Should we stir up controversy? YES.
Such discussions are far preferable to the older practice of keeping atheists "in the closet". We exist, and although we may still be a minority, we exist in sufficiently large numbers that society should no longer be able to pretend that our opinions are immaterial. Yes, we should feel free to engage the religious community in thoughtful discussions on any topic whatsoever, although I'd prefer to avoid the "Is not!" "Is too!" type of schoolyard argument. It serves no purpose to try to convince believers that god doesn't exist, but a more reasonable approach may be to point out that god is a choice. We must no longer be ignored, and nowhere is this more true than in our political dialogue. It has long been the practice of politicians to give at least lip service to religious viewpoints, usually Christian ones. This has led our society into all sorts of injustice. It is time to speak out.
- Ann F. Kah
