A postscript to "what happened to me"

[Belacqua]

My experience has been that the condescending people are the same ones who won't give reasons. 

In my experience people who demand reason generally don't care about the actual reasons and just use that word over and over to sound virtuous 

They act as though their opinions are so obvious that anyone who doesn't already agree is just a fool. Offering one's reasoning is a sign of respect.

They act as thou they want reasons then ignore them when their given and pretend none were given as not to burst their bubble of pretend intellectual superiority . Offering ones reasons to a person who deserves your respect  is a sign of respect otherwise your casting pearls to swine .

That may well be so. I've certainly spelled out my reasons to people who went on to ignore what I said, and repeat whatever they wanted to say in the first place.

Still, I think that in general the person making the assertion has the burden of proof. This should ideally apply to both the in-group and the out-group equally, and if an atheist makes an assertion needing backup, he really should do his best to provide that.