I like your metaphor, it actually fits perfectly. I can envision a race about to start, and there is a new dog up for his first race. He is told "Go chase the rabbit". But he says - I don't see any rabbit, just a piece of fluff. I'm not going to run my ass off to chase a piece of fluff." Upon which the other dogs all turn on him and bite him until he pretends to believe the fluff is a rabbit and joins the race.

Such is the life of an atheist.