Reply #104: Of course you let individuals define themselves. Political, not tolerance.

[kwassa]

Atheists have no definition, so there is nothing to be lost by letting each define themselves. There is no commonly-held belief, according to them, so there is nothing to define.

Theists have common beliefs, different beliefs, conflicting beliefs, even among those that say they are of the same religion. Christianity is extremely complex that way, which the quotes you posted point out.

It is politically expedient for some atheists to claim that anyone is a Christian who claims to be. This allows them to ascribe the crimes of a few who claim to be Christian to all the believers in the faith, which is important for political purposes, not purposes of tolerance. It allows some atheists to claim general characteristics of the faith that are not true, to claim moral or intellectual superiority, or to sometimes justify intolerance on their side.