i generally don't come out and tell people about my beliefs or lack thereof. if asked i usually say i'm "seeking".

overall it's gotten me better responses and attitude than if i tell people i don't believe in gods at all.

people who believe in gods RARELY think as deeply about atheism as people who don't believe in gods think about religion. there's a large imbalance in the amount of time one has taken to understand "the other side".

i suggest baby steps when dealing with religious people, if you want to maintain relationships with them.