I went to a church again recently, that was my first mistake. But I have to keep going back because if I go too long I start to forget why I left. Then I go there and it becomes painfully clear once more.
Anyway, they discussed hope. This church was better because the people were mildly intelligent and a few actually had some insightful things to say. I have no hope. I have never needed it. I believe that success comes through hard work and the occasional convinient opportunity. Hope is for things out of your control. You can hope if you like, but don't use the word in reference to something you could have influenced. For instance: "I hope i did well on that test" is incorrect. If I want a good grade, I make sure I know the material, then I don't even need to hope that the test is easy because I know it regardless.
When I brought up this argument at the church, they quickly began to explain their nonsecular view of the terminology. Hope in the Christian sense refers to the idea that there is some higher end to which we can all aspire, and it can only come through faith. To this I say that I intend to lead the life of a good man, and it shall still be my actions which determine my fate, not blind faith in the idea that someone else will save me.
The Christian idea of hope, therefore, lets them off the hook. The atheist is responsible for his own actions, and takes full responsibilty therein. The Christian has this security blanket of God to blame things on. The atheist must find a logical explaination and solution to a problem, but the Christian can just lose faith and go about his merry way trying to find it again. If they do something wrong, they simply claim they lost their way. The man with no hope is forced to become the more upright because it is up to him alone, without God, to conduct himself properly. If he does something wrong, he can only blame himself, lear from his mistake, and become a better man.
Without hope, I have the freedom to do as I see fit, based on the present situation and my own moral code. With hope, you are a feather at the whim of the wind, with no solid ground on which to base your actions.
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