Myth of The Angry Atheist

[KevinM1]

I think we're considered angry because we simply don't let bullshit slide.  We deny theists the special pleading their beliefs rely on and we don't view beliefs or opinions as being sacrosanct in and of themselves, regardless if they deal with divinity or not.  The typical, "Well, that's just what I believe," response to sustained inquiry, which is merely a rhetorical device to end conversation on that particular topic, doesn't work on us.  And because theists are so used to spouting bullshit with little to no resistance, they see any challenge as a threat.

Hey Kev. I will accept the "Well, that's just what I believe" response if they will accept that from me. I'm not out to change their belief and don't require that they defend theirs. Their belief may be bullshit but they have the same right to a belief as I do. When they don't accept my belief is when surly boy comes out.

Oh, no doubt.  I don't go out of my way to proselytize atheism.  I don't do it here (how many threads have I started?  16?  In 8 months, and a fair number of them not related to religion/atheism at all), and I don't do it IRL.  But when confronted with sustained unmitigated bullshit?  Then, yeah, my inner asshole comes out.