I am reading a book about Billy Graham, the great evangelist.
He said he had never met anyone who he thought was a real atheist.
That to me is an interesting point and I wonder if he was right?
One portion of scripture which might shed some light on this is the following.
Rom 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed
it unto them.
Rom 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified
him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Here, we read of those who hold (as in hold down or suppress) the truth in unrighteousness, those who that which may be known of God has been manifest to because God has shown it unto them, those who are without excuse because the invisible things of God from the creation of the world have been clearly seen and understood by them; even his eternal power and Godhead, those who once knew God, yet glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations (which indicates a change from when they were not given to such vanity), as their foolish hearts became darkened (which indicates that they once had light), and as they became fools (which indicates that they were once wise), those who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into corruptible images (which indicates that they once understood God's incorruptibleness), those who changed the truth of God into a lie (which indicates that they once knew the truth), those who did not like to retain God in their knowledge (which indicates that they once had a knowledge of God), and those who know the judgment of God, yet not only sin against God themselves, but also take pleasure in others who similarly sin against him.
To me, it does not sound like any of the above mentioned were ever truly atheists, and it is based upon this portion of scripture that many, including myself, have said, in a deliberate play on words, that "God does not believe in atheists." Also, God's wrath is revealed against such people, and I personally do not believe that God's wrath would be aimed at anybody who is truly ignorant of his existence.