I would assume that being such, there must be some unique values relative to atheism which cause them to be atheist.
Actually, there are many things that can cause someone to become an atheist, nearly as many causes as there are atheists. You should visit an ex-Christian forum, such as
No webpage found at provided URL: http://ex-christian.net/, some time to learn what some of them are. Read their stories. However, if you join the forum I would advise you to not try to "save" them; they have had a lot of experience with many such jerks and certainly know how to deal with them effectively. For that matter, since they had been where you are now but now have seen the light, they will most likely try to save
you. So while visiting there, you need to practice the Pharisee teaching of not doing to others that which is displeasing to yourself (Rabbi Hillel, c. 20 BCE).
Barring some ex-Christians, most atheists have no desire to convert others. Some other values that I have noticed in many atheists are being realistic, honesty, truthfulness, and a desire to seek truth and knowledge. If you wish to consider those traits to be unique to atheism, then so be it -- my experience has indicated to me that they are certainly lacking in fundamentalist Christianity, especially in those under the thrall of "creation science."
Human cultures throughout the history of mankind have had a religious bent. Atheists must have a reason to value their atheism.
Because the quality of life is so much better as an atheist.
Perhaps a couple analogies would help. Drinking and smoking. Giving them up or not indulging is akin to atheism. Let's start with smoking. Why abstain from smoking? Because it's healthier? Yes, that would be a reason, but the real reason is that life without smoking is better. I had tried to pick up the habit in college to relieve stress, but it only made things worse so I gave up trying. From ex-smokers, I understand that besides being able to build up your wind and ability to breathe and not needing to cough your lungs out in the morning (I lived in a company house in Germany where I was the only non-smoker and the sound of that coughing was what I woke up to every morning), you can also finally smell things that you couldn't before. And you can also finally taste your food. You're no longer being blocked from enjoying the world because of smoking. And why abstain from drinking, especially in excess? Again, the quality of life is better. Comparatively speaking, you can wake up in the morning feeling somewhat rested, your head is clear, your IG tract is not in distress; my own problem drinking had been getting out-of-control, so I put a stop to it and I have personally experienced the benefits.
As an example that this analogy works, consider the case of a friend from church, Gary. For many years, he had been a hard-core fundamentalist. Of course he would constantly encounter every-day facts of life that contradicted his beliefs, so he had to practice self-deception and blind himself to the truth. The problem with that is that you have to keep piling on more and more self-deception. Finally, the self-deception just became too overwhelming, so he decided to apply the Matthew 7:20 test to Christianity. OK, some of the fruits were good, but a lot of the fruits of Christianity were bad -- remember now, Jesus set up that test so that even one wicked fruit would condemn the tree to being hacked down and thrown into the fire. So he dumped Christianity and became, as he put it, "an atheist and a thorough humanist." And as such he became not only much happier, but also much more spiritually fulfilled. The only thing he missed was the practice of expressing gratitude to a supreme being (much as an ex-smoker might miss certain situations for lighting up), but that was a very small price to pay for the vast improvement in his quality of life and the quality of his state of mind.
Another thing to look at is why an atheist would ever want to convert to Christianity, especially to your brand. I know that for me the very idea is morally repugnant. In order for me to convert, especially to a sect that embraces "creation science", I would need to embrace something that I know is a pack of lies and deception. I would need to abandon morality and become a willing and willful accomplice to that lying and deceiving.
Why would anyone with even a shred of morality choose to do such a thing?
™ Version 4.2
(1)