Q about arguments for God's existence.

[Jenny A]

Maybe it's a false impression, and it's certainly not uniform, but there appear to be some "hot spots" of commonality among atheists. Not that all share them, but that if a person is an atheist, there is a higher chance of them also having certain traits or interests. Knowledge of religion, for example. A vocal atheist (yes, I'm shifting the target) is more likely to be knowledgeable about religion than either a religious person or someone who identifies as unaffiliated. They're more likely to value science and sound reasoning.

I have that impression too---particularly of atheists who were raised within a religious family. I think it's partly a self defense mechanism. I know it is in my case.

Perhaps, more likely to identify as liberal than conservative.

About social issues like victimless crimes, homosexuality, etc., it's been my experience the atheists are more liberal. I think that may have to do with how many of these things are determined to be unnatural or sinful by religious teachings rather than by reason.

This forum seems rather left in it's economic politics too, but that perception may have to do with my nationality and the number of Europeans we have here. If your comparison is U.S. politics, than all you have to do is add a few Europeans to any forum and it begins to look left leaning economically.

[M]y hunch is that the similarities among atheists extend beyond just their views on the existence of gods. Maybe I'm off base, but I think Lek has a point. It's just that the commonalities are not well defined, and, not viewed as necessary parts of the definition of atheist.

Or maybe I'm completely off the wall.

No not off the wall. There's a reason that the percentages of atheists in the sciences, for example, are so much higher than in the general population. It's just that reason, liberalness, etc. aren't conditions for joining the club.

And there are some glaring exceptions. Would you consider Ayn Rand's Objectivism liberal?