Why are atheists so hated?

Upon reading the article mentioned in the last entry I was thinking about why atheists are so hated in America. Well, here is what I think. Believers look at non-believers as potential souls to save. These souls aren't mixed up in some other intractable (and hard to understand) religion like Shinto or Islam so they are really a clean slate for Jesus.

Also I think many religious Americans want to go out of their way to be PC when it comes to other peoples religious belief. So you don't hear too much about stealth Baptists sneaking into Riyadh in order to turn the Muslims into good Christians. (Even though that would be a good way to martyr themselves for the cause.) However you do see them go after atheists hammer and tongs. They think that if you testify to the person then you have a convert and have personally saved that persons soul from hell.

Then when the atheists hit back, saying they don't want to hear about your book or your testimony (or worse yet belittle the believers beliefs) the faithful rise up in fury. They think "I'm trying to save you from hellfire here and you don't want to listen?" Some atheists can be pretty insulting in their rejection of what is a core belief for the testifying person. They belittle the person as small-minded or believing in fairy tales. Or they have been duped by an organized religion that has been the cause of strife for centuries. I think being called an idiot for believing in something that they hold close to their heart would make anyone mad.

Add this to the fact that atheists are portrayed as totally lacking moral fiber of any kind and you can understand the hatred directed toward them by the faithful. Their religion teaches them morality and how to act when around temptations. So they think that someone without religion hasn't been taught this basic thing at all. This is of course wrong but it doesn't matter to the believer. They figure that not only are you saving their soul you are bettering civilization by putting this moral degenerate back on the strait and narrow.

Add this to the fact that the majority of Americans are in some sort of organized religion and you have a very volatile combination. I think the idea that atheists have of calling themselves something non-religious is a good one. Calling themselves "brights" isn't though because you are rubbing it in the face of believers that the atheists are smart and the believers are dumb. I think they should call themselves some sort of nonsense word like Ebay or Haagen Daaz or something. That way they can get away from religious terms and also not go around insulting the majority of Americans.