" It's just that atheists tend not to have pedestals they can fall off just before Sunday lunch."

I'm not so sure about that. There are some atheists - and this is true for other groups as well - that assume an air of moral superiority that is every bit as lofty as some Christians. In general humans love to belong to groups so they can look down on other groups. It makes them feel better about the positions they have assumed. That goes for Christians and atheists alike.