1.      Atheism and anti-theism are not absolute, it is does not presume to
categorically deny the existence of a higher power(s), yet it gives no
more credence to a notion of said power(s) as it does to any other
flight of fancy or mythical being whose existence cannot be proved
false, including fairies, goblins yetis, and flying spaghetti
monsters. Charles Darrow said, "I do not consider it an insult, but
rather a compliment to be called an agnostic, I do not pretend to know
where many ignorant men are sure".
2.      Atheism does not believe in current conceptions of scientific
reality as unalterable or absolute. Atheism believes in the importance
of always asking questions, and in never answering these questions
through means other than empiricism, trial and error. Religion is a
threat to intellectual progress in that these "answers" provided by
scripture create cultural roadblocks, retarding discovery and
experimentation, when such discovery threatens scriptural accuracy.
Religion discourages the faithful from asking serious questions.
3.      Morality is not derived from religion. Morality pre-exists
religion, and continues to exist independent of it. We do good not
because we have to be told to, but because it is better for us to live
among people who are happy, who are healthy, and who desire the same
for us. If religion had a monopoly on morality, we would expect to see
higher incidences of immorality among those who have rejected a belief
in some sort of theism, when in fact, the opposite is true, (with the
caveat that there are more variables here, particularly economics).
4.      Continuing along these lines, the good that can undeniably be found
within all religions- charity being the most obvious example- can be
found among all sects, including those who have no religion. However,
the evils which religion has brought to the world (and here we include
all absolute dogmas, as fascism and Soviet "socialism" are religions
of there own) are nowhere else to be found.
5.      All of the faithful are atheists minus one.  The Jew denies the
divinity of Jesus Christ, and a Christian disbelieves in Mohammed
receiving revelation. Obviously they cannot both be right, and it is
far more likely that they are both wrong.
6.      Belief in a God who interacts, or who has the power to intervene in
human affairs is to believe in a God who is morally bankrupt. Assuming
God does exist, there are two options. First, God is removed entirely
from human affairs, and thus active belief is useless. Secondly, God
chooses when and where to intervene. This God, the God of the Old
Testament, seems capricious, petty and vindictive.  As Richard Dawkins
writes, "The God of the Old Testament is quite possibility the most
singularly unpleasant character in all of fiction". Thomas Paine, in
The Age of Reason had the following to say on the matter,
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the
cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with
which…the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called
it the word of a demon that the word of God. It is a history of
wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind. And, for
my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is
cruel
7.      Religion has always, first and foremost, been used as a tool of
oppression and control, under whichever guise its directors choose.
As Napolean wrote, "Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the
rich"
8.      Coercing "positive" behavior in children through a fear of
damnation, eternal punishment, or even the disproval of a heavenly
father figure is tantamount to psychological torment, and should no
more be tolerated than any other form of mental child abuse.

In dark ages people are best guided by religion, as in a pitch-black
night a blind man is the best guide; he knows the roads and paths
better than a man who can see. When daylight comes, however, it is
foolish to use blind, old men as guides.
       Heinrich Heine, Gedanken und Einfalle