Why would someone proclaim there is no God?
For many people the question of whether there is or is not a God just never comes up. Why should it?
I know there is no Phoenix, but I don’t go around proclaiming it ;>).
I happen to be an atheist, but have no interest in disuading anyone from following what they believe. You may or may not have seen one of my defences of Christianity. For example: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1726998/posts
My interest is in “reason.” You made a reasoned argument and I was only pointing out the same argument can be used for its opposite—which means it’s not an argument at all, obviously.
If you claim your belief in God is a matter of faith, I have no argument against that. Frankly, I don’t know what you mean by faith. The only means I have to knowledge is reason and the only faculty I know of for reason is the mind. If there is something else that is a means to knowledge, perhaps you’ll be kind enough to point out what it is (faith?) and the faculty by which one “does” it.
My questions are only out of interest and curiosity, not meant to offend or argue any point, and possibly to give you a chance to argue your view a little. Not all atheists are anti-Christian. I could hardly demand the right to believe as I do without demanding the same right for all men, no matter how much I might disagree with them.
Hank
You'd have to ask the ones who do it, but plenty do. Some go to great lengths to do so. (Dawkins comes to mind.)
For many people the question of whether there is or is not a God just never comes up. Why should it?
Well, if they are on this thread, the question has come up. ;) Actually, if someone has never even considered whether there is a God or not, I don't know that they would be classified as an atheist in the 'classical' sense. I would think they would be more of an agnostic (as in "I don't know if there is a God or not).
Frankly, I don’t know what you mean by faith.
Belief in something, i.e. trusting that it is true without being able to physically prove it to be true. Such as believing that God does or does not exist. Or even believing that someone loves you.
The only means I have to knowledge is reason and the only faculty I know of for reason is the mind.
Depends on what you mean by 'reason'. Reason seems to be in the eye of the beholder. As an example, in the eyes of the gang member, it is perfectly logical for him to shoot someone wearing the colors of a rival gang. That does not seem like a logical choice to me, however.