I've been an Atheist for 15+ years and my Mormon family still doesn't believe me. They assume I'm just going through a phase and will some day come back to church. I've actually met quite a few people in my life who honestly just can't comprehend the idea of Atheism. That's usually when they say "but, look at the complexity of the eye..." at which point I tell them that they don't have a chance in hell of selling me anything by quoting Kirk Cameron.

Is he just going to think you've dragged his baby off to hell or is he going to act on that and cause you guys some sort of real problems?  What level of negative fallout do you expect if you come clean?  Although you'll gain the ability to be fully honest, what is that worth in this setting and what exactly do you stand to lose?

Be that as it may, I came by it at 13, way to young to say it because I was old enough to know the hysterical response.

Years later with my own car but still at home for being in college I decided to "sleep in and go to a later mass." This was held at a neighborhood bar where I nursed a beer studying. One Sunday I went to a different one and there I see my mother's uncle and his friends doing the same as I was doing.

It was there I learned what I had picked up by osmosis. The men in the family were not religious but they avoided forcing the women to notice it. That is what I was doing. Maybe it is old time chivalry but I had picked it up from all the "don't tell your mother" secrets I had been told over the years.

After college off to a job in Washington and the first social question on the subject from the others was "do you go to church?" and a no was the end of it. No philosophical debate, no approbrium, no asking why. Discussion just moved on to another subject.

So I ask you to consider why you consider it a "coming out" that needs be announced? It is not like you need a coming out party and hold a black mass. Take it as it comes. I have never come across anyone who pushed for a reason why I did not go to church. The subject came up naturally eventually but it was just something to talk about over a beer not an inquisition.

Once the novelty is over you will find that socially people don't care about your beliefs on way or the other. That may not save you from the wandering preacher but just don't answer the door on Sunday.

In fact you will likely find it down right disappointing that no one cares.

You haven't killed anyone. You haven't had a sex change. You have simply come to a conclusion that has not changed you in the least save maybe an hour or two on Sunday or Saturday or Friday -- Tuesday if you were really strange. The most disappointing thing of all is that nothing has changed. You will get more comment on changing your favorite restaurant than on this. This is a big nothing to the world.

Of course when it comes to family, don't force your mother to know and your father won't get pissed at you unless he is a preacher. Don't bring it up. Don't ask, don't tell.

Above all do not get into debates. There are hundreds of canned arguments for belief most of which you have no heard and certainly do not have answers for. Most all of the initial reasons for turning from theism are shallow and not very good reasons at all. You are on the right path. Don't fall off it by testing yourself too soon.