Or if they aren't degens, it's rationalization of existential dread and resentment at the state of humanity. They'll often claim that religion stems from our inability to accept death, but their atheism is the same existential anxiety. A complete rejection of higher meaning and purpose is how they live with the fact that bad things happen and people die.

To qualify your "always" assertion, I'll just make it clear I'm talking about vehemently rigid atheists, not the non-believers that would be better called agnostic, or don't care one way or another.

Or if they aren't degens, it's rationalization of existential dread and resentment at the state of humanity. They'll often claim that religion stems from our inability to accept death, but their atheism is the same existential anxiety. A complete rejection of higher meaning and purpose is how they live with the fact that bad things happen and people die.

To qualify your "always" assertion, I'll just make it clear I'm talking about vehemently rigid atheists, not the non-believers that would be better called agnostic, or don't care way or another.