Atheist Argument (anonymous) for Benefit of religion over atheism or vice versa

What is the benefit to choosing religion over atheism, or the opposite?


Even to an atheist, the bet made when denying the existence of a deity is daunting. Most religions threaten consequences to apostasy that are beyond death, even for eternity. But the atheist finds the evidence behind such vague threats to be wanting and is more frightened of wasting a preciously short life on such slim evidence.

An atheist voluntarily denies him or herself a convenient mirror to project his or her problems or desires. The atheist accepts responsibility of his or her destiny; even though every cause and every effect is not always apparent, the atheist believes it to be discoverable. Cause and effect are inextricably linked. Atheists benefit from their beliefs (or absence of them) through increased clarity, responsibility and urgency.

The atheist is not distracted by a relationship with a nonparticipating partner. Instead the atheist derives his or her place in real-time, in real-space. Atheists hope and wish, but their private estimates of probability are more likely to be based on rational expectations and this leads to a higher likelihood of success. Atheists do not ask Jesus to take the wheel; they drive the car themselves. The responsibility for success and failure is solely upon the atheist’s shoulders alone. When success occurs, it is not from divine intervention. It is the atheist’s doing. Failure is not attributed to supernatural wrath, it is from some fault or mistake of the actor.

Atheists confine themselves to an unknown and finite lifespan. This creates a sense of urgency. Relationships must be lived in this life, missions must be accomplished and there are no do-overs. Because the atheist has no opportunity to hit a sin reset button through confession or achieving a state of godliness, there is logically more urgency to acting in an ethical and kind manner—needless to say there are many who do not act that way, but that’s the fault of their emotions.