Atheists: On what authority do you declare that there is no heaven, no hell, no God?

This is so ironic because on what authority do you declare that there IS a heaven, hell, and a God? ]

I believe God isn't real simply because religion has created him into a good/bad guy who kills children, hates gay people, and believes abortion is murder....yet he still commands us to "love thy neighbor" (unless their homosexual, transsexual, or bisexual) which basically means he's a hypocrite. The point of my comment is God was CREATED with many mistakes. Why does he like to disown certain people UNLESS they bow and serve him? why is he a Hitler-like God that demands recognition or you'll burn for eternity in a fiery pit? seems to me that your God is nothing more then a pyshco author who wants the world to think like him and if they don't he threatens you with eternity in hell..

Just empricism and observable reality.

Nothing else.

(FYI - Not all of us require an "authority" to form our beliefs. Some of us just look at the world around us and put 2 and 2 together and get 4 instead of 22.)

EDIT: Also....on what authority do you declare that there IS a heaven, hell, and a God?

On what authority do you declare that there is a heaven, hell and god?

The bible for one, yes I have read it. It conflicts with everything we know now, its full of magic and stories with ZERO proof or a hint of evidence to back it up

I believe that something like the Big Bang Theory and evolution is more logical.

That is how I can declare what I do and do not believe.

On what authority do YOU claim there is? On what authority do you claim there is no Santa Claus, elves, North Pole toy factory?

No authority needed, just complete and utter lack of evidence that any of them exist.

Human knowledge authority. Out of the human mind, we've discovered amazing things. Besides, who created the bible? The Testament? the whole 'Jesus' image? Someone's mind and knowledge. The same authority we take.

Bible classes. This stuff doesn't add up.

Actually I never declared anything; I just surmise a few things. Matter of fact when I first realized religion is nonsense, at age sixteen, I kept quiet, not wanting to alarm my parents.

.

The fact that there is no objective evidence for any of those things was enough for me.

I know believers are taught to rely entirely on authority, but some of us are capable of thinking for ourselves.

John 17:1-3

17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should[a] give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Personal observation...

On what authority do you declare there is?

IMHO