"Spoken like someone who thinks religious beliefs are flights of fancy."
Not at all. I have met many, many people of great intellect who have religious beliefs. I would not assume that they were subject to flights of fancy.
Nor would they say that of me. You cannot simplify my lack of belief by making assumptions about me.
It's amusing how often people assume that someone who is an atheist is unfamiliar with religious belief. In my experience, that's far from the case. Most atheists I know came from backgrounds steeped in religious belief, myself included.
While my parents were atheists, I was an active Christian in my youth. And that was not just a fancy, either. I had actually begun training for the ministry. I came to my atheism as an adult, after years of study and thought.
After some years, I found myself simply unable to believe that any deities or other supernatural entities or phenomena existed at all. I have found no reason since to change that point of view.
Sitting on the bookshelf in my office is a collection of writings and scriptures that would befit any religious scholar's office. They're all well-read and marked.
My inability to believe is not something I have come to lightly, believe me. Yet, there it is.
Mineral Man,
If you once embraced GOD and were attempting to do his work, how do you know Satan did not lure you away from GOD.
This kind of struggle happens to people on a daily basis when it comes to tempatations and faith Satan can tempt somebody to the point of leading them away from GOD how do you know that did not happen to you?
Are you also to the point that you need to see Jesus appear right in front of you for you to believe again?