Atheist: If atheism is the path for you, then why so miserable?

Question

I am an atheist. I do not believe in god, gods, goddesses, higher powers, (except self...so yes, I believe in myself :) ) Heaven or Hell... I am happy about this! I am a very bubbly person and open to all kinds of religious talk, because I have come to my conclusion and it works for me. I feel at peace. I was MISERABLE as a Baptist... (Yes, Christians, I know you will blast me about being egotistical in believing in myself and not YOUR god. But I have a brain and I enjoy using it.)

I want to know why I encounter a huge amount of atheist who are down right miserable. They aren't at peace. Every religious topic is to be attacked! (Yesterday I asked what an atheist would do if they saw a family praying at dinner in public and judging from the responses you would have thought I asked, "Can someone give me one of their lungs?") It was just a question... but most of the atheist who answered were seriously cranky!

Now, if I know my psychology, usually when someone gets defensive about an issue, chances are they have some kind of emotional thing they aren't dealing with regarding the matter. I am not saying that there aren't religious deals I blow a gasket over... I have a lot of passion for things. But there is passion then there is down right lack of bowel control...

Atheist, please tell me why most of you are so miserable? If you are at peace, you should be just as bubbly as the Christians... I know I am...:)

Answer 1

I'm pretty much where you are.



Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case with a lot of the atheists on R&S(Not all mind you, some are great humorists!). Mostly it seems you get a contingent of people who wish to blast their fellow man over believing in something incorrect.



But its more than just that the person is incorrect - he also happens to be wrong/evil/stupid/etc while the accuser of course is not any of those qualities and never has been because he/she knows there is no God.



I believe Michael Ruse, one of the best academic atheist philosophers, termed these people as "The Atheists of Resentment." Much like the Radical Christian fundamentalist, they are discontent with their lives and are seeking to pin all their woes on rather on simplistic thing.



Don't believe me? Pair up the types of rants you see on R&S.



"I Know you Silly Christians are so stupid believing in your sky fairy, blah blah blah"



is really not so much different from "I know you silly stupid atheists deny Jesus' love, while i haven't.."



Content is obviously different. Pattern of thought/psychological drive is pretty much the time. "Your bad, so i'm good, yay!"



Frankly, it seems like they are more interested in assigning blame and making themselves feel better.



Also consider that there are many Atheists offline who don't do any of this. They have pretty much normal lives.

Answer 2

this is my personal, honest answer.



first of all, i don't claim to be an atheist. I'm mostly an agnostic humanist. But many times, actually most times, i agree with the atheists. I am in no way miserable. I do have to say though, that i'm much bitchier on R&S than in my real life. Its just easy to have a betch outlet.



I think that what you're referring to though, is just that everyone is offended by different things. I personally, being a supporter of my gays, get extremely offended when one of the conservatives on here bashes gay marriage, or homosexuality in general. I also get very heated about topics relating to mormonism, because i feel betrayed by the religion. I am definitely bitter on that subject, but not necessarily on everything theism related.



everyone just has their own thing.

Answer 3

I am not an atheist however I do welcome discussion on most topics with anyone who is reasonable minded. I don't mind some jokes but some people are here for one reason and that is to hate on others and it kind of defeats the purpose of this forum. Pleased to meet you. Edit to Shandra: I think you mean the origin of life and evolution however from where I stand evolutionary theory requires that first step. I don't have a problem saying things change but many atheists want to gloss over or ignore that first important step. And saying it just happened because we said so is really no different than saying Godidit. That's not scientific which many atheists claim to adhere to.

Answer 4

I am personally not miserable, at least not in my lack of belief in any deity. Only reason why I would be cranky right now is because I'm tired, my tooth hurts, I got a scrape on my middle finger, and my back is sore.



So maybe it's something other than religion that is making them cranky. I don't know.



-Add on- Ok I know that those reasons make me sound like an old man but i'm 18...I just stayed out too late last night and I'm paying for it...=(

Answer 5

"I want to know why I encounter a huge amount of atheist who are down right miserable. They aren't at peace. Every religious topic is to be attacked!"



I find it impossible to believe that you haven't noticed how Christians behave.



Every day we have at least a dozen of these "why aren't people happy with the way religion works? I just don't understand it!" questions, each of the obviously deliberately ignoring the most salient fact about religion: the terrible way that deeply religious people treat people who do not share their beliefs.



I find it incredibly dishonest.



I'm certainly far from miserable - almost any of you would be very lucky to be in my position in life. But in the context of religion, atheists do have valid complaints. We're not simply failing to deal emotionally with a situation (perhaps you've managed to forget about President Bush?). We're dealing (quite well, I might add) with a bad situation. Admit it: our religious problems are caused by religious believers.

Answer 6

Honestly, I've met many more miserable Christians than atheists. Are you quite sure you can generalize about the private lives of atheists just by reading the posts in R&R?



