Anti-atheist quotes refuted

Last year, a friend posted these anti-atheist quotations on her blog (which is now inactive) and I wrote a reply.  Having found it again recently, I think it is worth repeating it here, somewhat updated in the light of things that I have learned since then.

Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman. -- Author Unknown, [but probably Francis Thomson].

Maybe. But then again at least the thief can see policemen and he avoids them because they are real.  Can you see God?  Really?  Incidentally either this was said in humour or else it was typical of the sort of ridiculous analogy that is so often adopted by people who are afraid of atheists.  To show how meaningless it is, you could just as easily say "Christians can't find the truth the same way that a thief can't find a policeman".  It would make about as much sense.

Humanism or atheism is a wonderful philosophy of life as long as you are big, strong, and between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. But watch out if you are in a lifeboat and there are others who are younger, bigger, or smarter. -- William Murray

Absolutely not true, and frankly offensive, but it is of course the way that some Christians like to try to put down others by suggesting that charity and altruism only comes from christianity.  For what it is worth, it doesn't.

Atheism is a crutch for those who cannot bear the reality of God. -- Tom Stoppard

So the lack of something can become supportive? Nice rhetoric but nonsense.

The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful, and has nobody to thank.--Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Hardly worth writing a response. But what makes him think that there has to be someone to be thankful to?

If there were no God, there would be no atheists. -- G.K. Chesterton

No no. If there was no concept of god there might be no concept of atheism but we would all be atheists. Chesterton was obviously playing games with words as was his expertise.  Clearly logic was not one of his key strengths.

Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist. -- C. S. Lewis

Typical C S Lewis nonsensical rhetoric based on ignorance. Do they really express their rage? Most atheists I know are quite calm and not raging at all.  Anyway, how can I express rage against someone who I don't believe in?

Shouldn't atheist have an equal obligation to explain pleasure in a world of randomness. Where does pleasure come from? –- G.K. Chesterton

Pleasure has a clear evolutionary origin.  Obligation fulfilled.