Third option (origin theory)

A third option for the existence of life is a model for the origin of life that does not involve creation or evolution. True atheism (an oxymoron since atheism is false) would require a third option for the origin of life (if atheism even allows for life to exist) because both creation and evolution would disprove atheism.

Creation

A third option is important for atheists at the two existing options both require atheism to be false. The more obvious option that requires atheism to be false is creation. Creation says that life was made by a deity, which atheism is an affirmative stance against the existence of. Therefore, if creation is true, atheism is false.

Evolution

Although it is much more obscure, evolution actually disproves atheism. Here is an example of how it does so. A turtle has turtle DNA. It can mate only with turtles. Therefore, its children will inherit only turtle DNA, which would therefore make them turtles with turtle DNA that they pass on to their children, which would therefore make them turtles with turtle DNA that they pass on to their children, which would therefore make them turtles with turtle DNA that they pass on to their children, which would therefore make them turtles with turtle DNA that they pass on to their children. This doesn't change regardless of how many generations this simulation is run for. This remains true if the simulation is run in the opposite generation, albeit replacing "pass on to their children" with "have received from their parents".

Proposed third options

Below is a list of proposed third options and problems with them.

Alien seeding

This is the belief that aliens came to Earth and designed a form of life. Proponents of alien seeding include Richard Dawkins and Michael Shermer.

Problems with alien seeding

Ken Ham points out that alien seeding inevitably leads to an infinite regression, which makes it implausible.

Simulation theory

This is a belief that the universe is a simulation

Appearing out of nowhere (Abiogenesis)

This suggests that life appeared from literally nowhere.

Problems with this

This is abiogenesis, which is scientifically impossible. It is also borderline magic, which is problematic because if atheists accept this theory, they can no longer taunt Christians for believing in magic (which they don't, as God and magic have no similarity) as they would believe in magic.