"God Talk" right after 9/11

[Eilonnwy]

Why was there so much "God Bless America" and "Pray for America", and increased church attendance for several months after the terrorist attack,

Because when disasters happen people turn to faith because it's incredibly difficult to deal with such extreme loss. Faith provides comfort to some people even though the comfort is found in believing what someone tells you God says about the disaster despite the fact he/she has no evidence to back up anything he/she says. In essence, it's false comfort that makes people think their loved one's deaths had a higher purpose than just being the victim of deluded men or natural disasters.

but now there is more anti-religion then ever before? It seems our nation has really become backslidden.

Because eventually they came to their senses.

In truth, the "new atheism" as many would call it is a result of the non-religious saying "enough is enough" when it comes to the Christian right trampling on human rights and the constitution under the guise of calling it a Christian Nation, or a nation of faith when that couldn't be further from the truth. We're fed up, plain and simple.