Those who purport to know atheists haven't made their case clear. Statements out of hand are simply opinions not based on fact or real knowledge because atheists have never been polled. Many arrive at this position for various reasons and not particularly out of anger or fear. That's a misunderstanding. Some are raised with it and others come to it later in life.

Actually, atheists I know are not angry or fearful but have found a kind of freedom and solace in their non-belief. They have been freed from the restrictive, authoritative and limiting views of the religious world and have learned to respect science even more as they rely on it for realistic evidence about how the world works. Actually they are free of delusions because they are faced with reality and realistic expectations of nature.

Many atheists think that religion is a choice that people have the right to make for themselves. They just don't agree with that choice for themselves. When the US government is faced with the forced Christianization of the military, the prayer breakfasts by elected officials, a criminal pope who hides child molesters, gun-toting jesus freaks, anti-abortion groups who terrorize clinics, and demands from preachers and priests to legislate in their behalf, then anyone can see why this issue is the gift that keeps on giving. There is nothing like contemporary religious practices to bring out the crazies. For this reason, those religious folk who are tolerant of those who may not share their beliefs are pushed into the shadows. Instead, we have a thread like this one which is reactive in nature and sheds no light on the views of anyone here.

If atheism is considered to be a delusion, then it must be said that a god-centered view of the world is sane. There is no evidence for this conclusion. The weight of evidence mounts daily that religion excuses violence, prejudice, child abuse, war, and lack of critical thinking as well as sheep-following of the pulpit. We have every reason to be
watchful about religious behavior which because of groups like the Tea Party who are out of control.

I don't think we can paint all religious people with the same brush, however. There are those who have their own personal belief systems and don't try to foist them on others.
There are some religious groups who attend to social issues with matters of conscience such as the Quakers. (Not many of these). But for the most part, what makes the papers and blogs are the religious nut-cases who claim to represent their respective religions.