[einbert]

You can always look at history for a measuring stick of philosophies and ideals, but that's all it is--a measuring stick. Everyone within certain ideological groups has their own 'version', and this is not exclusive to theists. Atheists have their own ideas of right and wrong which are often radically different from those of others atheists.

But if you look through history, you will see how certain philosophical systems influence not just individuals, but entire societies. This is where the true danger lies. And for some reason the average Joe who is a Christian probably enjoys a lot of the sinful pleasures the bible strictly forbids, while at the same time demonizing homosexuals and possibly atheists as well.

Look at the influence of Islam on the history of the world, and its influence on the current world. It has caused a tremendous amount of unjust violence and continues to do so today in the name of God. Atheism as a system is so different because people generally reach that conclusion more independently of society. This tends to select a different part of the population that you can draw your own conclusions about, but for whatever reason that population tends to be a lot less into demonizing individuals based on fairly arbitrary ideas.