I don't think he killed them because he was an atheist, but from what I read, religious hatred seems to have played a part/been what motivated him. The worst thing about the Paris attacks for me (and this just my view, I don't expect people to agree) was the fact that the people in the kosher store were targeted for no other reason then the fact they were jewish, the cartoonist were killed because of what they drew, the police because they were in the way/trying to protect the cartoonists, but those in the supermarket for no other reason then them being Jewish.... All of it is f uckwd but that is the most f ucked