Yes, there are Atheists in foxholes

NPR has a story today by Benjamin Tupper, an Army National Guard Captain embedded with Afghan troops near the Pakistan border. He writes about his experience in Afghanistan, drinking tea with soldiers, U.S. and Afghan. Tupper, the lone Atheist, was surrounded by Christians and Muslims, who all agreed that he was going to hell.

Then there was Fayez, one of our Afghan interpreters, who was the most eloquent in explaining the pillars of Islam. One night, I described my faith — that men could do good deeds without interference from God — and my fear that religion caused much of the strife we witnessed daily in Afghanistan. This was met by a chorus of condemnation. Fayez floored everyone by interrupting to say that they all should consider the possibility that I was right. This was a brave thing to do in a country where, even today, people face death for questioning Islam.