I think this every time they say things like this. Accept for us (or at least me) when we say “forgive them” we are speaking to that little voice in our own head, not some mythological being.
It’s just such a shame so many theists cannot put themselves in our shoes and at the very least acknowledge our view point. Instead they choose to demonize and hate anything foreign. I swear empathy is almost completely gone from this world. Maybe all of my experimentation with a greenish substance has opened my mind to empathy. I’m really not sure, even people I personally despise, I truly try to put myself in that perspective. Be it a theist, racist, or any bigot, you can’t help someone if you don’t understand them. I use to argue and trash theists at every turn, I realized all I was doing was giving them a justification for demonizing me. Me attacking them just drove them deeper into their religion or bigotry.
Another theist saying I still repeat is “We do not reap the seeds we sow.” I can only point in the right direction, and if I’m not a welcoming guide, who would follow me? If I shout and belittle people and stand on a corner in a sandwich board that says “fuck god” I’m only attracting people who agree with me. I don’t want to attract people who just agree with me. I want people who disagree with me to see me and think “what if he is right?” Just plant the seeds of free thought, don’t over water them. People have to find their own way out.