Atheism's Rebirth -- Just in Time for Christmas

First, there were the summer camps. Then came the de-baptisms. Next up? A best-selling book entitled "The Atheist's Guide to Christmas." Is it just me, or does atheism seem to be enjoying a renaissance?

At first, I thought it was just a U.K. thing.

It started last January when a non-profit group, The Atheist Bus Campaign, went on-line to solicit donations to equip 30 buses in Great Britain with the slogan: "God Probably Doesn't Exist: So Stop Worrying and Enjoy Life." Its founders were fed up with the "Jesus Said" billboards that ran on British buses in June 2008 (apparently condemning non-believers to hell), and decided to mount a counter-attack.

Within months, the group had not only met its initial funding goal of 5,500 GBP (some $8,800) -- but surpassed it -- raising a whopping 135,000 GBP (approximately $216,000). The campaign had raised enough money to place billboards on 800 buses, and its cause was quickly taken up in neighboring Spain and Italy.

Things again heated up this summer when outspoken atheist (and scientist) Richard Dawkins launched Camp Quest, a summer camp devoted to the teachings of Darwin and skepticism. (Favorite camp game? Prove the Unicorn Doesn't Exist. Is that the metaphysical version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey?)

Friday, "The Atheist's Guide to Christmas" comes out, a collection of essays by a group of prominent British and American authors who provide . . . well, an atheist's guide to Christmas. (The book is already 40th on Amazon and I'm told they've made an audio version.)

But it's not just in the U.K. where atheism appears to be taking hold. Yes, Darwin (the movie) is having trouble finding a distributor in the United States (something I find no less absurd than trying to prove that a unicorn doesn't exist). But there are other signs of life within the atheist movement.

Within the past year, de-baptism ceremonies -- where adults explicitly renounce their Christian upbringing -- have attracted as many as 250 individuals in states such as Texas, Florida, Ohio and Georgia. Wednesday was Blasphemy Day, when people are encouraged to express their contempt for God/gods as a way of promoting freedom of expression. And we all remember President Obama's shout-out to non-believers in his inaugural address.

According to Politics Daily's religion correspondent, David Gibson, the latest data suggest that atheists -- who now comprise 15 percent of the population -- are growing steadily in number. (One survey projects them hitting 25 percent in 20 years.) And that's not all, folks: they're happier, too. (Shhhh . . . don't tell.)

It's easy to laugh all of this off, but the growth of atheism in the United States has serious political implications. As this analysis in U.S. News and World Report suggests, secularists pose a challenge for Democratic and Republican parties alike. And their growth is only likely to fuel political polarization.

What do we make of all this?

Me, I'm agnostic.

But I can't wait for "Atheism: The Movie" . . .