So atheists are alive?The dead are in the grave. Nowhere else. The "sleep" in a "coma" until the resurrection and the Judgement
That would explain the current state of the world.
If scripture is true, those who practice idolatry and defy the divine commands as an expression of their love for God and devotion to a holy life are dead.
That amounts to most of religious people of every persuasion all over the world.
Already dead. And you already know that the dead know nothing. They don't even know that they are dead.
So instead of striving to attain the individuality and intelligence, the substance, as a living thinking being that reflects the image and likeness of a holy God, they become an insignificant part of a self negating multiplicity, (whether republican, democrat, jew, gentile, believer or atheist), that is slowly disintegrating into nothingness.
The more dedicated to a group, the less capable they are to think rationally and see, hear, or speak the truth...... the more corrupt, pretentious, greedy, pusillanimous, duplicitous, unethical, immoral, deceitful - dead - they become.
"A mighty wind blew open the door and tongues of fire appeared that settled above each of their heads"