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i figure I'll throw in a couple of cents late in the ball game, not that they'll amount to much.
personally, I think it takes time for people to be "ok" with atheism. I've been in several drawn out arguments with...hell, anyone...loved ones, unloved ones, unknown ones, you name it. Its a profound waste of time. they all involve a christian telling me that I'm empty inside, followed by a few stories of bad people who changed their lives for god, and now they're happy. and I just cant accept the arguments they provide, so we go back and forth, they tell me more of the same, and ignore the points I've brought up. it usually ends with the christian giving up and telling me that I must lead a dark, lonely existence.
and I definetely think that its easier to follow the religious path laid out for you by those in front. the free-market religious system has set up all sorts of groups, etc to help re-affirm your beleif...
really, being atheist is fairly similar to being gay in terms of the way you are viewed by religious society and family.
I can recall my christian days, when we christians would go to "jesus now" or some similar conference to sing songs, hear magical stories, and we would be led away to re-dedicate our lives to jesus (if we so chose). I always felt left out, because the only thing that I did wrong was look at porno and beat off....and I didnt figure that I was in need of a re-dedication to christ for fufilling a desire that was imprinted onto my brain by "him"
I guess I am to the point now where I dont care, and if someone comes to me and asks what religion I am, Im a christian (to save time).
and, for practical purposes, I am "muslim"...but thats another story.
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