This is probably one of the most common topics I get asked about. Meeting other atheists is a difficult thing to do because even in the most progressive countries, it’s not a topic that comes up organically. In some places, it can be dangerous, and in others, it can be downright lethal to come right out and say that you’re an atheist.

We want to connect with people like us, though. That’s not to say atheists don’t appreciate and enjoy the company of religious people. I can definitely say I do. But friendships with likeminded people on a myriad of topics can lend itself to feeling less lonely. Sometimes, a heathen needs a heathen.

So how to do we find other atheists to socialize with?

How do I meet other atheists?

Depending on where you live, there are several ways to go about finding other atheists in your area.

Meetup.com

Local Humanist Associations

Facebook Groups

Twitter

Instagram

Conventions

Museum and/or science clubs

Skeptics in the pub

How to find atheists on meetup.com

Meetup.com has long been the internet’s premier website for finding IRL get-togethers with people you share something in common with. There are meetups centred around every topic under the sun. Among those topics, atheism, skepticism and humanism can be found.

To find your people on Meetup.com, you have to sign up for an account. Once you do, you can search your area for things like “freethinkers” or “rational thought”, “atheists” or “humanists”. Whatever you can think of that will yield a group of non-religious people. You’re going to find that most places in and around larger cities will have results. All you have to do now is join the group and show up to the meetup.

How to find your local humanist association

If you can’t find any Meetup.com events near you that would attract freethinkers, search Google instead for your location plus “humanist groups near me”. You might also conduct the same search on Facebook, especially if you’re in a locale that is hostile towards atheists. The closed groups on Facebook are far safer in those sorts of places than a Google-listed website.

How to find atheists on Twitter

Twitter has a massive non-religious community that is active every single day. All you have to do to find some atheists on Twitter is use the search feature, follow a handful and then start jumping in on conversations. Eventually, you’re going to come across some people in your area who share your views on religion.

How to find atheists on Instagram

Instagram’s atheist community seems to be a bit smaller than the one on Twitter, but there are still quite a few of us active on the app. You can start out by following me and getting involved in some of the discussion that goes on under my posts. You can also search Instagram for other atheist accounts. If you leave the geolocation option on when you post, other heathens in your area can spot you, and vice versa. Be careful with this feature, though, if you are somewhere where atheists are treated with extreme hostility. In that case, you’re going to want to use more discretion, of course.

How to find atheist conventions

There aren’t as many big conventions in the atheist community as there were back in the days of the Four Horsemen. There are, however, still plenty of smaller, more niche conferences.

For instance, there is the Faithless Forum which is a conference centred around atheist YouTubers. It happens annually in Texas. You can find more information here: Faithless Forum.

There is the Conference on Religious Trauma happening in Vancouver, BC, Canada next April. This is the first conference of its kind, bringing together experts on causes, effects, & recovery from Religious Trauma and Authoritarian Groups.​ You can grab more information about that here: CORT

You can also check out When Rights And Religions Collide, which is a one-day conference in New York City on October the 19th. More information here: When Rights and Religions Collide.

Beyond these conferences, there are so many more. There are conferences for nonbelievers held in nearly every state and in most developed countries. American Atheists, Secular Student Alliance, Freedom From Religion Foundation all hold conventions that everyone is welcome to. You can find some conferences specific to your location or some that are specific to one particular topic, like being an ex-Muslim or promoting feminism. Find one that suits you and go meet some heathens!

How to find atheists in science clubs and museums

Most cities have several museums related to science, and if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that you can join these museums as a member. Your membership perks will include invites to social events where you are bound to meet at least some like-minded individuals. You can do the same with science clubs, or similar outfits. Meetup.com can be a great help in finding these sorts of groups and events for you. One such group that exists all around the world is called Skeptics in the Pub.

What is Skeptics in the Pub?

Skeptics in the Pub are groups of skeptics, freethinkers, humanists and atheists that meet in the pub monthly. It was started in London in 1999 and has grown to have chapters in many different cities across each continent. To find one close to you, you can either search Google for your city plus “Skeptics in the Pub” or go to the main Skeptics in the Pub website here: Skeptics in the Pub

Is there an atheist dating site?

The answer is yes! There are actually several options for dining other atheists to date.

Agnostic.com

Atheist.dating

Friendfinder.com

OkCupid.com

Match.com

Agnostic.com is a little known site that is geared towards dating but can be used just to find some community as well. There are loads of active atheists and agnostics on the site. Check it out: Agnostic.com.

Atheist.dating looks to be relatively new and doesn’t have too many active members yet, but maybe you guys will change that. Check it out: Atheist.dating.

Friendfinder.com tries to make it easier to find both people to date and platonic friendships. It is not an explicitly atheist network, so you will have to make it known somewhere on your profile. Take a look at Friendfinder: Friendfinder.com.

OKCupid.com is another site that is not just for atheists, but it is very atheist friendly, and you can easily find other nonbelievers to connect with there. Head on over: OkCupid.com.

Match.com is not quite as atheist-friendly as OKCupid, but it works nonetheless. Just make it known in your profile that you’re looking for other nonbelievers and you should do fine. Give it a try: Match.com.

I’d love to know how you meet other atheists in your area. Let me know in the comments!

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