Why do atheists always think belief is comforting?

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Now this may not apply to all, but often I hear atheists say that people who believe do so because it's comforting and nice and so they want it to be true. But when I look at some religious beliefs, they are not so comforting at all. Isn't it for example more comforting to believe that after dying just comes nothing than to consider eternal condemnation?

It's comforting to some because they know that they are going to Heaven, and that all of those rude, self-righteous, judgmental hypocrites are going to Hell.

That's the genius of Abrahamic religions: everyone that reads the passages are sure they're on the "right" side of God's will, and therefore going to heaven, not the other side. It's human nature to view oneself as the protagonist, not the villain. The passages on Hell most people gloss over because "it doesn't pertain to me" or if they do take an interest in those passages it's generally for the satisfaction of viewing a personal enemy having to suffer through it.

Are you sure that applies to everyone? And even if they think 'yay, I'm going to go to heaven', what then? Do they think they'll sit on a fluffy cloud forever? Isn't the thought of it just simply ending at some time ultimately more comforting than any eternal existence which one doesn't know anything about for sure?
Just out of interest, why is your profile picture Cicero and not Aristophanes?

There are also the ideas that: (1) there is life after death; (2) you will be reunited with dead loved ones; (3) you will no longer be sick, feel pain, or suffer in any way; (4) you will be happy, without worries, and free of any emotional baggage; and (5) everyone will be nice to you.

For a person on his or her death-bed to seize these beliefs brings great comfort. Believing that you will pass in an instant from pain, darkness, and suffering into joy, light, and peace is also a tremendous comfort.

Some people believe tha when you die, that's the end of you. Others believe that your identity somehow survives after death. Still others believe that not only does your identity survive after death, but that it will live again in another body.

All of these beliefs give comfort, depending on the person believing them.

We live in a world of self-gratification, so yes everyone (which is usually a strong majority ~80%-- no need to take the term literally).


No idea, I'm sure everyone's idea of heaven is different-- but they all tend to think it'll be "great" and "wonderful" to borrow some Trumpisms.


Again, that's a personal thing, but the philosophy seems to be this: we all want to be special, and if we're special we shouldn't have to "end"-- that's for lower lifeforms.

It was Aristophanes for a long time, but then I grew tired of his beard so I used the Dark Side of the Moon cover for a while, but then the colors annoyed me. I settled on Cicero because I love rhetoric and his stern look is intimidating-- that's a comment I get a lot in real life (intimidating) so I figured hell, why not just tack it onto my profile here too.