I don’t think you seem to understand that human beings were created to live with God for eternity.
I understand that you might believe that, but I'm an atheist.
To be separated from God is spiritual death.
I think I explained to you that that argument isn't compelling. I live outside of religion now, and it is a full and satisfying life.
nor is God torturing anyone
Not if there is not god. This is about doctrine, however, and I know Christian doctrine in this area. Even if your personal theology varies from orthodoxy, the needless suffering of people dying unsaved is a central tenet in Christianity - obey God's commandments, or be subject to eternal torture.
Have you seen the quotations from church fathers throughout the ages relishing in looking down at the souls in hell and enjoying their suffering along with God? These people believed and taught exactly what you are saying doesn't happen. This is what I meant by gratuitous suffering of benefit to nobody but sadists:
[1] "In order that the happiness of the saints may be more delightful to them and that they may render more copious thanks to God for it, they are allowed to see perfectly the sufferings of the damned ... So that they may be urged the more to praise God ... The saints in heaven know distinctly all that happens ... to the damned" - Thomas Aquinas
[2] "The door of mercy will be shut and all bowels of compassion denied, by God, who will laugh at their destruction; by angels and saints, who will rejoice when they see the vengeance' by their fellow-suffer the devil and the damned rejoicing over their misery." - Bishop Newcomb
[3] "This display of the divine character will be most entertaining to all who love God, will give them the highest and most ineffable pleasure. Should the fire of this eternal punishment cease, it would in a great measure obscure the light of heaven, and put an end to a great part of the happiness and glory of the blessed." - Samuel Hopkins
[4] "Non-Christians often ask the Christian, "But how can the God of love allow any of his creatures to suffer unending misery?" The question is, how can he not? The fact that God is love makes hell necessary." - Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 219
[5] "The view of the misery of the damned will double the ardor of the love and gratitude of the saints of heaven ... The sight of hell torments will exalt the happiness of the saints forever ... Can the believing father in Heaven be happy with his unbelieving children in Hell ... I tell you, yea! Such will be his sense of justice that it will increase rather than diminish his bliss." - Jonathan Edwards
[6] "At that greatest of all spectacles, that last and eternal judgment how shall I admire, how laugh, how rejoice, how exult, when I behold so many proud monarchs groaning in the lowest abyss of darkness; so many magistrates liquefying in fiercer flames than they ever kindled against the Christians; so many sages philosophers blushing in red-hot fires with their deluded pupils; so many tragedians more tuneful in the expression of their own sufferings; so many dancers tripping more nimbly from anguish then ever before from applause." - Tertullian
[7] "Reprobate infants are vipers of vengeance, which Jehovah will hold over hell, in the tongs of his wrath, till they turn and spit venom in his face!" - Jonathan Edwards
[8] "What will it be like for a mother in heaven who sees her son burning in hell? She will glorify the justice of God." - Catholic Truth Society
There may be many atheists who have turned from the “Christian religion”, but none who had their lives transformed by a living relationship with Jesus
Of course. I wasn't one of them. I left Christianity, and that's when my life was transformed. None who have had their lives transformed by humanism would return to theism.
I read plenty of accounts of atheists who have be saved by Christ, born anew, who now realize the Creator knows more then they do and therefore, believe His word.
And you might have heard me say that once. I was an atheist who became a Christian, then I was a Christian who returned to atheism. Your beliefs are predicated on the idea that theism makes a life better. The opposite was the case with me. And I assume that means that you believe that I just wasn't doing it right. That's the usual reaction. Of course, the theist argues, God is there and anxious to welcome all who seek him with open, loving arms. If that didn't happen, the individual failed, because God is real and never fails. I see it as I never sacrificed my evidence-based thinking. I only agreed to suspend disbelief and stop analyzing the religion like a skeptic for a season to see if it began to make sense and if the religion kept its promises, like somebody trying on a pair of shoes that don't fit quite right now, but might after a walk in them. The answer was no in each case, so, I cast those shoes off and found better fitting shoes. That's reasonable.