Let's Start Over, I'm Blackrook and I'm Here to Get Some Answers to Important Questions

[Reforged]

Anyway, let's start over.

My name is Blackrook and I'm a Catholic in crisis and I'm here to get some answers to some questions I have.

Catholicism has been a great comfort to me when I had feelings that I didn't want to live, and felt like killing myself.

I felt God's presence, literally reaching out to me and telling me I was loved.

Even now, in my current state of pessimism, I can look forward to something better after my bitter struggle in this world is complete.

What can atheism offer to replace that?

Ex-catholic. Been there, done that.
Only thing Catholicism does is delude you and take steps to ensure you never improve the only life you can be certain you have.
Atheism is just the simple lack of belief. It doesn't offer anything other than the safe knowledge that our reality is an utterly mysterious one still waiting to be further explored and explained. Seems like a good enough purpose to exist to me.

Your lifes an unwritten book, I don't pretend to know whats going to happen while you're alive let alone after you die.
Evidence would suggest nothing happens after you die and you simply cease to exist. Seems like all the more reason to make our lives count, enjoy what we have while we have it and to push for the truth rather than a comforting lie.
But whatever, its your life.