When did Atheists become Assholes?

I've noticed a disturbing trend lately in the world of religious debate/discussion.  Quite frankly, Atheists have become raging assholes.  Reference Bill Maher, of whom I am a big fan.  I love his political talk show 'Real Time', I listen to the podcast every week and I generally agree with his liberal points of view.  However, lately I feel he's taking the self-righteous atheist bit just a bit too far.  Last week he tried to get one of his guests, an atheist author (with a doctorate in religious studies, oddly enough), to publicly state that all people of faith were deluded.  When she refused to do so, he called her out for not having the 'strength of her convictions'.

Hey, I can be self-righteous too!

It's not just Maher doing this, either.  More and more I see atheists literally preaching to the religious folks around them, trying to belittle, guilt, or just bully them into seeing things their way.  You know, I could be wrong, but I seem to recall calling out the Baptists for doing this very thing.  In fact, it was after being subjected to that kind of closed minded rhetoric in high school and college that lead me to my current beliefs today.  I find it slightly ironic and incredibly depressing that atheism today has devolved into same kind of indoctrinated bullshit that they used to so proudly stand against.

Let me see if I can't put a different light on this.  Put a Christian, and Atheist, a Jew, and a Muslim at a table together and start a religious discussion.  Each person at that table KNOWS that he is right, and he KNOWS that what the other three BELIEVE is self deluded bullshit.  Really though, at the end of the day none of the 4 men at that table KNOW jack from shit.  They only believe they are right, and that's fine.  That's the point of religion and faith in general.  Faith is belief.  Science is fact.  This new crop of asshole Atheists would have you believe that they are preaching science.  Sorry pal, atheism is no closer to true science than Scientology is.

I have a degree in Chemistry, a "Hard Science".  From a purely scientific point of view, we can't prove a higher power does exist.  However, until we can prove that they do not, all we can do is keep looking (or, you know, do some research into something important, like a cure for cancer, or quantum computers, or cleaning up that fucking oil spill!?).  At the end of the day, atheists only believe that there is no higher power.  They don't know it any more than Muslims know Allah is waiting for them with their 72 virgins or Tom Cruise knows that Xenu is plotting to steal his baby.  So, all this belligerent behavior from the atheists is out of line, and disingenuous to say the least.

I think churches that go out and try to force their religion on other people are wrong.  The crusades?  Wrong.  Missionaries?  Wrong (but at least they do generally try to help the people they are preaching at).  People preaching on the streets, handing out pamphlets, or sticking shit on my door trying to guilt me into going to church?  Wrong.  Now, hopefully I won't see an army of atheists rise up and invade the bible belt (actually... that might be kind of fun...), but you get my point:  forcing your beliefs on other people who don't see things the same way you do is WRONG, no matter what religious banner you're waving.

Oh, and while I'm talking about this, let me get this out too, lest you think I'm just rallying against atheists...  Can all you religious bible-thumpers out there please stop associating atheism with immorality?  Not everyone needs the threat of eternal damnation or divine retribution to motivate them to do good things.  The idea that you have to believe in a higher power before you can tell right from wrong is about as offensive as it is ignorant, and I would really like for that line of bullshit to stop.  My favorite though, are the Darwin-award worthy idiots who actually believe that Atheists (you know, the people who don't believe in heaven or hell) are actually Satan worshipers.  Seriously.

Religious intolerance makes Tim Curry ANGRY!

I think that religion should be a personal choice.  I don't talk about what I believe unless asked directly, because I'm tired of being told I'm going to hell for disagreeing with you.  If you choose to believe in a god, good for you.  If you think you've got 72 virgins waiting for you, rock on... (have fun with that!).  If you think the clams are spying on us for the aliens so you need to cleanse your thetans so they can't read your mind, well whatever floats your boat...  And if you think that there is no higher power, we are alone in this universe, and it's up to us to make things good or bad for each other, then carry on... all I ask (and this goes for everyone) is that you respect what I believe.  In return, I'll respect what you believe, and we can all go about our day.  (Except for you Tom Cruise...  You're still an idiot.) 

Is that really too much to ask?