It's time for atheists and agnostics need to "come out of the closet". Something like 10-20% of Americans are non-religious, but they don't realize how many others are out there.
They are expected to keep their beliefs to themselves, yet believers in any random religion are allowed to express their diverse beliefs. Polls show that Americans would prefer to elect a homosexual president over an atheist president.
> the guilt I felt for my alternate vision of the world was intense
Man, I feel you on that. I grew up in a religious household but started going, "seriously, over an apple?" when I was quite young. The responses always distilled down to my not having enough "faith."
For me, it happened when I was young, and in light of 'adult guidance', the guilt I felt for my alternate vision of the world was intense.