On my FaceBook profile, I currently list my religion as "Tolerant Atheist". This was not carefully crafted to annoy absolutely everybody, but rather to allow for conversation. I recently received this strip of paper with an eBay purchase. I try to accept the caring and sharing intent of the message, rather than be irritated by the inference that I am damned to hell for all eternity because I don't share their dependence on a particular brand of invisible friend. Just after I graduated from college, I was somewhat less tolerant. That summer, I visited St. Peter's in Rome with my Jewish girlfriend. We followed an American priest/guide around and got some wonderful architectural and artistic behind-the-scenes insight, beyond that of a regular tour. As he led us out, we handed him a tip in honest appreciation of his sharing. He returned the gesture in kind, by blessing us each with a thumbed cross to our foreheads. My companion handled it with aplomb. I was less graceful. I'm sure my face reflected an expression appropriate to being blessed by a primitive savage priest with some unpleasant goo. Many atheists vehemently reject religion much like recovering alcoholics reject alcohol. They had been eager partakers, and now pity anyone who hasn't yet seen the light. Recovering Cathoholics and other Christ-shuns. I was raised atheist, so I don't have that particular bent. It's not that I disagree with Dawkins and PZ and their ilk about the dangers and inherently infantilizing nature of these beliefs. I just think that atheism will become better accepted in America if it isn't so intimately associated with vocal anti-Christianity. Here is how a well known irreligious bloviator candidly expresses his experience of receiving an evangelical gift. His point of view seems to match my own. Accept a gift as it is intended.