I liked that Emily Deschanel's character Temperance Brennan on Bones was openly atheist and used the actual word "atheist" without apology. However, I hated that she was so socially awkward and often seemed so devoid of emotion while her christian counterpart was very charming and likable.
I recommend watching The Atheist Experience TV show online. It was on public access TV in Austin, TX, but now it's just online (I believe.) They stream live, but you can watch the show on their website (http://www.atheist-experience.com/) or get the audio version as a podcast. I subscribe to the podcast and it automatically downloads every week.
Because even liberal minded people are afraid of their mortality and we are a reminder of their doubts.