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{{See also|Atheism and the suppression of science|Irreligion and superstition}}

{{See also|Atheism and the suppression of science|Irreligion and superstition}}

Although many atheists indicate that they do not know how the universe came into being, some atheists claim that the universe came into existence from nothing.   

Although many atheists indicate that they do not know how the universe came into being, some atheists claim that the universe came into existence from nothing.<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref><ref>[https://dailyevidence.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/%E2%80%9Catheists-do-not-claim-that-nothing-created-everything-%E2%80%9D/ “Atheists do not claim that nothing created everything.”]</ref> The [[steady state theory]], which posited an eternal universe, was formerly posited by atheist cosmologists, but has fallen out of disfavor.

Atheist [[Victor Stenger]] wrote: "Assuming the universe came from nothing, it is empty to begin with…".<ref>[https://dailyevidence.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/%E2%80%9Catheists-do-not-claim-that-nothing-created-everything-%E2%80%9D/ “Atheists do not claim that nothing created everything.”]</ref>  Atheist Quinton Smith indicated “the most reasonable belief is that we came from nothing, by nothing, and for nothing."<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref> Atheist Stephenn Hawking claimed that the universe “popped into existence without violating the known laws of Nature".<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref>  The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] and agnostic [[Richard Dawkins] wrote: “The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved literally out of nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice."<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref>

Atheist [[Victor Stenger]] wrote: "Assuming the universe came from nothing, it is empty to begin with…".<ref>[https://dailyevidence.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/%E2%80%9Catheists-do-not-claim-that-nothing-created-everything-%E2%80%9D/ “Atheists do not claim that nothing created everything.”]</ref>  Atheist Quinton Smith indicated “the most reasonable belief is that we came from nothing, by nothing, and for nothing."<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref> Atheist Stephenn Hawking claimed that the universe “popped into existence without violating the known laws of Nature".<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref>  The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] and agnostic [[Richard Dawkins] wrote: “The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved literally out of nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice."<ref>[http://canadafreepress.com/article/atheists-respond-to-my-challenge-to-put-up-or-shut-up/ Atheists Respond to my Challenge to Put Up or Shut Up!] by Dr. Don Boys</ref>