As an atheist I have stood in many a lecture hall and been told by theists that I have no moral compass, I can't discern wrong from right, I live a hollow life and of course I will spend eternity in torment somewhere.

I've even been asked with complete sincerity "what stops you from raping women". The young Muslim woman I was speaking too simply could not understand that I used other mechanisms than her to discern wrong from right. Nor could she see that on the whole MY idea's of wrong and right were remarkably similar to hers. Nor could she entertain the thought that that may be because there were cultural reasons that pre-date Mohammed and the Qur'an. Cultural reasons that influenced society and the religion's that have sprung from it for the last 10 thousand years or so.
My assertions that there was something BEFORE Mohammed that drove the desire for people to be good to one another and not rape each other were met with utter disgust. She asserted that before Mohammed people lived like animals and the world was in turmoil. It was Allah that had brought peace to the world and taught people how to behave.

Now I don't know what the Qur'an says about the 8 thousand years of civilisation that proceeded Islam but I offended her with my words and that is ALL that matters. She believed something rightly or wrongly. I as an atheist believed nothing and therefore can feel nothing. So her feeling were more important then my feelings. After all how can I feel, I have no morale compass.

Now here is the great dilemma for Atheists. I respectfully disagree with theists. But how far should I let good manners and respect stop me from stopping them in their tracks and saying enough is enough. At what point do I start to say "Your religious indoctrination of your children is tantamount to child abuse", "Your view on the creation of the world cannot be taught outside of a classical studies lesson" or "Your faith schools are divisive, separatist and dangerous to society".

Please don't think that because I cited an example with a Muslim that the dilemma only applies to Islam. It applies equally to Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Scientology, Flying Spaghetti Monster-ism and of course Teapot-ism.

hmm, maybe that should have been Dazza: Why I Am Hostile To Religion.

Anyway, here is some more Dawkins for ya . Dawkins clarifies why he is so hostile toward religion. He rebuts the accusation that he is a fundamentalist atheist and explains why how religion an faith dull the mind.