Why are atheists without hope?

[Charlemagne_III]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

 

[JewishCatholic]

As a former atheist I can tell you its not a choice.
A popular misconeption among religious is that atheists choose not to believe in God, There are many events and reasons why someone cannot believe in God. Think about it tommorow you would not be able to wake up and not believe in God. I suspect many deep down believe in a higher power, but are not vocal about it. And some refuse to even try and accept God. But for those who used to be like me, We wanted to believe in God, we went to church and did good works, but to no avail. Trust me its a very frustrating predicament. Believing in God in a way is not a choice.

 

[Bradski]

I keep hoping that you’ll stop misrepresenting atheists. But I’m not holding my breath…

 

[JewishCatholic]

I keep hoping that you’ll stop misrepresenting atheists. But I’m not holding my breath…

I was talking about my personal story, and friends i know not all atheists in general.

 

[JapaneseKappa]

Have christians stopped beating their wives yet?

 

[Bradski]

I was talking about my personal story, and friends i know not all atheists in general.

I’m sorry, that comment was meant for Charles, not yourself. I should have clarified that in my post.

Apologies again.

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

I don’t see anything in my life this far as a lack of hope per se. Speaking for myself, I see hope as good in moderate doses but harmful when in large doses and unfounded.

That said, I don’t see how lack of belief in a deity means lack of hope. I just hope somewhere above past performance and the available information, but not up to “The best possible outcome will definitely happen”. To do so increases the risk of not taking precautions against bad outcomes.

For instance, I presume you hope to never be in a car accident. Do you have enough hope (against the prevailing stats) to forgo your seatbelt? If you buckle up then certainly your hope has limits far below “The best”.

 

[JewishCatholic]

I don’t see anything in my life this far as a lack of hope per se. Speaking for myself, I see hope as good in moderate doses but harmful when in large doses and unfounded.

That said, I don’t see how lack of belief in a deity means lack of hope. I just hope somewhere above past performance and the available information, but not up to “The best possible outcome will definitely happen”. To do so increases the risk of not taking precautions against bad outcomes.

For instance, I presume you hope to never be in a car accident. Do you have enough hope (against the prevailing stats) to forgo your seatbelt? If you buckle up then certainly your hope has limits far below “The best”.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Sometimes religous people think Atheists are pessimistic in general when that simply is not true!!!. In fact some of my non religous friends are the most optimistic!

 

[JewishCatholic]

I’m sorry, that comment was meant for Charles, not yourself. I should have clarified that in my post.

Apologies again.

No Problem, I thought you were talking to OP, but I was not sure.

 

[phil19034]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

There was a Catholic movies review on Catholic Answers reciently that made a good point about movies coming out of Protestant movie ministries … He said that movies like “God’s Not Dead” all paint non-believers with the same brush and paint all believers with a different brush. He said that individually the movies might be ok, but as a genre they are academically dishonest, in that the genre is not a true reflection of reality. He said that what’s good about the Catholic movies that have come out is that the characters all have depth and realism. People are complex and are sinners. The “good” people have bad qualities and commit sins, and the “bad” people have good traits and can be relatable.

I mention this because it’s a good radio broadcast to apply to real life too. Everything isn’t alway black and white.

The idea that atheists can’t hope is silly. I’ve hear of a few atheists who hope there is an afterlife, but they don’t believe there is one. And at the same time, they hope they can’t get in if there is one (but again they don’t believe).

The atheists I have met personally are nice people and have even had politically discussions regarding religion with me. They were not any of the zelliot neo-atheists who basically consider science to be religion. They have no desire to make believers stop believing.

The problem in this country (and world) today is that we allow the loud minority to speak for the silent majority.

Point is: you are not going to have a productive conversation with an atheist by saying they don’t hope.

I recommend strangenotions.com - a website for Catholics and atheists to chat about their views. No Protestants, etc. Only Catholics and Atheists.

God Bless

 

[CuriousMike]

Let me just say that “God’s Not Dead” is a cringe-worthy movie on so many fronts.
The portrayal of someone turned from God because of bad events in their lives seems accurate, as is some of the atheist’s attitudes…
Many of the ones I’ve known are particularly vitriolic towards the belief of any religious person, never-mind the religious organisations themselves.

