New and non just don't work together.

I am a non-believer, but I do not like the term atheist (or non-believer for that matter) because it implies, to many people as being anti-religious. I am not anti-religious. I don't care what others believe any more than I care who they sleep with, as long as their beliefs do not start intruding on my freedom. Keep your god out of my life, and I will not try to interfere with your church.

Religion should be a private contract with one's god, practiced, in private, or with the consent of fellow believers, in the church or home. Religion should never become public policy. Our founders knew this, and they could foresee what could come about by the state adoption of religion; any religion.

I will say this; I sincerely believe, from a strictly historical perspective, that far more harm has come to people, through the practice of religions, than ever came from people who are non-believers. A moral life does not require the inclusion of a supernatural being, and immoral acts can not be forgiven as the practice of religion. Modern American religion seems to have changed from the worship of people's various gods, and the promotion of moral living, to the feeling that they have the right to impose their beliefs on others, and that laws, morals and ethics are variable in the pursuit of that objective. If I am attacked with a cross, a star or moon, and I will respond with a club.

be useful in overcoming the dangers of theocracy and interference against other religions that conservative Christianity poses. I would rather see an alliance between progressives of every kind, atheist or not, to solve our many problems.