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There are a number of reasonable causes for atheism:

There are a number of reasonable causes for atheism:

* Rebellion -- atheism stems from a deliberate choice to ignore the reality of God's existence<ref>"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,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..." - Romans 1:19-20 (NKJV) </ref>

* Rebellion -- atheism stems from a deliberate choice to ignore the reality of God's existence<ref>"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,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..." - Romans 1:19-20 (NKJV) </ref>

*Moral depravity - The [[Bible]] states that "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." - [[Psalm]] 14:1 ([[King James Bible|KJV]]) The biblical fool is said to be lacking in sound judgement and the biblical fool is also associated with moral depravity.  For example, Proverbs 14: 16-18 states: "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.  A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated. The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge." (NASB). Proverbs 13:19 has strong words regarding the depravity of biblical fools: "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but [it is] abomination to fools to depart from evil."  Regarding the deceitfulness of biblical fools Proverbs 14:8 states:  "The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit." (KJV). Noted Bible commentator and clergyman [[Matthew Henry]] wrote regarding atheism:  "A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the world, is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun."<ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.ii.html</ref>

*Moral depravity - The [[Bible]] states that "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." - [[Psalm]] 14:1 ([[King James Bible|KJV]]) The biblical fool is said to be lacking in sound judgement and the biblical fool is also associated with moral depravity.  For example, Proverbs 14: 16-18 states: "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.  A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated. The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge." (NASB). Proverbs 13:19 has strong words regarding the depravity of biblical fools: "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but [it is] abomination to fools to depart from evil."  Regarding the deceitfulness of biblical fools Proverbs 14:8 states:  "The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit." (KJV). Noted Bible commentator and clergyman [[Matthew Henry]] wrote regarding atheism:  "A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the world, is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun."<ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.ii.html</ref>

*Superficiality - Noted ex-atheist and  psychologist Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] has stated that he had superficial reasons for becoming an atheist such as the desire to be accepted by his [[Stanford]] professors who were united in disbelief regarding God.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>

*Superficiality - Noted ex-atheist and  psychologist Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] has stated that he had superficial reasons for becoming an atheist such as the desire to be accepted by his [[Stanford]] professors who were united in disbelief regarding God.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>

* Error -- atheism partly stems from a failure to fairly and judiciously consider the facts <ref>"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,' as Herbert says, 'fine nets and stratagems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous." -- C.S. Lewis, ''Suprised by Joy''.</ref>

* Error -- atheism partly stems from a failure to fairly and judiciously consider the facts <ref>"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,' as Herbert says, 'fine nets and stratagems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous." -- C.S. Lewis, ''Suprised by Joy''.</ref>

* Troubled/non-existent relationship with a father may influence one towards becoming an atheist.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth12.html</ref>  Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] wrote a book entitled ''Faith of the Fatherless'' in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists and found that a large majority of them had a father who was the following: present but weak; present but abusive, or a father who was absent.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref><ref>http://www.probe.org/content/view/36/91/</ref>  Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the famous atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>

* Troubled/non-existent relationship with a father may influence one towards becoming an atheist.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth12.html</ref>  Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] wrote a book entitled ''Faith of the Fatherless'' in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists and found that a large majority of them had a father who was the following: present but weak; present but abusive, or a father who was absent.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref><ref>http://www.probe.org/content/view/36/91/</ref>  Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the famous atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>