What is atheism? Most people will tell you that it is a belief in nothing, or a belief that there is no supreme being. But this is not true. Atheism is a belief in nature. Atheists believe that nature has created everything, and that nature will repond to natural influences to evolve. When humans die, they become part of nature, according to atheists.
Of course the atheists get all excited when you dispute Darwinism. Its the story of nature. Try disputing the accounts given in the Old Testament with a Baptist; you get the same level of excitement. However, I would judge that there is more faith required for an atheist to believe in Darwinism than what is required for a Christian to have a non-literal belief in the Old Testament.
What I find interesting is that you have mainly stayed clear of a religious discussion of Darwinism on this thread, but the supporters of Darwinism here have made it a religious issue with you.
There is the tie-in to environmentalism. Since atheists believe in nature, then what would be their "church"? The environment, of course. Any defilement of the atheist church is "sacreligious". This is not "sun-worship" in most cases, but it can be. Places like swamps, which previously were considered disease-ridden, are now called "wet-lands" - a place where nature is in its glory. Things that used to be called "jungles" have been elevated to "rain forrest", a place that has highly concentrated amounts of nature. DDT, man and industry are intuders in the atheist "church", and need elimination. At least this is what is taught in public schools.
Don't let anyone tell you that religion is not being taught at school. This country's state-sponsored religion is atheism.