Not as small as you might think

http://www.investigatingatheism.info/demographics.html

Gives 500 to 750 million as a likely figure for atheists. As the rest of the world eventually becomes more socially  progressive (which it eventually will) atheism is likely to become even more prominent. There is a strong connection between how socially advanced a society is and the proportion of atheists.

Yes it is a very religious country.  Not to surprising as most of the early settlers of the Americas sought freedom from religious persecution.  

As for on the rise, I don't think it is anymore than any other time.  Nor do I really have an opinion of it whatsoever.  I'm atheist but I people can believe in what they want no matter what I think is wrong or right about it.  To each their own I suppose.  All I do wish is that atheism was as except as other mainstream beliefs.  Or that in a political in social world, you could get somewhere being openly atheist.  

You are aware that there are countries in Europe, where atheist are actually the majority right?

I was thinking more on the discrimination side. Funny you should bring up diabetes:

In the TV show I was watching a small group of atheists in the bible belt wanted to protest against a preacher who would tell people with diabetes to forget modern medicine, stop taking their drugs, pray to god instead etc. They basically wanted to hand out medical leaflets outlining why this was a bad idea but were fearful that people would take exception to this and attack them.

In the show they said they went to the police and asked for legal protection, instead the police informed them that they were also going to rally/event and they would arrest them if they saw them there. I mean, wtf?

As for your last paragraph, that doesn't make it right and it's sad that a group who by all rights shouldn't have to form social groups are now doing so just to be heard in the public forums.

Somone having trouble telling reality from fiction and thinking sterotypes from hollywood is what relegious people are like. 

The figures are quite suprising. In other developed nations there is a lot higher percentage of Atheists. I wonder why America shares similar figures to many undereducated/underdeveloped countries.

I think it won't be long until England is a majority Atheist place. Maybe not on paper due to many people Christened without option, but actually physically doubting the existance of a god.

I believe in a god/gods/higher power. But I can't and will not put my faith into a book written by man.

You seem to be assuming you know a lot about me from that post. Is a completely wrong assumption about me really all you could contribute to this discussion?

Where did I say all religious people are like that? I know plenty of religious people from a diverse array of religions who are nothing like the hollywood sterotypes. I've had many intellectual discussions about religion and our beliefs with them.

The show I watched was a documentary btw. And are you saying that atheists aren't discriminated against in heavily religious areas? The fact that they feel they have to form the groups mentioned in the OP would suggest otherwise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_United_States#Situation_of_atheists

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination_against_atheists#United_States

Worth reading. Atheists seem to be mistrusted at best in America by a large proportion of the population. Of course not all religious people are like that, but it can't just be fobbed off as a Hollywood stereotype.

I've a question, would those who are religious disqualify the possibility of marriage with a person who isn't religous and vice versa? Some religious folks I know, seem to use Religion as a discriminatory process for choosing a mate. Just curious.