@MentORPHEUS

I don't find "fallen or disillusioned believers grudge-fucking the concept of God out of resentment " all that common,

You must not get out much.

Or browse the internet much!

and those who do exist stand ideologically and theologically far, far apart from those who comfortably identify as a-theist.

I mean, duh. That's what I was saying when I differentiated between the two in the first place.

identify as

Tangent:

I've really started to hate that phrase over the past decade or so.

At least in this particular instance of your use, the ones "identifying as" something are actually that thing, and by its proper definition.

Then as yet another entirely different concept, stands the absurd caricature of what an atheist must think and act like, that believers conjure up in their minds...

...shocked to find out I was atheist.

Yeah, there's a lot of that in every direction. A lot of non-Christians get wacky ideas in their heads too, and are surprised to find out I am one (not a very good one, I'll admit).

@Stigma I think one can defend the church on its works throughout history which stand in the balance considerably more on the side of good than evil. But its ethics run from what was self evident to all but the most depraved of the ancients to things that are only desired and achieved by the less than sane.

Take Pope Alexander the 6th -very successful pope, great patron of the arts, good father who pushed his kids forward in the world but not too hot on the old Christian ethics. St Francis -total fruit loop who failed his family, pussied out of serving his people in war but great on the Christian ethics.

I seek neither to attack nor defend the church. I am just tired of people defining themselves and their ethical and spiritual positions against Christianity. Its a wider world out there and Christians are a very "broad church".