Good will to all men? Not from the grumpy atheists! (Thank God not all atheists are grumpy but there sure seems to be a lot of them)

Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring  themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death  that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life.

For example, the Catholic Church in its human incarnation is sinful,
(as is every other human institution) corrupt and often acts differently from what it teaches. Yet it is still here. She may be battered and bruised, largely through its own sinfulness and the criminality and immorality of a few, but 2000 years of experience has permitted the Church to experience the waxing and waning of the faith in different part of the world at various time before. We do not despair these difficult times because we have been here before... and we may be here again in the future, but one would be foolhardy to predict her demise anytime before the great parousia.

Why are believers so confident? It's because even though we have suffered the wounds of sin from various clergy, we know that they not the totality of our experience. There have been times when we stood as a paragon of grace for believers. Even today there are times when the voice of the Church has truly spoken to the core of many, moments when the transcendent presence of God is visible despite our sinfulness and brokeness for anyone who has both the eyes and heart to see it. It is these moments, brought about through the faithful ministry and efforts of almost all clergy who has taken up the yoke of service which makes possible and strengthens the convictions and fidelity of many believers today.

But... I think that there is a more primordial reason for the 'bad mood' of so many atheists.

Atheists tend to see the state of their personal world as being  limited to the best they can achieve. Life's injustices will never ultimately be surmounted and they are limited to a 'what you see is what you get' assessment of life's trials. Believers on the other hand
know that things will be better. They know that following the teachings of the church can bring them closer to that promised ideal in the here and now, and that any justice denied them by the events of their personal lives as a result of their fidelity to God will be theirs to enjoy in the life to come.

It is easy to understand how this fuels the anger that many atheists. When one must content themselves with a creed that necessarily mean that they will never personally experience ultimate justice, peace or love; that when they look back at the missed opportunities denied them through life's injustices, it is without hope of recompense other than ultimate annihilation in death. Such a world view would certainly lead to a jaded view of life. Since theists tend to see the glass as being more full than empty, their optimism and good cheer must be be particularly annoying to atheists when they see life in such sombre colors (particularly amid the Christmas season when Christians sing out their joyous message of hope).

Nihilism on the one hand, or hope on the other? No wonder they're so grumpy.