Why do christians say that Atheists don't "believe" that god exists? That's just silly isn't it?

Question

Because we know for a fact that god doesn't exist. There is a HUGE difference and christians should learn that.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. And so far, the extraordinary (some say, ridiculous) claim that god exists has yet to produce ONE single, solitary shred of credible evidence to support it.
Someone once told me; "well the okapi wasn't discovered until the 1920's, does that mean that it did'nt exist before then?"
Not at all. But we're not talking about an elusive animal here, we're talking about a being that MILLIONS believe to be real yet not ONE of them can produce evidence to support it's reality.
Understand the difference now?

Aurora,
yes sweetheart, yes I do.
And if you can show me proof, REAL irrefutable proof to the contrary, do so. You'd be the first person in history to finally do it. But hey, think of the fame!

Hey Abdul,
Do I have to PROVE there isn't a teapot orbiting Saturn for you to believe it?
Get it now?

Ok for those of you who are asking "give me proof god doesn't exist" are you SERIOUS? Are you really all this brainwashed?
Look up "burden of proof" ok?

Answer 1

Absense of proof has never been proof of absense, and it never will be.

Good try though

Answer 2

I'm really sorry I got here so late for this question! I'm incredibly impressed with the eloquence with which you've managed to summarize that which seems to have so many of the faithful confused beyond reason (yeah, I realize I just used "reason" in the same sentence as "the faithful"; I trust you'll forgive that transgression). I always enjoy it when there is a response to something like this to the effect of: "look at the world around you and you'll find proof of god's existence".... We ARE looking at the world around us; it is precisely because we look closely at our world that we have come to doubt any group that claims it was all "poofed" into existence by the will of some all powerful creature. There are perfectly sound scientific explanations to all natural phenomenon without having to invoke fairy tales. I think my favorite quote on the subject comes from Douglas Adams: “Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?” The burden of proof does lie with those making the claim, not with those denying that claim. I can only prove gods inexistence to the same extent that I can prove the inexistence of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or Humpty Dumpty. Religion may have served a purpose at one point in our early history, but we no longer wonder at the source of lightning; we know better than to try and appease a volcano..... Religion is little more now than a divider of the human race; a last haven for the bigoted, the delusional, and the hateful.

Answer 3

By saying you know for a "fact" that God doesn't exist displays intellectual dishonesty. In order to prove your claim, you would have to be omniscient, know all things, physical and spiritual, I doubt you have this quality. You would also have to be omnipresent, be in all places at the same time. How do you know that God is simply not where you are at the present time? You don't. You have made the extraordinary claim that you know God doesn't exist, prove it with extraordinary evidence.
You do not believe because God hasn't given you the faith to believe, you do not have the capability to believe.

Answer 4

I think that until evidence arises showing that something does exist, the object/being in question essentially DOES NOT exist, though personally, I'd prefer to state that I have plenty of reason to lack belief in gods.

Existence can be made retroactive, like the okapi.

Answer 5

Saying something like "we know for a fact that god doesn't exist" is also an extraordinary claim. The fact of the matter is that no one KNOWS anything. Christians don't KNOW that god exists and atheists don't KNOW that god doesn't exist.

Answer 6

Like you, I got the Cosmos dvd series with me for I enjoy Carl Sagan and his knowledge of the macro/micro universe however Carl Sagan in no moment in that dvd series requires such extraordinary proof for God's existence [by Christians].
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So you quote his words on your context.
Leave Carl Sagan out of this.
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God is not subject for proof that He exists to the methods of science.
All you are saying to this audience here is that you stand between the walls of human science which for you is a God and this ruler of yours, God Science, is an unwarranted tool to demonstrate thru its methods that faith and the object of faith being God's existence can't be analised by its methods. If your God Science got improper tools to analise faith and its object then the existence or non-existence of the christian God is inconclusive for your God.

Maybe you are not realistic!

Answer 7

So, where are the facts? You tell us we cannot prove the existence of God, so therefore He does not exist- you say there are facts to prove there is no God- ok, tell me, I have never heard one from an atheist- so you have faith in a non-existent God- not facts- or you would be telling us. You have to prove your side as well. One day we will know, and what if you are wrong?

Answer 8

Okay, instead of wasting my time trying to answer this question (as I see several people have answered in a way I would have, yet you continue to remain ignorant and argumentative), I will simply say that you BELIEVE god does not exist without any evidence, just as we continue to believe that he does exist without any evidence.
I will now report you as I find your attitude distasteful and offensive, and I'll leave you with that.

Answer 9

Being an atheist myself, none of us can ever be sure 100% like you are claiming. That's just as arrogant as as saying you know for a fact that he DOES exist. You certainly do NOT know for a fact that there is no god. But the probability of him existing are so low and miniscule that I'm willing to risk it in order to live a rational and fullfilling life FOR the evidence, not against it.

Answer 10

God exists
If you don't believe that God exists
how do you explain life,
and don't just say a label, a word off the top of your head.
Share your thoughts please, they are part of all that is, all that we are, all are connected in God.
People who know God, have tried to share this revelation by their experiences, understandings and knowings.
If you don't know God, that is your business.
Nobody has to prove anything to you, it is not possible to prove anything to someone who is not wanting to be open to understanding, living, experiencing that there is God.
I feel this is your loss.
But also your choice.
Enough said on this subject.

Answer 11

Just cause you're a disrespectful wiseass doesn't mean you know anything for fact. I'd be willing to bet a fortune you know a lot less than you think you do.