Comment 2 by Flapjack :

To be honest, in my experience within the UK overall it hardly matters. Only within deeply devout families or communities is it even an issue. I'm atheist and gay and out of the two being gay is by far the most nerve-wracking gut-wrenching outing experience. I can tell practically everyone I know I'm atheist and the only person who wouldn't let it lie would be my bible thumping evangelist aunt who I rarely ever see. Barring the occasional standoff with door to door preachers, atheism is just another topic of conversation where you can agree to disagree when compared to telling your parents you have a same-gender boyfriend.

If you live in the USA bible belt or the Middle east for example, it's probably much more of a bone of contention to be atheist. Personally I find it hard to relate to outing yourself as atheist as anything other than a walk in the park.

Yeah, I can't relate at all either and I'm grateful for that. I wouldn't want to live somewhere where not being religious would even really be a part of my identity let alone one I'd be worried about anyone knowing about.

Comment 3 by SoHelpMeReason :

I lost my best friend in the world after coming out. I felt like I had discovered something new and profound, naturally wanted to tell her, and thought she'd like to know. I thought she'd find it interesting. Oh man. I was dead wrong. It still upsets me to think about it now. I'd almost go back in the closet to reverse it.

Sorry for the downer.

She sounds like a crappy best friend in the whole world and you'll find a better one. I really can't imagine disowning someone over something so silly. I can imagine doing it over a belief that actually had consequences (e.g. if they were a racist), but unless you told her "I don't believe in God, and this means I want to do immoral things because there's no Hell" then whether or not you believe isn't some huge important thing worth losing a friend over. She can't really think it makes you a completely different person, can she? Or does she believe she'd be sinning by associating with you?