Do atheists have faith?
For example, sometimes people suggest that faith is believing in spite of proof, or at least the stronger balance of evidence, to the contrary.
I agree with you, the thread title is an oxymoron,
"Why do Atheists hate Religion ?" Any form of theism is a religion. There is no proof that the universe is not alive or infinite. Our brains are finite and interested in beginnings and ends while our minds are not. The
metaphysical principles of our universe that are interoperable; like the Universal Principles of; the conservation of energy; synergy; procession; entropy; syntropy are all metaphysical and infinite.
All generalised principles discovered by science are the relationships existing between things, but are not of the parts themselves. With these generalised principles the relationships can only be expressed mathematically. No exceptions have been found to the mathematics of the principals. - Buckminster Fuller
Our brains want us to personify infinity into something tangible, It's that weakness that religions use to prey on their followers. Most people don't realise it is possible that the universe
could be alive and eternal without the need of religion. We all have the privilege of unique positions in time and space this affords you the privilege of an infinitely unique perspective of the universe.
IMHO Don't sell yourself short, that perspective should grow with you throughout your life, Don't let psychopaths castrate your metaphysical mind.
If atheism is only not believing in gods yes they can have faith. But do all atheists have faith? That is believe in things there is no proof for? No. There are all types of atheists.
For the reasons posted above I prefer the position of Agnostic
Agnosticism, in fact, is not a creed, but a method, the essence of which lies in the rigorous application of a single principle. That principle is of great antiquity; it is as old as Socrates; as old as the writer who said, "Try all things, hold fast by that which is good" it is the foundation of the Reformation, which simply illustrated the axiom that every man should be able to give a reason for the faith that is in him; it is the great principle of Descartes; it is the fundamental axiom of modern science. Positively the principle may be expressed: In matters of the intellect, follow your reason as far as it will take you, without regard to any other consideration. And negatively: In matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic faith, which if a man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face, whatever the future may have in store for him. - Thomas Huxley, who coined the term Agnosticism