Atheism and Charles Bradlaugh

Atheism and agnosticism are not often discussed in history textbooks. As a rare exception, a subchapter in a British textbook tells about Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891), the first atheist politician in Great Britain. It stresses that although he had some supporters, the public opinion was against him. Many people regarded atheism as deeply offensive. Bradlaugh was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1880 but could not take his seat, because all MPs were required to swear the oath on the Bible. As Bradlaugh refused it, he was able to take his seat only many years later. Since 1888, the law allowed to swear a non-religious oath not only before the Parliament but also before courts. The textbook uses a mocking cartoon of Bradlaugh as an illustration. It was made probably to stress the rejection of his atheist ideas by the Victorian press and public opinion.

Further information: Wikipedia Article on Charles Bradlaugh

Why does the textbook emphasize the conflict between Bradlaugh and public opinion during the Victorian era instead of presenting it in a more balanced way?