Is atheism a belief?

[Bucky Ball]

Instead, we live in a universe where we have to "pick a side" in a sense, and order our belief systems accordingly. Those who adopt atheism, adopt also the things which go along with atheism and the rejection of beliefs and values that don't go along with it. Now, I'm not saying that materialism and atheism, for example, go hand in hand by a strict logical necessity, but a disbelief in God still carries with it a "casting off" of many notions which "gell" with it.

I would also say that atheism in itself is not religious in anyway, but in it's relationship and application to people, it has religious overtones. At least in potential.

You have absolutely no evidence for those biased assertions. There are "humanist" groups all over the world that prove you wrong.
The universe does not require anyone to pick a "side". Maybe the small fundy one YOU live in,  does.
Not only does a "side" not have to be picked, but one of them is actually incoherent. YOU have no coherent definition of this "god" thingy you are going on about.
Until you do, any discussion of theism is dismissed. It has the equivalent importance of a discussion of pink sparkly unicorns.
YOU have no evidence that theists live better or more moral lives ... none at all. "Potential overtones" is one damn weak argument. LOL

So .... now you (a mind reader) think that you get to tell people what and how they think, and that what YOU think about the way they think, is reality.
Sure glad I neither know you, nor have to interact in any way with you. I pity those that do.