According to my trusty dictionary, Atheism is defined as "the belief that God does not exist." It also points out that the word comes from the Greek combining "without" and "theos" (God). Although that pretty well summarizes their condition, it is another subject. Militant Atheism in America began to rear its head in the middle 60s along with the sexual revolution. Both movements, to put it kindly, are amoral.
The driving principal of American Atheism is the absolute separation of church and state. The term is credited to President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in connection with our First Amendment. However the context was far different from the current practice of applying the principle to any or all religions. Inasmuch as early America considered itself a "Christian" nation, the founders of America had in mind the official state sponsored church-state relationship that existed in the rest of Christendom.
The closest concept to atheism in colonial America was deism. Both Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson are often cited as Deists. However, Deists are NOT Atheists. Deists do believe in God and that He created the universe, however, they do not believe God intervenes in the universe He created. To the Deist, God was the great watchmaker. He created the universe (as in the latest "intelligent design" concept), wound up His marvelous watch, and now the world is on its own. The Deist's denial of biblical miracles, including the virgin birth and resurrection of Christ, also distinguishes contemporary Modernist from Fundamentalists.
American Atheists have been remarkably successful in driving God from the public square. Prayer, for the most part, is banned in our public schools. Having a copy of the Bible on your desk has been cause for disciplinary action. The Ten Commandments is no longer welcome in our courthouses. Politicians and other prominent citizens are ridiculed if they actually believe God created the heavens and the earth in six days (Genesis 1-2). In contrast, in early America it was often necessary to be a member and attend church regularly in order to vote.
The Atheistic led abandonment of Christianity and the Bible is in stark contrast to the Christian nation our pilgrim forefathers founded. The Declaration of Independence notes, man is "endowed by their Creator (obviously from Genesis 1:1-DIR) with certain unalienable Rights..." It also mentions (1) "the Supreme Judge of the World" (Hebrews 11:23, etc.), and (2) "a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence." These Christian sentiments are very much a part of their "public square."
It is obvious, that not long ago Americans considered America a Christian nation. It should be noted that black slaves (without endorsing that peculiar institution) imported from Africa were Christianized and no longer hold to their native religions. As native Indian tribes were conquered in America, they too were Christianized. Furthermore, when our Mormon friends sought to introduce polygamy or plural marriage, congress sent the army to Utah to quell this un-Christian concept. Yet today, our Supreme Court is considering same-sex marriage as being constitutional. Indeed, we have come a long way! But is it toward the God of the Bible OR away from our Creator?
Dale I. Royal, Elk City, OK