If I were an Atheist

[abaris]

First I would have to come to grips with the fact that in spite of a decline in religious attendance and participation atheism isn’t a growing movement. It’s not just an issue of popularity. There are many unpopular beliefs and facts that are believed because of a preponderance of evidence in their favor, not because the belief is popular. Many popular beliefs have been abandoned do to evidence against them. Considering many atheists equate belief in God with belief in Santa Claus how is it they’re not gaining any traction?

There's the fallacy right in this first paragraph. You're obviously talking about 322 million people otherwise called the USA.

In Europe the picture looks a whole lot different. In my country for example 59 percent of the people identify themselves as in no shape and form religious. Also what have numbers to do with anything? There have been and still are very popular movements that proved to be wrong or despicable.

So, you're probably talking about the christian god. That in itself begs the question, which one of the 40.000+ variants of christianity you hold to be true? Not to forget that the majority of Earth's population - if they are religious - don't pray to any god of christianity. There are religions that are much older than christianity or all the Abrahamic religions.

Have to say, your premise doesn't hold water to begin with.