Why are atheists so pessimistic?

Answer 1

About what?

I mean, compared with all the believers here who are sure that the world is about to end, we look pretty full of sunshine, don't we?

Answer 2

Your chosen handle suits you well.

What exactly are we pessimistic about? If you ask why are atheists so pessimistic i can only deduce that you believe that not buying into the god myth is somehow pessimistic. Since the only thing all atheists have in common is a disbelief of the existence of gods you must equate that with pessimism some how.

Just because you need an imaginary god to give your life meaning doesn't mean that those of us who are perfectly happy with our situation on earth have a negative attitude because we don't need the same artificial stimulation that you do.

Answer 3

Atheists usually adopt a realistic perspective of life, which allows no room for the fairy tale of God(s) coming down from the clouds and saving the world that many theists draw hope from. Since there are no definite answers to existential questions, you basically have three options:

1. Apathy- You simply don't care whether there is a god and live your life without any spirituality.
2. Despair- You are saddened by the non-existence or incompetence of God.
3. Illusion- You believe that your God is the real God and will save you and the world, despite evidence to the contrary.

Atheists are limited to options 1 and 2. Personally, I exercise option one, and am enjoying my purely secular existence with no worry about the supernatural. Those who choose option 2 must be the pessimistic atheists you speak of, and they are not lacking in numbers. Take God out of the equation, and it is easy to see life as a bunch of ****.

Answer 4

Most atheists I know are pretty optimistic.

Perhaps you are under the impression that atheists are pessimistic because pessimistic atheists are more noticable. They might make a big deal about God's nonexistence because it upsets them. Optimistic atheists don't complain about it because they are OK with their worldview and they are just happy with the way they percieve the universe.

Answer 5

Atheists have no cause for hope. Christians hope for a better world. All atheists can look forward to is a cessation of their five senses. Hope is faith in a better future. Since faith is quite illogical, it fails to meet the standards of acceptable belief for an atheist.

While some atheists say they're trying to live an ethical life, they have no basis for their standards of morality without turning to what religious tradition has provided them. Thus, their moral code is quite scattered. Tactfulness and kindness don't often enter their moral agenda because they have nothing to gain from being nice to strangers. Because of this, they often look pessimistic to others. They prefer to insult religion rather than provide an objective and mature analysis of it, citing the Bible as a collection of "fairy tales" and comparing God to fictional childhood characters.

Answer 6

i'm pessimistic yet no longer for that reason...My acquaintances (3 of that are atheist) are better than happy... EDIT: After thinking approximately it i'm no longer continuously pessimistic... all of it truly relies upon on the day

Answer 7

I could hardly take the word of a believer they are far too too unrelieable as they believe in fantasies as realities too.
what could be any more pessimistic than to believe in a monster being that will condemn people to burn in an eternal hell ?

Answer 8

Why is ignorance bliss? I'll admit I'm a pessimist if you'll admit you're ignorant. Ignore the backwards logic of such a statement, logic isn't necessary for such a question.

Answer 9

I would say waiting for the return of a Diety who will be bent on destroying the planet is pretty pessimistic. Wouldn't you?

Answer 10

Well, *I'm* not.

I'm a realistic.

If anything... (theist) Christians are pessimistic because they keep threatening people with their version of Hell.