Coming from a background of non-belief myself, I feel as though one just “plods along” until the end. Things happen and you deal with them, I suppose. I see lack of belief now as the reason why we have so much trouble with partying, drugs and sexual problems… People with the “you only live once” attitude almost treat that ideology like a religion. And that attitude isn’t “hopeful” (aside from the next weekend), its repetitive, wicked and ultimately self-serving.

Looking back - I honestly don’t know where I was headed. Just “plodding along” seems aimless and completely pointless. Maybe religion at times can be hard to comprehend… Some of the greatest Saints were perhaps the most confused. But then so is non-belief…

If there is no God - then family members leading mis-fortunate lives is no-ones fault, car accidents, war and destruction are the fault of no-one. The conclusion to this is that everything is just a great big accident.
My Dad suffered a severe heart attack, but survived. I see this as a learning experience, both in the spiritual and non-spiritual sense. He has another chance, I still have a Father (that I should pray for). From a non-spiritual sense, this is just an accident, or maybe it was the accident of genetics. “Oh yeah, heart disease runs in the family. Just another accident of the universe. So was your mother’s Cancer, by the way.”

Addressing the question more directly. Are atheists without hope?
Yes and No, or more likely No and No.
They, like everyone else, don’t just need to “hope” for forgiveness, they can receive if they choose to believe. If they don’t believe, then from our perspective they have no hope.
From their perspective, perhaps it is time not wasted, or maybe they hope for a long life, or some other good thing. I honestly couldn’t tell you what I “hoped for.”

Are atheists pessimistic?
Good question. How long is a piece of string?

It is a complicated question.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

They are definitely lacking hope for an afterlife. I guess they hope their life on earth will be healthy and full of the good earthly things, but they definitely do not hope that they will go to heaven, nor meet their dead loved ones again. I think a lot of them hope they will never die on earth, but that is a really funny sort of hope, since it is impossible.

 

[aclausen]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

Perhaps you could clarify what it is you mean by “hope”.

 

[JewishCatholic]

They are definitely lacking hope for an afterlife. I guess they hope their life on earth will be healthy and full of the good earthly things, but they definitely do not hope that they will go to heaven, nor meet their dead loved ones again. I think a lot of them hope they will never die on earth, but that is a really funny sort of hope, since it is impossible.

How do you know they do not miss their loved ones, or hope that there may be an afterlife? What a odd thing to say?

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

The best that can possibly happen to us. For the non-religious, possibility is based on what can be demonstrated to be possible empirically or mathematically. For the religious, possibility is based on fear of what is known. Fear of finite existence. Fear of death. Thus, this “hope” for supernatural outcomes is only a possibility because they wish it to be. It is a baseless and false hope produced by frightened minds that cannot or will not accept the natural limitations of existence.

 

[oldcelt]

I believe that all human beings have hopes. They may not be of a religious/spiritual nature, but they are hopes none the less. That some of us have chosen not to believe in a theistic deity, in no way indicates that we are without hope.

John

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Since hope springs eternals in all of us, hope for the best that can possibly happen to us, even when the evidence is not there that the best is definitely going to happen to us, the question arises: why do Christians choose to hope and atheists choose not to hope?

Your thoughts?

Sorry Charlie, your question seems to be based on a failed assumption.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

How do you know they do not miss their loved ones, or hope that there may be an afterlife? What a odd thing to say?

How can they hope for an afterlife if they do not believe in an afterlife? I think that would imply believing in God - or how do you see it??? Most atheists I know think that this life is it. What do your atheist friends think?

I don’t mean they don’t miss their loved ones, I just mean they don’t think they will see them again after they die. I am very confused by your answer. Do you know atheists that believe in an afterlife - and please elaborate on how they see it.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

Sorry I cannot participate until Saturday. Very busy preparing a talk tonight on
“The Life and Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.”

 

[CHRISTINE77]

One can hope or believe in an afterlife and still not believe in a god.
The two don’t necessarily have to go together. To think that would be unimaginative.

If we are here on earth without a god, why can’t we be alive in another realm without a god, too?

.

I have never heard of this before. Do you believe in an afterlife? Do you believe you have a soul? Do you believe that there is a heaven where you will be the same person with a spiritual body, or do you believe in something like reincarnation?

Explain to me your belief system concerning the afterlife. Is this common with atheists, because this is the first I have ever heard of it. Most atheists I know believe this one life is it and once you die it’s over and there is nothingness. This is the first time I have ever heard of an atheist believing in life after death. Please elaborate.