Phoenix Maplewood Why did God create atheists?

Esma did not particularly like this answer. There had been a time, when she too had believed that her mom stood above everything and all, that she knew better and it was not Esma's place to question. But over time and an accumulation of many little moments of observations g, had revealed to her that adults were just as prone to mess up as she was. "In that sense you are truly a child to your god. You never grow up for him, do you?" she asked and there was no mocking in her tone, but something else. Gentler. Genuine curiousity and maybe just a hint of her teasing him in a good-natured way. 

"So, your god has spoken to your ancestors only and not to you directly?" which was in clear contrast with Atka and Sos, who - it sometimes appeared - that Ash Star was communicating daily with. She could not remember exactly, but her mom had even met the fearsome duo too. "But then those plans are not too specific, are they? How do you know, what to do to fulfill them? Or will it happen regardless of, what you choose to do?" she asked. 

"I..." Esma began and paused, thinking about her place in this world and purpose. "I do not know. Yet. I do not think that my god is with the Riverclan. And I am not sure that I particularly understand your God. But mom says that the world is a very big place... so there might be a god for me there as well. What do you think?" she asked. Moments earlier she was a young smart woman, now this flash of unsuredness of things brought her back to, what she still was. A child.