Atheists are among the most religious and faithful of us all
Even among people who do not consider themselves particularly religious, most of us need something to fill the role that traditional religion provides its adherents. It does not have to be a traditional religion. It can be astrology or a cult or some new age gibberish.
But what is that role? That is, what purpose does religion serve? What do its members get out of it?
I can think of three primary benefits from religion, though I know there are others. One, explanation. People want an explanation for things that science cannot yet explain. Two, order. People crave order and religion provides it. Three, guidance. Moral guidance. Most people cannot, or are unwilling to, provide this for themselves, so they turn to religion to do so. It is a crutch for the intellectually lazy.
Without some kind of religion, most people feel a void, and they are desperate to fill it. They will turn to some religion, old or new, or they will search until they find something to answer their questions, order their society, and guide their lives.
As for our atheist friends, if they rule out a divinity or divinities, what are they left with? Because I can assure you, like everyone else, they still crave explanation, order, and guidance. So where would an atheist turn to find these qualities?
Government, of course.
I have come to believe that the vast majority of atheists are among the most fervently religious of us all. They have simply replaced faith in the divine with faith in government. Their willingness to believe in the efficacy of government, without evidence and often in the face of evidence to the contrary, is indeed an article of faith. In fact, it is a whole faith system, otherwise known as a religion.
While certainly not true in every case (see the self-described secular conservative, Heather Mac Donald), the correlation between secular beliefs and leftist political thought is astounding. Government is their religion, and the irony is completely lost on them.