Exactly, Jack. We of the Religious Left (not only Christians) in the United States usually find atheists to be natural allies, and we have found ways to work together quite happily. Our natural enemies are the Religious Right, who self-righteously use their religion to support racism and nationalism and other forms of oppression.

Those on the right in the U.S. spend a lot effort and money "proving" that their religion is the right one. Back when God created the World Wide Web, the Catholic right-wingers bought up all the domain names that sounded Catholic, and they use those Websites to prove how right they are. Catholic.com is a Website called "Catholic Answers," and they have "apologists standing by 24 hours a day to answer your questions about the Catholic Faith." The answers they give are sometimes pretty weird. They claim to be representing the "true religion," but their religion is far different from what I learned in a Catholic seminary.

We on the religious left don't want to be bothered to prove or defend our faith. We see faith as a way of life, not a checklist of beliefs to be defended. We generally enjoy our religious practices, but don't see them as something to fight about. We're more interested in fighting for justice for the poor and the immigrants and others who suffer injustice.

So, we're bewildered by European atheists who find it so important to prove that our religious faith is wrong. We're in an age where fascism is gaining strength at an alarming rate, all over the world. Isn't it more important to join together in mutual respect and deal with the threat of fascism?

-Joe-