What I would say to you is ...
“Atheism is a religion just like not playing football is a sport.”
Yes but athiests who dont play football dont want anyone else to play football either.
BTW...that point became moot once athiests started for forming churches...
Nah, you play once you pick a team, and by STATING that God does not exist, you picked your team.
I could see your argument with agnostics, but not atheists.