I don't consider atheism to be a religion since what it describes is a lack of religion and lack of belief in a deity. It does not necessarily denote a lack of morals or values any more than being a Christian denotes a presence of morals or values. What you feel, think or believe is secondary to how you conduct yourself. The intolerance of Christianity you describe is relevant only to Christians and should be applied by Christians only to themselves and fellow Christians. Religion is a matter of faith and completely subjective. Doctors dealing with patients or police enforcing laws can be held to measures of performance. Religious beliefs are opinions only, none of those beliefs can be proven as fact in this world.
The intolerance in christianity I refered to is not a moral one. "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me." That's about as intolerant as your gonna get. If he's right, it's not only relevant to christians. He's either right, a liar or a looney. And you're right about actions being secondary to feelings or beliefs, as our actions are an outward display of our beliefs. Faith is to religion, or rather to understanding God as gravity or electromagnetism is to physics. It is not just a good idea, it is foundational to the point that you will be totally in the dark without it.
