Atheism

“Technically speaking Atheism is NOT a belief system. It is by definition a lack of belief. Much like I don't believe in the tooth fairy, I just simply don't believe in a supreme being. There is nothing to adhere to. We don't have a code or a handbook. We don't need weekly meetings to assure each other that we are right. We are not 'Darwinists'.I think faith is silly. I believe in that which I can see or have proven to me in some way. Gravity for example. I may not understand all the physics & science behind, but I have yet to wake up not firmly attached to the ground. I drop s**t, it falls to the ground.Religion doesn't afford me the same level of confidence. I was prolly 8 or 9 when it occured to me that prayer was really no different than talking to yourself. I can prove my own existence. What is the point of a middle man? The more I read, the less I found religion to have a point outside of some sort of f***ed up mental masturbation. It is a comfort to those who need it. I don't need it. “
“XXXXXXXX summed it up well. Atheists are such a diverse group that they can't be labeled. The only thing they have in common is that God is not a part of their life. When speaking to any one of us, you should know that our opinions only represent our individuality. They may not be shared by others.With that said, I accept the Big Bang Theory as well as Darwin's Theory of Evolution. They are the most viable explanations I have seen to date. The Scientific Method is an excellent system that has been developed to understand the world we live in. I apply a similar system to my own base of knowledge. I verify facts, build opinions, and am open to admitting when I'm wrong. Proof, theory, and falsifiability.In Reason,XXXXX”
I have entered into a discussion with some atheists on another blog (names have been removed to respect them and if they want to continue the discussion or not), but I thought instead of filling the comments up on that site, I would bring it to my own.  What you have to understand is that I find it fascinating to understand, partially because I am unable to understand atheism and the other reason is that I have a heart for evangelism.  Logic seems to be the center of many that say that they adhere to atheism.  I understand it is not a religion, but a lack thereof, but if one were to truly look through history religion is not natural.
Atheism really didn’t exist until the age of reason also known as the enlightenment.  Now to be fair most people were automatically a part of the church from the fourth century A.D. until the sixteenth century A.D. and it is arguable that many of these people did not have faith or truly understand what they believed.  Before that and in countries that were not introduced to Christianity a faith of some sort was very prevalent.
I understand that atheism is different because it is not a religious faith, but it is a faith nonetheless.  However, in my opinion, Atheism is a faith in self, placing reason at the top.  Humanism, secularism, Darwinism, and the like are in essence a faith placing self at the top and placing the human mind and reason as the only tools to understanding.  It is said that the scientific method has proven Darwinism which is not entirely true because there are many things that Darwinism can’t prove or explain, but it exists.  Basically the faith of Darwinism and the Big Bang Theory is a belief that everything began simply by chance and evolved to some extent out of chance and to some extent out of necessity which is evolution.
I believe and have always held a belief in God or a god because I can not simply explain away the idea of a creator.  Everything, in my opinion, must have a creator of some sort.  I want everyone to understand that I have not always been a Christian, but have always believed in a creator or god.  That is why atheism is so difficult for me to grasp.  Reason would tell me that there is something greater that is creator of everything, be that called the source, the creator, god, goddess, etc.  The Greeks who were at the epitome of the ancient concept of reason even held some belief and reverence to gods and goddesses.  They may not have been certain, but they weren’t so bold as to completely deny the possibility either.  It seems to me that it is quite bold to truly completely deny the possibility considering that most great scientists had a faith of some sort and the prevalence of atheism with scientists has been increasing in the last century.
So, as Pascal stated in what is called Pascal’s Gamble:
“What is the greater risk to believe in God and Jesus Christ and find that they don’t exist or to not believe and find that they do and so does Heaven and Hell?”