Some people do. Its not really the criticism that bothers me, it's the way that people bluntly say "well, you are going to hell. You are lost and angry and you will go to hell." I don't like it when people stop debating and shift into the "you're going to hell". Thats not an argument. Thats a lack of an argument!

It is more a comment or a belief other than an argument.

Completely agree with you misanthrope86, they always throw that argument at me in a debate and I just say 'well until then, I'm going to enjoy pissing you off'.

I pretty much keep it quiet, precisely because I don't want to be harassed and preached to. However, I don't deny it (I specified "Atheist" on my facebook), and if any of my friends do know, they're cool about it.

Sometimes, but usually i try to keep it for myself to stay out of arguments

I've never been told I'm going to Hell, but it's funny that they think that would scare us.

I've beem told once or twice I'm going to Hell, but don't they get we don't believe that exists?
It sounds like a joke for me :P

No one has ever criticized me for being an atheist. I had had arguments, but no one ever did actually critize me. Everyone who knows me knows I'm an atheist, so I don't keep it to myself at all.

I don't talk about religion a whole lot but most of the people I talk to are atheists themselves. My dad understands because he only turned Catholic when he was much older. He says he doesn't want to force me into believing something that I don't.

some people, not all.

Yes and I can't stand it. In school, people say stuff like "Don't pollute our minds" and roll their eyes when I walk by. It sucks being in a Christian school. But not everyone does. I have three sisters and two are agnostics and the other is an atheist and no one says anything to us.

They can't, i'm too busy criticizing them for believing ;D

Jokes - i don't really, but seriously nobody tries i'm way too head strong and to be honest i don't know too many people who are that serious about their faith, none of my family are religious *shrugs*

Sometimes they do. But, most of my close friends don't care and my extended family just kind of ignores it.

I get criticized all the time. I usually get fed up with it when they don't stop and just keep ranting on and on about jesus and how they need to "save" me. Then they use the not so scary scare tactic of going to hell. Also, my friend is a real nut when it goes to religion. He's a baptist. I went to his church with him one time because I was moving away(and because my girlfriend went there) and the whole time I was there I got criticized by the people there and they used me as an example of a "non-believer". I get so sick and tired of it! Stop harassing me for what I believe in and leave me alone! I do nothing to you but you have to keep on pestering me! STOP IT!!!!!

Not really, it's not like I live in an area that is inhabited by one particular religion or anything. All my friends are either Atheists, or not overly strict with their religions. I have been criticised in the past, I went to a Catholic primary school, and I had a teacher who was very religious and I can remember her yelling at me because I laughed about Jesus. But that's it I think.

Where I live, generally speaking religion isnt a very big part of peoples lives. All of my close friends are atheist and a large majority of my school is as well. In my RE class of about 30, only 2/3 are religious and even then they're cool with everyone having their own beliefs.

Sometimes, but I try to change the subject though!

Yes, but sometimes I bring it on myself, because if I find out the person is super religious I just have to bring up that I am an Atheist just too see what kind of a reaction out of them. Like I love the people who are actually curious to hear what I have to say, or we can have a grown-up discussion about it, but I hate the people who automatically dismiss it, but they make me listen to their points. A couple of my friends are religious, but not super religious so I don't argue with them because the don't constantly try to convert me.

My family do, and my grandma is incredibly religious and I think she's on the point of disowning me :S

no, but they always try to shove it down my throat and convert me into one. whilst my mum is a buddist, myself and the other members of my family are non-religious. i really don't care what they think- everyone is entitled to their own opinions. though i think god existed, i never bought into that religious mumbo jumbo in the first place. they tell us we are going to hell- but neither they or anyone else can dictate our lives.

i have lotsa of christian frends becuz ima hardcore atheist and we get into big arguments XD

2 of ma frends have, but i guess they r catholics(grr) so not fair!

Yeah, and I bet even more do without actually telling me to my face.

Only my mother, but I know she tries to keep it to herself, which I appreciate.

my friend know i do not believe but none of my family does

very very few people know, the few people ive told have all had very negative reactoins like crying or just passively calling me an idiot, only one person, my academic counselor, doesnt treat it as a big deal. she doesnt agree with me, but she doesnt argue, either.

Even though I know pretty understanding people there always someone. ALWAYS.
Like this won girl who i now hate for her 'friendships' with me and how horrible she is is just GRRR> (DON'T GET ME STARTED.)
but she JUST wouldn't stop lecturing me about my beliefs and she JUST wouldn't shut up.

