Research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see the their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: [[Atheism and purpose]]).<ref>
*[httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html ''Does everything happen for a reason?''],'' New York Times'', October 17, 2014
*[http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed Children see the world as designed] by David Catchpoole, [[Creation Ministries International]], Published: 16 July 2009
*Atheist [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] made the candid confession: "As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for wont of being able to think otherwise." Source: ''Escape from God: The Use of Religion and Philosophy to Evade Responsibility'' By Dean Turner, page 109
<small>(photo obtained from [httphttps://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small> ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and death]]
On April 2, 2012, ''Science Daily'' reported that ''Death anxiety increases [[Atheism and death|atheists' unconscious belief in God]]''.<ref>[httphttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094322.htm Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God], ''Science Daily'', Date: April 2, 2012</ref> In a 2012 ''Psychology Today'' article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.<ref>[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-big-questions/201205/atheists-death-and-belief-in-god Atheists, Death and Belief in God The Effects of Death Reminders on Atheists' Supernatural Beliefs], ''Psychology Today'', Published on May 25, 2012 by Nathan A. Heflick, Ph.D. in The Big Questions</ref>
On October 22, 2014, the atheist [[PZ Myers]] bolstered the case that atheists have an unconscious belief that God exists. Myers wrote in a [[Pharyngula (blog)|Pharyngula]] blog post: "I woke up from a dream a little too early this morning. I dreamt that I had died and gone to a cliché. That’s right, I was standing before the Pearly Gates…"<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/10/22/just-another-dream/ Just another dream] by [[PZ Myers]], October 22, 2014</ref>
It is evident that Myers has no intellectual/evidential justification for the non-existence of God. For example, when the evangelist [[Ray Comfort]] asked Myers why he is an atheist Myers gave the illogical, [[circular reasoning|circular argument]] response of: "Why am I an atheist? Because there is no God".<ref>[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0u3-2CGOMQ Evolution Vs. God Movie]</ref> Previously, the [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[Ken Ammi]] criticized Myers for merely presupposing God's non-existence, but not providing argumentation for this position.<ref>[http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/pz-myers-emotively-vociferous-intellectually-mute PZ Myers Emotively Vociferous but Intellectually Mute] by [[Ken Ammi]]</ref>
There have been no reports of [[theology|theologians]] or [[creation science|creation scientists]] having dreams that atheism is true.
According to recent research by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, in the United States, a majority of those surveyed who were raised in atheist or [[agnosticism|agnostic]] households, or where there was no specific religious attachment, later chose to join a religious faith.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/defectors-to-faith-mark-a-growing-trend/story-e6frg7ko-1225710667095</ref><ref>http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1204/religion-changes-affiliations-survey</ref> A notable example of a person raised in an atheistic household who later became a Christian is William J. Murray. Mr. Murray is the son of the late atheist [[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]] who founded the organization American Atheists. In 1982, William J. Murray founded the [[Religious Freedom Coalition]].
In addition, in atheistic [[Communism|Communist]] China, Christianity is experiencing explosive growth.<ref>http://www.millennialstar.org/christianity-exploding-in-china/</ref><ref>http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/2008/August/Christianity-Growing-in-China-/</ref> On July 3, 2005, the [[New York Times]] reported concerning many countries in the former [[Soviet Union]]: "A return to religion in [[Romania]] and the region's other formerly Communist countries has in many places outrun the speed at which the church can screen and train clergy..."<ref>httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/03/international/europe/03romania.html</ref>
== Thomas Nagel ==