[Dang3r]

Well said.
Also an atheist here but I let other people go their personal way of believing into whatever - as long as they dont annoy me with spiritual things from above and beyond.

Short story from the first gulfwar:
I was sitting outside the meeting tent after briefing for the next bomb run towards somewhere over Iraq and was smoking a cigarette.
The field priest was heading towards to me and asked for my reasons not to join the open mess for aircrews before duty as the rest. I noted internal a pluspoint for him, not saying "my son" to me.
At this point for you as information: The US troops had a mess before every mission and we and other involved countries were invited to join.
As I started to turn to him, a medic helo was suddenly in progress to land and the noise made any communication impossible. The medics were carrying over a very heavy wounded comrade, something has cost him more than the half of his face.
In silence we were watching until they reached the medic tent and left behind. The priest was fully shocked about the view and me also were touched of the situation, but I asked him though: Did you see this man? With the skills of the surgeons, more luck and his will to survive he would spend the next months and years into recovery. A drooling and helpless creature into darkness, made once equal to the face of your lord. His childs would be scared of their dad, his wife had to bring all her love to stay with him, his life would never be the same...and then someone like you came up to his bed and would tell him god is loving him also.
Now, thats the answer why I would never join your or anybody elses mess.

End of the story.