Are atheists still the most hated minority in America?

[Kosh]

I think there is more of a continuum from non-belief to wherever you think it ends in the God orbit.

I'd note that while they might be shocked at the truth, quite a few Christians in the US would be exonerated for lack of evidence should Jesusism ever be made illegal.  They might not identify as 'atheist' or 'agnostic', but maintaining themselves as their own arbitrators of religious belief instead of God/Jesus/Bible takes them  a very long way down Atheist Boulevard whether they want to admit it or not.

I concur.  There are a lot of people who would mark themselves as "Christian" on a survey who haven't sniffed a church in years.

My grandfather who was born in the 1930's was not baptized as a child.  He and my grandmother were never religious and never went to church.  He had pro football tickets for over 40 years so that gives you an idea what he worshipped and did on Sundays.  His funeral was done in the local Methodist church at the request of members of the family.  During his funeral, the pastor mentioned to the entire church that he had recently baptized my grandfather.  I remember my mother was livid about this announcement.  My grandfather had spent his entire life in a small town and his non baptism was not common knowledge.  They were worried that people in town would think less of him.  The pastor used it anyways as an advertisement. 

I think as people get older, they become more religious because of something I like to call "Just in Case".   My mother is pulling that crap right now.  For most of my life the only reason my parents went to church was to get my brothers and I properly indoctrinated.  If we didn't need to go to church, my parents sure weren't offering to go.  We never said grace at dinner, and prayer consisted of "oh god, don't let the farm machinery break until I'm done in the field".  Grace at holidays consisted of "The gravy's hot and so is the meat, good god lets eat".

Now that they are pushing 70, I have to deal with seeing stupid "We are blessed" and other religious memes on Facebook.  Getting old and religious "just in Case".