Joy and misery

I've heard people ask whether atheism isn't just another "belief system," just like religion.  My reply is that the atheist has nothing to worship.  That's it in a nutshell.

There are, admittedly, similarities in the emotions a religious and an atheist can feel.  The individual believer can feel joy in religious practice.  An atheist, although lacking the comfort that a believer in eternal life may have, can feel the joy of shedding a fear of Hell, a worry over God's judgment, and a suspicion that Heaven might turn out to be other than advertised.  And then, there's the joy that every day of life brings to the person who knows that nothing follows.  Soaking as much experience and beauty from this Earthly life as possible becomes the aging atheist's quest.

I have noticed, however, that theocracies are characterized by the misery of their citizens.  There is only one religion in a theocracy, and, therefore no choice.  No joy.  And we have also noted, throughout the era of Communism, that government edicts that there is no God also lead to misery in the population.

A government that dictates one religion, or which forbids all religions, is the problem, more than the beliefs themselves.

The reader may think that an atheist who, like me, thinks we'd be better off without religion, would be in favor of attempts to stamp it out forcibly.  But I prefer happiness.