Also my friends tried to prove it to me. I scientifically beat them in that. :)
Answer: Yeah

Even though I know pretty understanding people there always someone. ALWAYS.
Like this won girl who i now hate for her 'friendships' with me and how horrible she is is just GRRR> (DON'T GET ME STARTED.)
but she JUST wouldn't stop lecturing me about my beliefs and she JUST wouldn't shut up.

Also my friends tried to prove it to me. I scientifically beat them in that. :)
Answer: Yeah

Yes. My annoying HUGE family is Christian and they continuosly shove things down my throat. But I'm a hardcore atheist, so it doesn't sway me.

everyone i know except my grandparents know that im atheist. and they dont bug me.

Almost everyone I know is atheist, and it's the believers that are criticised. My RE class is actually lol (it's compulsory, ick) because only one or two people there believe in God, and that's mainly on an agnostic level. We just all sit there and slag off religions.

^LUCKY!

i dont know many atheists and the ones i do i dont know very well I dont get criticized by most people unless the subject comes up but there are a few people who i argue with a lot about various topics and we have opposite views on almost everything so i get a lot of "your going to hell" type of stuff from them.

I go to a catholic school, so it does get extremley annoying, especially when you have a teacher that is saying in front of you that "Atheists are evil" and "Atheists should all be shot because they have no morals" and stuff (He doesn't know I'm atheist, he'd probably hit me). My mum likes to pretend I'm not because she wants her good Catholic girl which I am not. I get told a lot that I am wrong and gonna go to hell, but I ignore it. It doesn't scare me.

"Atheists should all be shot because they have no morals" ~ And shooting people is highly moral *rolls eyes* I wouldn't last a minute in a Catholic school.

When people find out that I'm an Atheist, they insistently turn into Christian crusaders and began telling me that I'm "going to Hell." Ah, the old "let's use fear" persuasion. The fear of Hell was the main reason why I was an Agnostic for a long period of time, even though the facts were stacked up against the existence of "god." I'm also black and most blacks are far more religious than the average American, which makes being an Atheist even harder. Luckily, more young blacks are coming out of the closet and declaring themselves as a Free Thinking.

My best friend didn't know I didn't believe, so when I told her that I was an Atheist she freaked out. She wouldn't talk to me for days. When she did she was trying to convert me. This has happened multiple times.

Some.
Last month, in Sociology class, we were discussing about religion. My professor is sort of agnostic, so I was pleased that she did not talk about the Bible and stuff. In one moment, I was talking with a friend about the topic (we are both atheists so it was interesting), and one of my classmates wanted to know if I was a christian. When I told her that I was an atheist, she freaked out and said to me "WHAT? And what do you think, that the human being emerge of an egg?" I still do not understand what did she meant... LOL
I have another friend that is way too religious. She has Jesus stamps and that kind of things. When we argue about the Bible and all that, she goes mad and try to convince me that being an atheist is wrong, that Jesus loves me and all that crap. It is hilarious the way that christian people try to "sell" their ideas. I am ok with my thoughts and I do not try to convince anyone to be an atheist.

once in the 7th grade i told my friends that i had no god and one of them said that i was going to hell for that

personally, if i even get there, i'm gonna find a way to take over

I told my friend once, he said I was going to hell. I tell another friend, he also said I'm going to hell. So, I guess you can call it criticizing.

Yap all the time from my religious relatives. I never take it seriously because they CAN'T push me in something what I don't believe. I am an atheist and so damm proud of that.


I don't think it's bad thing because that means they pay attention on me and I love to be in center of everything :D LOL just joking...

As much as I can, I try to not mention it on my own. Religious people can be very frustrating (even though not all of them. I have Christian friends that are open-minded) But if they ask me, I won't deny it. Once or twice that it came up, my relatives stared at me with wide eyes and I felt really bad and uncomfortable. So since then I'm staying in the Atheist closet XD

Yes but they don't always say it. The really annoying people are the ones that say things like "you have no life!" or "without God, you have NOTHING!" and that. I just laugh at them when they call me a heretic. It's so funny...they don't even know what it means (I say a word-they ask me what it means and they use it as often as possible. Dumbasses.)

I've only told one person, and she's an Atheist. She was actually the one who told me to research other religions. I did, and came to the conclusion that I'm an Agnostic Atheist. I haven't told anyone yet, and don't plan to right now. Almost everyone I care about is a Christian.

I live in Utah (ick) where there are a bunch of Mormons (ick) and they judge me for being Atheist.

Everybody I know knows I'm atheist, but I bff is Christian and although she is understanding the same can't be said about other ppl I know, like my sister's husband...

We live in a society where people judge. They might not tell you that face to face, but they do.
I, personally, don't care. Although their constant blabbing does get on my nerves,

No. But I do get ridiculed for believing in God