When form filling, how do atheists answer the question "what is your religion?" ?

 

When atheists are form filling, how do they answer the question "what is your religion?"? For most of my life I have written “No religion” or “Atheist”. But when I was a 17-year old schoolboy in the 1950s applying to get into St Peter’s College at Oxford University I encountered this question and I answered carefully by writing “C of E”. All the undergraduate colleges were nominally Christian with heads called Masters.

My response proved to be a useful device because everyone in England knows that C of E stands for the established Church of England---yet it was not what it meant to me.

For me it stood for Critic of the Establishment.

Phew. I can only add that by good fortune at the interviews I was never asked questions about religion. I had been so sheltered from religious practice that, as I recall, I was 15 before I saw the inside of a church, and only then because out of curiosity one day I went inside one just to see what the interior looked like. 

Tags: C of E, Church of England, Critic of the Establishment, atheism, atheist, form filling, what is your religion

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on November 25, 2012 at 9:42pm

Orthodox Heathen

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on November 26, 2012 at 5:36am

"Orthodox," eh?  Not a Conservative Heathen or maybe a Reformed Heathen??? [chuckle!]  Wouldn't you just love to see a radio button on a form for ANY of those choices!

Permalink Reply by Peter Furminger on November 26, 2012 at 12:09am

"None" unless Atheist is an option.

Permalink Reply by Hiram on November 26, 2012 at 9:21am

None.

If there were some secularist organizations in my community that stand to get funds if I answer 'secular humanist', then I'd answer that.  But that's not my religion, it's my ethical / philosophical value system.

Permalink Reply by A. Noni Moose on November 27, 2012 at 10:40am

Like most here, I'd answer "None". That is generally because there is a list given to choose from and Atheist is not on that list..I guess because it is not a religion. If there is the ability to write in an answer, I generally say "None" or "Not Applicable"..I have also used the ever-popular "Nunya"..as in "Nunya Business".

Permalink Reply by Cortney Howard on November 27, 2012 at 1:12pm

Its a problem because I hate writing "Atheist" because atheism is not a religion, but in certain cases I want to make my position clear. Some write none just because they do not belong to a certain church but they are believers. When I am admitted to a hospital I want it to be known that me writing "none" doesn't mean that I'll accept any religious man to pray by my bed side.. So I have started writing "none, non believer" I feel that makes it clear without implying atheism is a religion. 

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on November 28, 2012 at 8:39pm

Thoughtful response.  Atheism is not a religion, so "none" is an honest and accurate answer to the question "what is your religion".

Permalink Reply by Lillie on November 27, 2012 at 1:50pm
None or skip it all together
Permalink Reply by Bio Bill on November 27, 2012 at 10:49pm

Order of preference if choices given: atheist, agnostic, freethinker, none, no preference. My favourite non answer is Jedi.

Permalink Reply by Shyanne Gold Orr on November 28, 2012 at 3:34am

All the forms that I have had to fill out so far in my life have just had a checklist that said "none" or "no religion"

If I had to fill out a form and one of the choices were atheist, I would choose that one.

Permalink Reply by Beth KZ on November 28, 2012 at 4:35pm
I will often leave it blank or put "none" in.

I did have a hospital that seemed to always change that to "Christian". That's even after my doctor had to tell the chaplains that coming into my room and preaching at me was having a detrimental effect on my health. On a subsequent admission, I put "Atheist" down in front of a witness who I brought with me, and told them if it gets changed back and preachers show up in my room, there was going to be a lawsuit - I was not going to the hospital for the opportunity for preachers to have a captive audience.

I have to wonder if that's part of how these various christian organizations get high numbers for people in the US who are "Christian" - just change the atheists, agnostics, deists, pagans, and "I don't cares" to Christians, and suddenly there's a vast majority.... (sigh).
Permalink Reply by Dr. Terence Meaden on November 28, 2012 at 5:22pm

Thank you for telling us this story Beth. 

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