HUNTSVILLE, AL -- When Scott Savage was a kid, he took the advice of his Sunday School teachers seriously, and read the Bible.

It destroyed his faith.

"It scared me first," Savage said, recalling his impression as a 12-year-old boy. "I remember sitting in church, reading Job and thinking, 'Gosh, God is such a monster,' and then being fearful of getting struck by lightning."

Savage, a software engineer who has been nominated to be the new state director for Alabama for American Atheists, has moved into being more open about his atheism to help others not feel as alone as he felt during his years of encountering more and more serious doubts about his faith.

"I felt like I was crazy," Savage said. "Everyone around me believed, and I felt like I was the only one. I felt like that until I discovered NAFA."

NAFA, the North Alabama Freethought Association, was founded by Blair Scott, who was recently tapped to be national communications director for American Atheists. Savage succeeds Scott as state director of Alabama, a post that means he is responsible for watching to see that state and local lawmakers do not violate the Constitution by attempting to impose a certain kind of religion.

"American Atheists basically work to prevent one religion from overpowering any other point of view," Savage said. "Consequently, we protect atheists, but we indirectly also protect every other religion. I see my own role as being beneficial for everybody."

While he wouldn't try to talk anyone out of their faith, Savage also wants to make the non-theist organizations more visible for other seekers. No one needs to make that same search he did alone.

"We should be able to come together and talk about questions that might offend people," Savage said.