Why do atheists defy religion?

To be alive and aware is a rare and precious thing.
Being human is knowing that you are part of an unimaginably vast universe of 100,000,000,000 galaxies of 100,000,000,000 stars, yet also knowing that stubbing your toe makes it all seem unimportant for a minute or two.

A religious man and an atheist each stub their toe.
The atheist cries, "Ow! That hurts!"
The religious man cries, Ow! That hurts! God... stop the pain!"
Both toes hurt for about a minute.
The atheist says, "Whew! That hurt!"
The religious man says, "Thank you God!"

When reading the above, an atheist will think, "The religious man believed God stopped his pain but it would have stopped anyways."
The religious man will think, "The atheist doesn't understand that God stopped his pain."

Who is right?

If we use scientific evidence as a means of proving who is right, then the atheist will be right.
If we use pure faith as a means of proving who is right, the religious man is right.

Scientific evidence vs faith.

The atheist argues evidence.
The religious man argues faith.

The arguing is futile.
Nothing is changed

The problem begins when the religious man insists on telling the atheist that he must believe in God. He insists in varying degrees, from concern to the atheist's well being to physical violence for being an atheist.

You cannot force belief.

This is why atheists defy religions. Because if we don't, religions will again attain a position of power over us. And that has historically been a very bad thing.

We live in a time where many humans have free speech and the right to say, "No," to religious oppression.
Religions call this an attack on freedom of religion but it is, in fact, merely the right of freedom from religion... a right religions do not believe in and will use violence to prevent.

I am an atheist. I defy religions.
I defy them for my rights to free speech, for the rights of children to grow up without being terrified into believing in gods, for the rights of women to be equal in society, for the rights of all people to be free of oppression.
I defy all gods because all gods are inventions of man.

Do you hear me religion? Do you understand that I will never believe? That I will never convert? That I will never hear the word?
Speaking of the word... I want to have a word with you. It's a simple word but you will not hear it. You will not believe I am sincere in stating it. You will not believe my solemn word because you are so full of your God you cannot understand that others do not believe.

It is an unchangable word.
The word is... No.

I refuse you the world. You cannot have it. The world is for the future and the future belongs to reason.

No.