The absolute absurdity of God

[The Grand Nudger]

Here are some significant counterpoints to the claims that theism serves as comfort against grief, relief from ennui, hope for mercy, and longing for eternal justice.

• Relief from the specter or divine judgement.
  
• Freedom from externally imposed significance on one's life.
  
• Liberation from the fear of death.
  
• Unconstrained ability to define one's own ethical norms.
  

These are some very real emotional reasons for wanting atheism to be true. It is difficult, for me at least, to not see that adopting these atheistic attitudes gives one license to rationalize some fairly questionable behaviors.

I've never worried about divine judgement.  I wouldn't worry about it even if it were real.  I don't worry about things I can't do anything about.

I'm certainly not free from externally imposed significance on my life..that's not something atheism can do.

See item 1.  

Like number two..I don't have some sort of unconstrained ability to define my own ethical norms.  

If a person wanted atheism to be true for any of those reasons.....they'd be engaging in the same wishthinking that a theist was, imo.  Atheism isn't going to make a fearful person less fearful.   Atheism doesn't free us from the specifics of our lives, societal structures, or facts.