It’s not that you remain on their lists or rolls. It’s their indoctrination they did on you from birth that in some ways stay with you. Emotional control over rationality. Being raised Catholic with 12 yrs of Catholic elementary and 4 yrs of Catholic college, I drifted away slowly with no regrets. But find my moral center heavily influenced by Catholicism.

Mostly, I get people insisting that atheism is a religion. (Recently, I heard a keynote speaker insist that saying "Have a nice day" and "Good-bye" were proof that you believed in god and were praying for the person you were addressing.)

I was in Florida (Bible Belt area) last year and someone asked me what church I attended. They did not know I'm an agnostic.

No but the opposite they cay hey athieist

I have been lucky in that respect. Was raised in a very non-religious house hold. Flirted a bit with "christian insanity. Used to read the gideon bible when I was on the road and holed up in motels. That woke me up. Have been an atheist ever since. What angers me or maybe I should say saddens me is when people hear of my total lack of belief, they insult me by saying " I will pray for you." But I guess if it gives them a warm fuzzy, what the heck?

No, religion and religious types have never been a big problem for me.

My last boss, who knew I wasn't religious, had a good laugh once: Someone in a library had misfiled a Bible, in the fiction section. He thought that was hilarious.

I can't see that it matters, or is anything to get upset about. Your background is what it is. How you are now is a different matter. I was brought up a Quaker and i don't mind people knowing that - I think it probably influenced a lot of my social and political beliefs. But now I am an atheist and people know that. If they find my background interesting, that fine. i am happy to talk about it. But it doesn't alter what I am now.

The funny thing is I didn't have a religious household myself. When they find this out it becomes a pity party on their part. I've had a few "Oh you poor dear" type comments with a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. I usually tell them I am not poor in that sense as I had been encouraged to learn about differences, and had a wealth of knowledge and understanding in those areas that have been far more realistic and helpful to me. I have told them if they need to feel sorry for someone, focus on hungry children and the elderly. Do something to help them. I'm fine, quite good in fact.

To many believers, their theism is merely cultural. It is their tribe, not so much their belief system.

If this is a fundamentalist on the other hand it may be that they just are trying to relieve their own cognitive dissonance. But in my experience they are happy to allow you to be an atheist, it's just that they'll demonize you for it.

Yes, I am forever a lutheran in some people’s eyes.