Quote: "Misery loves it's company," (end quote)?

Question

I've been reading through the message boards all morning and left and right I read, "Misery loves it's company," in reference to atheists. A question I have for people who have either used this quote, believed this quote, or just have a little insight on this quote:

Do you honestly believe that because I do not share faith in your God that I am miserable, or does it just facilitate making you feel better about your own faith, and people who don't share your same faith and views?

Why am I in Religion & Spirituality? Why are you? You're here to provide insight, to get answers. Spirituality may exist without religion, where as religion may not exist without spirituality. I need not be religious to be here, nor does anyone else - atheism however, is under the "religion" category for the simple fact that it deals with God.

However.. you're wrong - there are many people here like me, which is why I am here - to give insight to people who are like me. Just because I'm an atheist doesn't mean my advice is null and void - just different.

(I don't appreciate the hate, dear Christian.)

Susan:

I do not wish to find God, but it does no use telling you for the simple fact that you're going to believe what you want to believe, regardless of what you're told. I asked a question, you're correct - I asked for your opinion on the actual quote itself, not that you think everyone's secretly on the hunt for God - because that's foolish. I want to be told people's insight, not to be convinced that I shouldn't be in Religion & Spirituality because I'm an atheist.

You did everything except actually answer my question.

Thank you.

Answer 1

The quote more accurately describes Christians. They always seem to be upset all the time here. They refuse to act like adults and tolerate other people's beliefs and they can't wait for the destruction of mankind.

Answer 2

What most believers in religious faiths fail to understand is that Atheism DOES have belief systems. They cannot picture living without their faith because they only know one aspect of belief. Many have never read Proust or Hegel or Engels and so they wouldn't know a philosophy if it bit them on the asterisk.

In order to put the beliefs of others into their narrow context, they will even go so far as to claim Buddhism and Confucianism are religions.

I even read once during the 90's that some people were going so far as to translate the Bible into Hopi, which is kind of pointless because the Hopi do have religion but no specific concept of "God."

The point I guess I'm trying to make is that most Atheists or Deists or Agnostics were already exposed to religion and found it's taste was bitter. However, most religious fundamentalists have never really been exposed to philosophy, so they just can't fathom how someone can live without "God."

Answer 3

I've never used this phrase before and I don't necessarily believe in it either. I know that I'm not the happiest person in the world, but I do like to have company. Also, I was raised a Christian but have since left those beliefs because of the misery that I was caused when people kept trying to convince me of things that may or may not be true. This is probably not a very good answer. But I have a solution! When people try to tell you these one-sided, ridiculous things, don't get mad.
Just throw rocks at them!

XP

Answer 4

My life is very happy and I do not share their faith. There is a lot of evidence that people can be happy no matter what they believe in, but many of them are stuck on their idea.

If anyone thinks I'm miserable because I don't share a certain belief system, let them believe that. Simply having such a thought proves nothing good about them

Answer 5

John Ray quotes
English naturalist and botanist, 1627-1705

"Misery loves company" was the actual quote.

He also said: “Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.”

The best answer when someone uses that on you is to reply "Apparently so." since the other side of the equation groups at the very least on Sunday after all.

Answer 6

I'm sorry that is happening to you. I am in a lot of Christian company here in R&S; believe me there is many "Misery loves its company" within Christians. To many violation notices from so-called Christians. My mom said this before, "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen." I think this is what she means! LOL

Answer 7

awww it's not necessarily directed at athiests. it's a common phrase used to desbribe certain situations. a grumpy person at work snaps at everyone (ostensibly to bring everyone else down to their level of grumpiness) cause if that person has to be miserable then it would feel better if no one else was in a good mood.
it's also the reverse, in the respect that if you're in a good mood you are friendly and nice to everyone and you try to pull people up to your level of cheerfulness.
and besides which, why are you concerned what religious folks think? if they think that we of the godless people are miserable, what's going to change their minds anyway? let the sheep graze in their pastures, and be sorry for them that they see everything so onesided. dont sweat it. it's not worth it.

Answer 8

No, you are entitled to your beliefs and you waste your time trying to get your point across just like some Christians do....Even though I believe God is the answer doesn't mean I shove it down your throat!

Answer 9

Instead of "Misery loves company", they should have said, "Birds of a feather flock together" or "Great minds think alike and fools never differ". People need to use their aphorisms correctly.

Answer 10

People automatically (and often incorrectly) assume that just because someone doesn't believe the same thing, they are wrong. Therefore, the "wrong" people are miserable. They must be. It's logical.

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