Quote Originally Posted by JaneV2.0 View Post
I'm pretty sure my grandfather was just a nonbeliever--although he died before I could meet him. When I think of atheists, I picture those tiresome crusading types who can't shut up about religion.
The atheist community is not that homogenized. We have our diplomats and our firebrands; we have our quiet atheists you'd never expect (google The Clergy Project) and our loudmouths. We also have our well-spoken advocates. We even have our own celebrities! lol

For instance, my friend Jeff (probably my only guy friend) is an atheist and a leader in our community. He is in a life partnership with a woman who is a Methodist. She attends church every Sunday. She sings in the choir. She is very active in her church. But they get along because that is their only real difference. They both love gardening and bicycling, they are both liberal democrats, and they like cats and skydiving. lol

Atheists, while trending largely toward the "straight, white male" demographic veers all over the place when it comes to personalities. Introverts. Extroverts. Funny. Serious. Pranksters. Intellectuals. Bookish. Outdoorsy. Folksy, even!

Would you say: "When I think of gays, I picture the San Francisco Pride Parade and all the leather chaps and rainbow speedos."?

No, you would not say that (at least I hope you would not) because that is prejudice.