You know, the TRUE athiests I have met have no problem with Christianity, they just don't belive in God themselves. The ones I have met seemed to be nice, good people, no more likely to be offended by religion than you or I.
However, the other group of so-called athiests (naturally, the loud group) are simply what you say, Christian-haters. I really believe these people have a paranoid delusion. I also think they are small, weak-minded, pseudo-intellectuals who are nothing more than jealous of a Christian's faith, love and fellowship with God.
On a 60 Minutes segment on Madeline Murray O'Hare, her office prominetly displayed "Jesus is Lard" bumper stickers. That doesn't sound like benign Atheism.
I like your analysis. It makes sense and explains several unusual things I've noticed about these people. Thanks.
Another group is the agnostics. My Dad was one. He had no hatred for religion. (My mom was born-again). He would go to the church occasionally and help various members fix their stuff. But he had absolutely no interest or curiosity in religion. I once asked him if he had ever thought about life on other planets. He said "no". No curiosity whatsoever about anything that wasn't a material object he could see. He certainly wouldn't have been bothered arguing ad nauseum about it.