"But that is what you need to do to explain away the hostile attitude toward non believers that is clearly on display in that verse, and many others."
You've changed your tack somewhat now. You were initially calling this Meccan Surah a surah that incites killing of unbelievers. Now you are calling it a "hostile attitude" which I'm comfortable with because every single religion up until the Baha'i Faith has a similar attitude towards unbelievers.
What happens to us after death (which is what surah 74 is talking about) is not a concern for unbelievers because they are expecting nothing anyway, and that's what they will get. Why is that hostile?
"The early verses are merely toned down versions. Or more accurately, events had not yet developed to the point of outright hostility."
I have no problem with hostility after death for unbelievers. The Quran and Bible are full of that. Unbelievers are not reading those verses anyway because they dont believe in the Books, so whats the problem?
