It was a real pleasure to speak with David Ames on his Graceful Atheist podcast. In some sense I think David and his guests represent the “next generation” of thoughtful “leavers” who were once “believers.” There is a palpable grace to David’s approach. This is not about being against religion but for a good and gracious outlook that invites constructive conversation.
Connecting Friendly Freethinker to Graceful Atheist seems completely natural. I’m very glad David and I connected, and I highly recommend his website.
Friendly Freethinker 
Chris, I enjoyed hearing the description of your path between extremes of belief and disbelief. It is so easy for us to become defensive of our view points and miss the opportunities for connection.
Thanks for listening and your comment, Jim. Yes, there are opportunities to connect if we look for them or make room for them. On the other hand, as I say, people need to be willing.