I don't regret much that I've done, but if I had to do it over, I would help work relationships more casual and informal.
Maybe that's because I always gravitated to the people that were less in favor with management... lol

I am very careful who i let know that i am an atheist, one of my friends actually told me he thought that made me a devil worshipper......SO many people where I live and work are indoctrinated into religious belief, i don't think they even realize it.....

Atheist oppression IS REAL

I for one have definitely experienced this. I can't tell you how many times somebody has called me a dirty atheist, accused me of personally killing Jesus Christ or made a comment about atheists being stingy or devious. It's a miracle my family survived the atheist pogroms of the latter half of the millennium. I'm very proud that my atheist heritage has survived up to my generation.

Well, not really hiding it , but skirting it, avoiding the subject. I am in the Dallas area and where I work publicly declaring agnosticism would be like saying you were a cannibal. If directly asked, I have no problem telling my real feelings. I guess it's sort of like the don't ask don't tell hypocrisy.

I am not sure what they mean by "closeted." Do they mean not loudly proclaiming their atheism/ If so, I call that being civil, rather than provoking argument and ill-will. Do they mean not talking about their atheism in the workplace. If so, I have never talked about the presence or absence of religion with anyone in any workplace I as in. I simply would prefer to keep my opinions to myself.
I consider talking about religion in the workplace simply improper: The workplace is for work.

I keep my views hidden from those that are not TRUSTED friends as well as coworkers. I would not openly lose my job, but I would start to get lower review scores, more "shit" assignments and stuff like that. It is illegal but the bosses can usually find a reason if they really want to. I teach religions from all over the world and I just try to stick with the facts and lead them to thing for themselves.

Welcome !

I can't say I've felt pressure either. Though I've noticed some awkward moments along the way - when I openly admitted a different mindset than everyone else in the room ...

Before I was forced to retire it was the case with the Texas based company I worked for. They had Christian values in the company by-laws. They expected all employees to conduct themselves likewise. Being a sales manager for major American companies I have always been outspoken during sales meetings and I rubbed them the wrong way. When I was diagnosed with leukemia 5 years ago they put me on long term disability forcing me to retire. Some major companies its still there.

Our laws are still very much influenced by Right-wing bigoted leaders, and they have done everything in their power to make life miserable for us who don't conform to their very narrow idea of what it means to be human.

Yes, it is "illegal" to discriminate, but good luck trying to pursue it. Especially in a Red State. Right now they are doing everything in their power to make it legal to discriminate. We may have won the right to marry, but we still haven't been given the right to earn a living or eat pizza or wedding cake.

You have a great smile

This is where I breathe a HUGE sigh of relief that I was born and brought up in Britain rather than bible-belt America.

I have never suffered any form of discrimination or discomfort over my atheism. Indeed I cannot recall a single incident where religion has even been mentioned at work - and other than the occasional 'howling preacher' in the street or knocking at my door, in society either.

I feel REALLY sorry for bible-belt atheists.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I sounded pretty naive...........

Of course it is illegal. The non-believer gets fired, but the official "reason" is usually some contrived wrongdoing, though the timing is almost always right after word got out about their atheism. If they do not fire you, the bullying an ostracism at the workplace and around town can still be severe. I also have to be very careful because of the backlash to my kids by teachers and other parents.

It does exist. Not being closeted and asserting that I'm an agnostic when the subject comes up, I have felt it.

Since coming to this site, and the question being asked if anyone had ever lost a job due to their non-belief, I now realize this could have happened to me, although I'm not sure. While it surely is illegal in the workplace, it can also be hard to spot, as in my case, in which I was generally pushed into duties I wasn't happy with. Was my non-belief the motivation? Who knows?

But it goes beyond the workplace. You can't legislate how the general public, family, and friends feel about non-believers. While work is one reason to be closeted, it surely isn't the main reason.

It is illegal but throughout history, the majority has always tried to get the minority to be just like them. So in order to avoid the pressures of having to conform you don't tell them you have eleven toes.

Fairly new, too, I’ve felt the opposite. I’m shocked and impressed at the volume of openness toward their ‘lack of religion.’ Though we’re ‘the last minority,’ the times they are a changin! But given some of these locations … with small-town employers’ expectations and prejudices.. I understand the necessity of ‘keeping quiet.’

I think there are communities that are very uncomfortable with 'non-believers'. I know that I have played shows (in my band days) where having long hair was considered a freak show. I must say, that was hilarious and strange. So I can imagine that people finding out that you are not 'one of them' in their mind can be trying in some communities. Sounds awful even typing it.