While atheism hasn't caused a war that's killed people, they sure as hell aren't harmless. For people that believe in nothing, those who take the time to have my personal religious monuments/displays vandalized or taken down are certainly affecting me. I know that does not represent all atheists, but then again, anti-homosexual, anti-lots-of-other-things doesn't represent a lot of us either.

I never said they were harmless. There are murderers who are atheists. There just aren't many extremist class atheists.

Atheism is technically a religion based on the definition of a religion. 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. 2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects. 3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion

Atheism is none of those. There is no set of beliefs just the lack of belief in God. Also, atheists don't believe the same things to the extent that religious people do. As the opposite of theism, for atheism to be a religion, theism must also be a religion [spoiler]theism isn't a religion[/spoiler]