Evidence of absence?

One of many facinating lectures I have listened to recently was by Dr. William Lane Criag. In his lecture on "Religious Epistemology", Dr. Craig examines the the rationality and warrant of religious truth claims, such as the one that God exists.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

Dr. Craig states, "Unsatisfied with the evidence we have, some atheists have argued that God, if He existed, would have prevented the world’s unbelief by making His existence starkly apparent (say, by inscribing the label “Made by God” on every atom or planting a neon cross in the heavens with the message “Jesus Saves.”) But why should God want to do such a thing? ... there is no reason at all to think that if God were to make His existence more manifest, more people would come into a saving relationship with Him."

"In fact, we have no way of knowing that in a world of free creatures in which God’s existence is as obvious as the nose on your face that more people would come to love Him and know His salvation than in the actual world."