To be astonished that a grown woman has never before encountered the concept of atheism?

[Stangirl]

I was having a chat with a Sainsbury's checkout lady about Xmas. I was buying the Xmas edition of Good Housekeeping and she asked me whether I thought many people really understood the religious basis of Xmas. I replied that I thought most people were aware of the baby Jesus aspect but as an atheist i was happy to just have an excuse for parties, food and presents and liked to think of it more in the old Winter solstice/seasonal cycle terms. She said "Sorry, what did you say you are?". I said "Atheist." She asked what that was and when I explained she expressed amazement that someone didn't believe in God and said she had never before heard of the term or the concept. We ended the exchange with me saying "Yup, I just believe we live and die and that's it." The lady in question was in her 30s I'd say. AIBU to be shocked by this?

Very odd.

But perhaps unsuprising since RE curricula don't have to cover 'none of the above'. if you're brought up with belief in some sort of god being the cultural norm (mandatory assemblies with hymns and prayer), and you do believe it yourself, then it might never occur to you to think otherwise.

RE needs to be extended (and renamed) and not just be the preserve of old traditions and superstitions.