This is the issue atheists have with theists.

⁠⁠Atheism does not oppose God—because it cannot. No one has ever proven that a god exists, so atheism has nothing to stand in opposition to. What atheism rejects is religious doctrine and the willingness of people to accept those doctrines as fact without evidence.

The burden of proof lies entirely with theists. Without verifiable evidence of a god’s existence, the religious doctrine remains a set of ideological beliefs rather than objective truths. When religious individuals or institutions attempt to enforce these beliefs onto others—whether through laws, policies, or societal pressure—they are not upholding facts but imposing ideology. This is no different from a conservative attempting to impose their beliefs on liberals (or vice versa). Ideological enforcement, regardless of its source, is coercion. This is the issue atheists have with theists. Considering how many have sacrificed their lives to defend their sovereign autonomy, theists should feel lucky that we choose to engage in debate rather than something far more forceful.⁠⁠