Sorry, I feel the need to step in...
I am not the most educated person in the world, nor the most intelligent.
But it looks as though the believers are being very hypocritical to those who chose not to believe.
Does not your scripture ask you to "not judge", "love your fellow man"...
"he who is without sin to cast the first stone"...
I know most of those quotes apply to the story that was being told of someone in the book, but those are guidelines by how you should live you lives.
Simply by generalizing Atheists as a group to think they are "above" everyone is like an Atheist saying the same about religious folks saying "we will pray for you".
Simply because you believe, and stating you are "a better human being", than those poor souls who do not.
And there in is the hypocrisy....... "they [think] they are smarter than us", you are being judgemental..... is that a sin?
Were as a lot of Atheist say "those Christians think they are better because they believe and we don't"...
Don't class all for the statements of one....
I was baptized when I was 9.... was in an orphanage from 6-11 years old... bible study 3 times a week, church twice a week... learned a lot about "faith" and the bible.... had to memorize it.... I found it a great tool and guide, I also found it confusing and found that those who taught it did always follow it.
I ran across a thing when reading about the crusades and the family name "McGraw".. I thought they were Scottish..... (I am actually from a german decent) it comes from the Scottish education government site...so any tin hats might not believe its an accurate progression of history... the very first sentence is what gets me ...
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/higherscottishhistory/ageofreformation/ba...So as a former believer (self proclaimed Atheist now, because I truly cannot believe, even though I tried) I ask this one question.....
Why are all religious folk not Christian now?
I think this: Because back the day (before 1500), a majority of the folks (one church) believed in the story of Christ and it was the separate races (or groups if you want to be politically correct) that interpreted the story differently due to the language barrier and mans interpretation of the words another wrote. And then yet another group decided to use the tithes to their own personal advantage and not just the church (isn't that a sin?).
As I have grown, I have learned much about people and beliefs, and I have formed my own "opinion" about the religious culture.
Being an Atheist is not "a belief" or a "religion".... I do not gather with other Atheists to worship anything, I am not part of an Atheist Cult.... Just because there are Atheists that are evil, does not mean I am evil.. It would be like me seeing a chevy pickup truck and calling all pickups chevy's.
So please don't generalize when quoting something about someone...
Judge a person by what he or she does or says..... not by what other people do or say....
In the end, you will be a better person for it by not condemning all others for one persons actions....
After all I don't think all Christians believe as you do about everything.... or Catholics... or Muslims .....
There, I had my say..... thanks....
I wish you well in all your endeavors....