Satanism is the next step above atheism where most do not go.

>>I'm willing to support these freethinkers since their
>>goals are mostly the same as mine.

I certainly have made use out of "atheist" resources - particular books, websites, CDs, documentaries, etc. And yes, I like seeing atheists lobby to keep a voice against Xtians who want to see my country turn into a theocracy. But again, I ultimately don't see them as being our allies.

The bottom line is that atheists have their share of proselytizing fanatics too. There are some that would just as soon like to see Satanism eradicated along with all other religions. Whether they get their information on Satanism through Pat Robertson and tacky horror movies, or the real deal through us, it doesn't matter. They see Satanism as a religion (which it is), and thus something the world would be a better place without.

These are the atheists that claim "atheism" is not a religion, yet adhere to and actively preach an ideology that includes far more than the non-existence of deity. They're the ones who say that there is absolutely nothing metaphysical (and quickly dismiss all things that look remotely metaphysical as complete crap), that science is the one and only valid mean of finding answers for ourselves, that you have to hate and completely disagree with Republicans, and that everything in life has to be objectively proven.

I've even seen an atheist radio show host who prides himself in having debated COS members, and keeps illegal electronic copies of The Satanic Bible on his website. And as I've said before, a lot of atheists seem to be people who disagreed with their parents' religion and simply assumed there was only one other alternative. They stare at me blankly when I bring up the notion of "non-theistic religions".

And again, a lot of them don't seem to be that much better than the rest of the herd, falling for the self-defeating "I still like what Jesus did" thinking, falling for mass-marketed fads, and of course victim mentality plus jumping into group mentalities of attacking one paper target or another. Also, often they lack aesthetics, not to mention the creative imagination to see the beauty in things like organized ritual (which can certainly be secular).

Atheists: they ain't our bed buddies!

That's actually a good way to look at it. Good comments by both Daark and Bill.

Quite simply, I, too, know many "herdish" atheists. They pride themselves on being "freethinkers," and are proud of themselves for seeing through the whole "god scam," but then slavishly devote themselves to trends, to the media, and to narrow-sighted science. Because they are so rigidly "scientific," they have no sense of magic or mystery, and are quick to pooh-pooh anything that can't fit into a test tube this minute. As Bill said, they don't even get that there are non-theistic religions, so they view Satanism as just much of an enemy as Christianity, and will rant and rail and foam at the mouth about any kind of "pseudo-science," be it ritual magic, astrology, or something truly idiotic like intelligent design.

Actually, if my choice is between a rabid atheist, and well-educated, mild-mannered Lutheran or Episcopalian, I may actually choose the latter option, as odd as that sounds. Though the atheist and I may share a general scientific worldview and approach, the fact that he's a psycho and rigid idealogue puts us at odds.

I just got thinking about my own "religious hierarchy," organized in terms of the level of gross stupidity.

Highest levels of stupidity:

Islam
Fundamentalist/charismatic Christianity
Pentecostalism (fits into the previous label, but deserves special mention.)
Southern Baptists.
Scientology
Mormonism
Jehovah Witness
Wicca

Lowest stupidity levels:

Agnosticism
Atheism
Taoism
Reform Judaism
Lutheranism
Episcopalianism
Unitarianism

The general middle, in no particular order:
Hinduism
Orthodox Judaism,
Bahai
Sikhism
Buddhism,
rabid atheism (points added for at least being atheistic, points subtracted for being douchebags),
Christian Orthodox,
Catholicism,
Miscellaneous Protestant sects
Folk religions.

But, I realize there's actually a need for several indexes and hierarchies---the religious intolerance index, the bellicosity index, the wimpiness index, the irrationality/psychoticism/superstition index, etc.--in order to do justice to the idea of ranking religions based on stupidity levels.

Oh christ, I am such a nerd.