I can't really argue against your assertion that secularism has it's roots in Christian thought,
as it's not something I've ever looked into (it is counter intuitive, though).
My experience of secularism comes from organisations like the National Secular Society, which sounds like a good idea in principle, but then they bang on about how Thought For The Day is religious propaganda (and I'm sure I've heard something similar attributed to Dawkins), and that forces me to the conclusion that they're a bunch of frothing nutters. I like Thought For The Day.

[Edit: it's taken me far too long to work out that the recently deceased, notable atheist that you were referring to was Christopher Hitchens. I think this probably says it all. Hitchens is categorised in my brain as "essayist" (somewhere near Alistair Cook, probably), whilst Dawkins represents an unpleasant subsection of "atheists". Maybe he just needs to work on his public image?]
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 9 Jan 2012, 10:24, 1 reply)

Hitchens was far more virulent and outspoken an anti-theist than Dawkins.
The NSS are a tiny group of puritanical scots who lack belief so can't share the misery of the wee frees so have to conjure up their own grim persecution complex.

90% of what Dawkins has written is about evolution. He's been elevated to his position as Atheist Antichrist almost entirely by evangelical christians because he calmy tore apart their attempts to re-label creationism as "intelligent design" and sneak it into the pantheon of science.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 9 Jan 2012, 16:37, closed)

Like I said, he needs a better public image.
He does himself no favours, y'know.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 9 Jan 2012, 17:30, closed)