Moreover, to be comprehensive about the religious and atheist standpoints, it should be pointed out that there are atheist religions. Take Buddhism, for example. For the most part, Buddhists don't believe in the Creator. They are spiritual, yet are not concerned with deities. (Though some aspects use the concept of deities for meditation purposes.)
How does this relate to this discussion? Well, this means that there are many atheists out there (both Buddhist and non-Buddhist) who aren't heavily critical, prejudiced, or hateful of theists. Many atheists (even non-religious ones) have a respect for certain aspects of religion as they relate to philosophy and morality. It would be hard to find a Western atheist who isn't in some measure influenced by the morality sold by the Christian Church. If anything, atheists are created once they see through corrupt practices of the Church, among other reasons. But this doesn't mean atheists have completely turned away from the beliefs of Christianity when it comes to morality. If I believe there is value in loving my neighbour, does this mean I have accepted Jesus in my life? No. It means I agree with him. Simple as that.
As a Western atheist, it is difficult for me to completely deny the values of a dominantly Judeo-Christian society. But it is easy for me to criticize its shortcomings, especially on the topic of dogma, ritual, fundamentalism, ignorance, etc.
Most important, you cannot paint atheists with the same brush.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
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