Bah everyday as a kid I recited a similar pledge (and the same one) in canada and the us. It's no big deal. I'm an atheist as well, ponder the existence of god but thats about it pondering .

People take separation of church and state too literally sometimes.....If your children are brainwashed by that drivel than your not doing your job as a parent......I find ALL religion personally offensive but do I go out proselytizing about the fallacies and idiocy of religion....nope(although I do enjoy exposing the faults inherent in said religions there's no reason to go out and try to legally enforce your viewpoint, I would never force a catholic school to teach evolution, although no worries there as the pope recognizes it now). Only wacko's do that and im only weird so far. If people want to believe in Santa and the Tooth fairy or invisible Pink Unicorns power to ya unless you start hurting people claiming they(the invisible things) told you too.