...is there a sudden rise of anti-Religious tones? Not just on GameSpot/FAQs, but throughout the internet and even offline.

I've noticed it, but I wasn't disturbed until witnessing a thread on the Terranigma board. Someone simply started a fun topic about the parallel's between the beginning of the game and the Bible. This, however, garnered sniping from an atheist, which turned into a full blown attack against all religious people (and was left unmodded). In response, a Christian started preaching against the Atheist, which just sent him to even more of a rage than seeing "Bible" and continued to insult people's intelligence before blaming all the world's problems on Religion. Another Atheist then tried to play the victim card even though the blunt of the attacks were clearly aimed at Religion.

Is this what the world has come to? Are people's individual beliefs not safe and sacred enough to be left alone, even on a messageboard? Are people who simply acknowledge religion "getting what's coming to them" for not being and promoting Atheism? I just don't get it.