why do some christians dislike or even hate atheists?

The short answer is: by rejecting or challenging their god, we are in effect rejecting THEM:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j8ZMMuu7MU&list=U...

I am a Jehovah's Witness and do not hate atheists. I do dislike people-anyone-who act rudely to others. Some of the behavior on this site is appalling. Some is from atheists but it is just as likely to come from religious people.

I actually like some of the atheists on this site. Everyone needs to treat people the way they want to be treated.

Often, it's just because they have been taught all their lives that ONLY followers of their God, (often followers of their own SPECIFIC version, sometimes as little as their own church) are good, righteous people. All others are followers of Satan or some sort of immoral monsters. Just as with their indoctrinated beliefs themselves, those sorts of ideas drummed in weekly can result in deep set dislike, fear, or even hatred.

With some, of course, there is the ordinary idea that, if somebody else refuses to believe the same silliness that I see every Sunday, there could, just maybe, be something wrong with the faith itself.

Some people don't like being challenged and religion is what they hold onto the most. If an atheist challenges them they take that power away. I however am a Christian who enjoys discussing religion and philosophy.

I don't hate atheists. I've read some very good answers from atheists it's just the fanatics who spew hate that I don't care for. I understand why they want evidence the only problem I see with that is when they appear before God God is going to say, "You had a question?"

Many people get really offended if you have a different religion or ideology, regardless of how much one's ideology affects one's character and actions. Some will even accuse their detractors of being mentally ill or intellectually stunted, even if their general actions in real life suggest otherwise.

Most do not hate atheists, but like any other group, there are always some bad apples and makes the whole bunch look bad.

It doesn't matter. The simple fact we dont believe is enough to discredit us in a million diffrent ways. They may not do it one way, but will do it another, professing their innocence snd how everything is done in love. We hate the sin, but love the sinner. And the biggest sin? Not to believe. So, theirs little an atheist can do. The ONLY way they will accept us, is by not being ourselves.

we are all imperfect creatures, and those of us who are Christians although, we would like to believe we are perfect we are not, we have this human tendencies to have a dislike for someone who does not share our views, our imperfection shows so glaringly when we bring Christ in the picture the one that set an example for us to follow after all we suppose to be Christ like that is what Christians should be, and one glaring example that Christ set for us is when he was on the cross when the soldier pierce him with his sword he cried out with a prayer of forgiveness for him and he always preach love for everyone even sinners your enemy and most of all forgiveness so likewise we should forgive these Christians who entertain hatred for they know not what they are doing and that is the reality of Christianity today.

Because no one likes having their delusions exposed.

Other theists are not so bad, because they all agree that some form of delusion is real - they just argue over the aspects of it.

But the atheists are like the kid in "The Emperor's New Clothes" While all the gullible are arguing over what colour the clothes are, desperate to look smarter than the rest, the kid is willing to say that things are as hey really are.

And that just makes everyone else look really silly.

Religion is founded on fear and ignorance. Atheist don't have the fear of myths and that makes the christians uncomfortable and rather than question thier own beliefs, they simply hate instead.