@sleepy: it's weird to explain, but i've seen atheists motivated by something i call Faith (with the capital F), like it's a divine pulsion. i've seen it in some curates or other church officials, like they really do believe what they preach. someone who is profoundly devout, but not bigoted. i've seen a lot of the reverse (me included) who can't grasp that. a physical impossibility to manifest those feelings and that ardour. it's not tied to religion, either. kind of an unshakeable, unchangeable thing. like being left-handed, or having blue eyes. you can't do anything about it, you have it or you don't. it's pretty cool to see it in action, really stimulating, makes you feel giddy, almost. hell, i feel awesome for them, but i'm wowwed by things i can't do/ perceive.
fair enough, as i said, i have a lot of trouble explaining it. it all boils down if i can pin down what "Faith" is and convey what i think it is in an easy to understand definition. all the examples you described are found, of course, but i have to remark upon your bigot. sure, fred phelps might have faith (always hard to tell with calvinists), but i'm not sure the rest of the wbc has it. therein lies the difference, but i've yet to explain it adequately. i'll keep working on it.
