I believe religion works from the inside out. God-images are creatures of the human mind that have their effect through their influence on human personality and behavior. I don't think any of my fellow atheists would offer an argument with this. I think one can point to both harm and good done by different god-images in the lives of different people. It's a mixed bag.
Believers emphasize the former possibility, atheists the latter.
Given the possibility that god-images can be beneficial, though, I found myself in an interesting spot. Clearly, the key to successful use of god-images in one's religion is making sure you get the right one for the right job. My religion uses 9 god-images, both male and female, so I guess that makes me a polytheist, if atheists are allowed to be polytheists. If you ask me how many gods there are, I might say either 0 or 9, depending on my mood. My Statement of Faith lists these 9 capacities.