It’s worth mentioning that one can actually believe in god yet only say “I believe in god”.
When I talk to religious people, I usually say “I don’t believe in god” rather than “God does not exist”. They both get the point across that I’m an atheist, but nothing else. The second, however, is less confrontational, and it often takes effort to keep people from seeing the discussion as a “battle”.
It’s worth mentioning that one can actually believe in god yet only say “I believe in god”.
When I talk to religious people, I usually say “I don’t believe in god” rather than “God does not exist”. They both get the point across that I’m an atheist, but nothing else. The second, however, is less confrontational, and it often takes effort to keep people from seeing the discussion as a “battle”.