Confessions of a Nigerian atheist Ishola Alolanle Fatai: Yes, Christians, I think I’m better than you. So what?

The message is loud and clear: Follow us or suffer an eternity of eternal damnation [by a God who is supposed to love you unconditionally - they tend to leave this part out]

“Atheists think they’re so smart”
“I like how people think that because they are atheists, they are better than everyone else.”
“How arrogant do you have to be to claim that you don’t believe in God when everyone else does?”
“Just because you claim to be an ‘atheist’ doesn’t make you special”
“All these atheists and wannabe ‘free thinkers’ think they are so much better than everyone else”
The above are variations of a number of statements I’ve heard by people – read: Christians – in reference to atheists. I specified Christians because, curiously, they are the only ones I’ve heard make such statements. As a matter of fact, it’s almost only Christians I see and hear make disparaging remarks about atheism and atheists. This isn’t to say that there are no Muslims who do, of course; I’ve just never come across them. This also doesn’t mean that all Christians are guilty of such; I’ve just come across a significant number who are. But back to my little story.
Many religions in the world purport to be the only means to salvation (whatever that is). The message is loud and clear: Follow us or suffer an eternity of eternal damnation [by a God who is supposed to love you unconditionally - they tend to leave this part out]. Now, I, in all my foolishness – according to my religious brethren, anyway – have come to accept that I never really accepted such ideals. I am aware that I am looked down on by such people; “oh that poor lost soul, he must be so troubled, I can’t imagine what he suffered to make him angry with God and lose his faith” ; I’ve heard it all. But, of course, I don’t mind. I mean, I do mind, but I don’t think too much about it because I realise how irrelevant it all is, in the grand scheme of things. Unfortunately, my brethren in the Lord are not satisfied to do that. They have to go further and cast aspersions on my personality too. If I had a dollar for every time I was told that because I’m an atheist, I must think I’m better than everyone else… I would have a lot of dollars.
I’m an atheist. I’m. An. Atheist. 3 words. 3 words which simply mean that I do not believe in God. Nowhere in that sentence is it suggested that people who do are somehow stupid, unintelligent, or beneath me – despite the fact they think all those things of me, but I digress. Yet I’m constantly accused of thinking I’m better than everyone else. Now, my question is, even if I did think I was “better” and “smarter” and “deeper” than religious people, what would the big deal be? Christians have no qualms with going on about how they are so superior to everyone else because of their “God” and what not, so why is it so hard for them to fathom that others might be prone to the same form of arrogance?
But, seriously, if I think I’m better than you, are you going to die? Is that going to take you away from Heaven? I mean, that’s what’s supposed to matter, right?