Would God love an atheist?

I guess it depends on which version of the christian God you worship. There are so many, after all. I'm am constantly told that I'm going to burn in hell for eternity because "the fool hath said in his heart, 'there is no god'". Being an atheist, this doesn't really bother me, because I don't believe in any of it. However, I find it interesting how some people, who in one breath say God loves all his children, turn around and talk about how god will torture some of them because he doesn't like what they believe. Would you torture your kids if they didn't obey you or refused to recognize your existence? Probably not - you don't seem like kind of person, and you'd love your kids to much to hurt them like that. To be honest, I much prefer the Christians who believe that God really does love all his children, and that being a good human being is all you need not to be thrown into a lake of fire. It makes the idea of a "loving god" more believable.

To my belief system, the answer to this is of course. God loves everyone. At least, that's what I was always taught. He might be a bit disappointed that the person doesn't accept him as the creator of the universe, but I imagine he would still love the person in question. It's like your child does something really horrible. You're angry but you don't stop loving them.

Well, your description changes your original question. Is God justified in punishing an unbeliever? Absolutely. He sets up the system and gives us opportunities to believe. We know that if we don't believe and follow in Christ, our demise is soon to come. But you originally asked if God would love an atheist? Absolutely. He loves unconditionally as he created each human being. Does a parent love a child who turns away? Yes. Does a friend stop caring about another friend if that friend breaks the bonds of friendship?