We know that at one time life did not exist on Earth. Obviously the Earth has millions of species now. Therefore, at some point life on Earth started. The process is called abiogenesis. We do not know how this happened.
To say we do not know how it happened is not to put faith in it. This is where science and religion are quite different. In science we are very honest and we admit what we do not know. Discovering how abiogenesis happened is the subject of current research.
What we do know is that there will be a rational explanation that does not invoke the supernatural. Everything else known fits into this pattern. The evidence for all gods (past and present) and all other supernatural beings and entities is totally non-existent. Whilst we do not know how abiogenesis happened we can know it will have a scientific explanation. That will be so even if we never work out how it happened.
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choko_canyon say: Jared, we're not here to explain basic biology to you, there were teachers who were willing and able to do that back when you were a child, but you apparently got home-schooled instead or were simply too indoctrinated to listen. Not our fault, and not our responsibility to lecture you on grade-school biology, so if you so desperately need an explanation of how life formed on this planet I really suggest you seek out an expert or a textbook.
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poldi say: If its really that important to you that an atheist to have "faith" about something they don't actually know, then fine.
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Joe say: Because it makes more sense than a god that for some reason exists outside time, space, and existence. I want to ask you something.
Have you ever read that if you put monkeys in a room each with a typewriter that eventually, given enough time at least one will produce the works of Shakespeare? That's why life exists. Anything that has even the smallest chance of happening will happen given enough time.