When you play chess, what you are planning to do is exactly half your battle: the other half is in trying to get inside your opponent's thinking. Without both facets, it is simply impossible to do well in chess.When I consider atheism, I can look at this from both sides. I put my knowledge and experience into play and also analyse the atheist point of view from where they stand.
When you are able to do this, you have an overview and are in the best possible position for reaching conclusions.
The atheist cannot gain that overview. They do not have any 'experience of atheism' to lean on - merely unsubstantiated opinion.
Remarkably, I am yet to meet an atheist who is able or willing to take either 'a Christian's eye view' or perhaps more importantly 'a God perspective' on the matter.
For example, the atheist will take a Christian point that they do not like and will view it from 'a mankind's eye viewpoint' and seem incapable of taking 'a God perspective'. They are simply not able to consider the idea that God might be omnipotent and omniscient.
In true intellectual thought, you must be able to 'do the chess thing'.