I do know something that is guaranteed to make even the happiest atheist "cranky" -- ignoring observable reality and proven scientific fact. That makes ME cranky, and I'm not an atheist.

Answer 7

im miserable cos life sucks, not cos im an atheist

being an atheist doesnt make life better, doesnt change lifes problems and reality of life, just that you now dont believe in god and thats it



life is as it is, and thats not all that great, its just living



i am not psychologicaly miserable over religion, i dont like it an di even deplore it but it doesnt affect my life any, unless it comes up and is in a negative way, but thats life, thats true of eveyrthing and anything that comes up and is negatively so



im an atheist not a stone

things will still affect me, make me happy, sad, miserable and ecstatic

life is as it is and im still a human being with emotions and all that jazz



no one claims that being an atheist will make you "at peace"

peace is not brought about by having a lable or one view or beleif

its a whole lifetime of work and living



the 2 are not related

Answer 8

Well If there is no God why are there Atheists?

I get thumbed and Richard Dawkins is trying to prove that he doesn't exist?



humans we are just here? Heaven it is Just there? why not God? he is just there?" You are talking about theists which include Christians, Jews and Muslims? why are you so closed minded? Evolution does not disprove God? he big bang does not disprove God. A Theists" "no god" Includes Muslims, Judaism, and Islam" so why are you exclusively ruling out Christianity"



Meanwhile Darwin was very reasonable because he was saying "I cannot know all that i have stated was true" So Daerwin admited he was teaching "Bad Science" Atheists (Linguiistic Non sence)

thank you for the thumb

Answer 9

I'd answer you but I'm too miserable right now. I need a couple of drinks before I can cheer up.



If you are an atheist then I am a Hare Krishna.



You can go to hell for lying.

Answer 10

As a depressed, mopey atheist, I think I can help answer your question.



You see, although we are promised freedom OF religion, we weren't promised freedom FROM religion...and, alas, many of the laws in our nation are based on Christianity. Furthermore, many religious people tend to reject science without even understanding the concepts. I'm not as opposed to religion as I am to the ignorance and hatred that it breeds.



Example: Many Christians confuse the origin of man with evolutionary theory, and use the terms interchangeably. Unforgivable, in my book. If you want to legislate what my children learn in a classroom, at least do a bit of research first.



So, I tend to stand on my soapbox and rant...at the end of the day, I feel that this is due more to my personality than it is due to my spiritual beliefs.

Answer 11

I am miserable because I have to share a world with a bunch of inbred republician christians that continue to f*ck this world of peace, love and empathy.

Answer 12

Whether or not I am miserable has nothing to do with my atheism (I have a wife and a 12 year old daughter after all).

Answer 13

I get pissed cause it's outrageous how many people are deceived and actually fall for it.. I am a happy person and enjoy a wonderful life that I wouldn't trade for the world. But seeing people tell others that they are going to hell and judging them etc is not acceptable to me and drives me crazy.. Thats why

Answer 14

Or maybe being miserable has nothing to do with relgion.



How would reglion make someone less miserable. Following a bunch of rules isnt going to make you less misrable.



For example no premartial sex isn't going to make anyone less miserable.

Answer 15

Err...who's miserable. Honestly, your just hanging out with the wrong crowd.



We are most here to have fun. Making fun of the fundies is more of a hobby than anything.

Answer 16

Who's miserable? I currently have a little headache but other then that, I'm happy.



And the majority of "the miserable" are trolls and religion (or lack of) doesn't matter. Ignore them.

Answer 17

I guess i get stressed out because of all the christians in my neighborhood stop me on the street trying to convert me. i don't try to convert them so why are they after me. they tell me i have to believe or else, threats what ever.

Answer 18

Have you ever heard the term ignorance is bliss?



Knowledge does make you miserable. I think God said something to that effect in the Garden of Eden.



So, yes, Christians might be all bubbly and happy. But that's only because they are stupid. You can't be happy AND knowledgeable, even your God said so.



So I guess I'm willing to admit that Christians might be happier on the whole, if you will admit that they are also dumber.

Answer 19

There are some down right miserable christians out there too. Just listen to them berating everyone and trying to convert them. If they were truly happy with themselves, they wouldn't be so intent on bothering everyone else.

Answer 20

who is miserable?

you assume that every one who does not follow a path of religion is "miserable" you are wrong but ignorance is no excuse for bad manors so i will leave it at that

Answer 21

I'm not miserable, thanks.



I love my life and wouldn't change it for any ones.



You should probably stop generalising people.



Kthanxbaaaai.

Answer 22

I think their "crankiness" has to do with the method of communication and the format of this place and not their general attitude.

Answer 23

You overrate your ability to know how I feel.....I'm not miserable.

Answer 24

We aren't, it's just fun to answer that way.

Answer 25

Because Kittehs can't be bubbly, it's our nature to be deadly or limes or even zombies!!!



TEH DEADLY KITTEH HAZ SPOKANE!

Answer 26

i wanna know why atheists don't kill more people