I think perhaps a lot of it is also the idea theists have that atheist want to totally abolish religion of any sort. At least that's what most Christians seem to believe over here in the U.S. I think it has a lot to do with successful court cases challenging religious displays on public property and school prayer, and the fact that since most Christians would like to abolish atheism they think we want to do the same to them.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
