>> YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S GROWING 
AND IT'S INTERESTING.
THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THEY JUST
USED THE WORD EIGHTHITY.
NOW YOU ARE HEARING HUMANIST, 
NUNS, SKEPTICS, FREE-THINKERS.
AND YOU WILL TALK TO LEADERS 
WITHIN THE ATHEIST COMMUNITY.
THEY WHETHER SAY THIS IS THE 
SAME THING.
THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD, 
THEY'RE SCARED TO SAY THE WORD.
THEN WE MET A LOT OF OF THESE 
FOLKS.
THEY DON'T FEEL AN AFFILIATION 
TO RELIGION.
THEY LIKE A SORT OF SOFTLEER, 
GENTLER APPROACH.
THERE IS SUCH A STIGMA, PEOPLE 
THINK DEVIL WORSHIPER.
NO MORAL COMPASS.
>> IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN 
THAT.
YOU ACTUALLY TALKED TO A PRIEST 
OR A PREACHER WHO STARTED A 
CHURCH FOR ATHEISTS.
>> YES.
AND, YOU KNOW WHAT, BEFORE WE 
EVEN MET WITH HIM, BECAUSE, AS 
HE LIKES TO SAY, HE IS OUT OF 
THE CLOSET.
OKAY.
>> ON AITHEISM?
>> OH, YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING.
A LOT OF THE ATHEISTS COMPARE 
THEMSELVES TO GAY AND LESBIANS.
IT'S JUST LIKE THAT.
IT'S LIVING IN THE CLOSET.
NOT ABLE TO BE MY REAL SELF AND 
IT'S TORTUROUS.
I MEAN, YOU WANT TO TAKE -- THIS
IS JERRY DeWITT.
>> OKAY.
>> THREE YEARS AGO JERRY DeWITT 
LOST HIS FAITH.
>> IT FELT LIKE LIVING A LIE.
>> AND MADE THE HARDEST CHOICE 
IN HIS LIFE.
>> THE REAL HEART BREAK, SOUL 
CRUSHING HEART BREAK WAS 
REALIZING I HAD TO GIVE UP THE 
MINISTRY.
>> THE NEWS THAT DeWITT HAD 
BECOME AN ATHEIST SENT SHOCK 
WAVES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND 
THE FALLOUT WAS LIKE A PUNCH TO 
THE GUT.
>> YOU LOST IT ALL, YOUR JOB, 
YOUR CONGREGATION, YOUR WIFE 
LEFT.
YOU LOST ALL YOUR MONEY.
SO WHY STAY HERE IN LOUISIANA?
WHY NOT GO SOMEWHERE THAT IS 
MORE PROGRESSIVE, OPEN MINDED?
>> IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THINGS
BETTER, WE GOT TO MAKE THINGS 
BETTER WHERE THEY NEED TO BE 
MADE BETTER.
>> YOU GO INTO HIS CHURCH.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN CHURCH.
CAN I GET AN AMEN?
DON, WE ALSO TALKED TO PREACHERS
WHO DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO COME 
OUT AND THEY'RE PREACHING EVERY 
SUNDAY AND THEIR CONGREGATION 
DOESN'T KNOW THEY DON'T BELIEVE.
THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE 
CLERGY PROJECT.
MORE THAN 600
