One of the standard lines of argument used by many atheists nowadays is, “There is no evidence for the existence of God, so I won’t believe in God until someone convinces me of his existence.” Those who put forward the argument seem to think that it is soundly based, but in my view it is illogical, for reasons which can be explained quite simply.
The first part of the argument, “There is no evidence for the existence of God,” is like claiming that there is no evidence for global warming. There is plenty of evidence for global warming, but there is evidence against it as well. Based on the available evidence, the vast majority of people believe in global warming. There is evidence for the existence of God, and there is evidence for the non-existence of God. Based on the available evidence, the vast majority of people who have ever lived have reached the conclusion that there is a God or gods.
The second part of the argument, “I won’t believe in God until someone convinces me of his existence,” makes the irrational assumption that it is somehow someone else’s job to prove to me beyond doubt that God exists. Just as in the case of global warming, if you choose to believe, it affects the way you live your life, and if you choose not to believe, it affects your life in a different way. Refusing to make a decision is simply an irrational way of making a decision.