Why not look at the evolution of religion. Something like 50,000 years ago primitive man came up with theories to explain how they and their surroundings exist. Their god may have been a mountain or a cloud or anything really. Since then many religions have come and gone and many have adapted to be something slightly different. Most have died. As yet there is not a single supporting fact for any of the gods of these religions.
Ultimately religion is a disease of the mind. It needs to replicate and infect others. Where this fails often it turns to violence and destruction. It does not care about facts or logic it is purely motivated by its own self-believe.
It is utterly pointless arguing with such people as they have already left rational, logical thinking behind.
There is nothing nice about being an atheist, it is an acceptance that death is the complete end to your life for yourself and those you love. Nature is horrific, evolution has no empathy. The reason people choose this path is because its true and its backed up by overwhelming evidence. That is ultimately the choice, accept a dark reality or reject it and turn to fantasy. Most of us would love to be religious but there is not a single fact that supports that belief.
