think about it unless it comes up in something I see outside like a church or on tv or if someone else brings it up. With the first two it is just a passing thought because my eyes just have to identify it. That's the extent of the thinking I have with that. If someone else brings it up then I think about it deeper.

I've found the study of religion and it's philosophies interesting. On occasion using my broader knowledge of it in order to make dealing with some people easier (mostly because I have to on a daily basis). I also use it to fuck with people when they come to my wanting to share the good news.