Because there are people who can go thru life with their feet firmly planted on the ground. The same way that there are people who can go thru life without any addictions

Because they found their answer to life, so they feel complete and live more fulfilling lives.

Because they don't waste an extraordinary amount of their lives whining to an uncaring deity. They get on with life.

I don't doubt this is true but I don't know it is either. So assuming it is true, atheists are happier than theists because they don't experience the unnecessary suffering accompanied by believing in God (at least the Christian god that America believes in). Examples of thoughtcrimes the former Christian me thought that made me regret questioning the ways of the Creator of the Universe, and consequently made me fearful and even somewhat ashamed: How can an all-loving god let [bad thing here] happen? How did God come into being? Why does Jesus tell his disciples to abandon their families to follow him? Jesus said to abandon all your possessions, too, so what's God to think of me until I do just that? Why does God punish so many people in the Bible for things that aren't so bad in any other setting? Why does God kill so many people in the Old Testament? How can I be happy in heaven if many people I love here will be in hell? I love God, so why do I keep sinning? Why was Judas the bad guy if he indirectly gave mankind its greatest possible gift? Why does the Bible sound so much like a fairy tale? Why did God punish the talking snake by merely making him crawl on his belly for the rest of his days? And on and on. These are questions probably most Christians ask themselves at one point or another. I suppose some come up with their own rationale on God's behalf, others push it from their mind, others withdraw completely from the religion, and others pray that God will help them one day understand.

Not everybody needs a delusion in order to tell themselves that they have a fulfilling life

I think possibly because they are content with their beliefs, rather than constantly seeking affection from an ever-silent deity. Also, going through life doing good things because you want to, as opposed to because you feel obligated, is somewhat liberating.

Because they do not suffer from a delusional mindset that tries to dictate their behaviors or make them suffer from guilt. Religious beliefs have resulted in brutality and war throughout history (incl. presently). That is not to say all atheists are wonderful people, but they are not restricted by an arbitrary belief system and tend to be more rational and reasonable.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm not one to merely accept alleged, so-called "statistics" on much of anything. That is, even if I did, I wouldn't much care what the "majority" think or do on much of anything. I do know one thing, though, during my 70+ years on this earth, meeting perhaps God knows how many people in some 32 countries, I've never met one who told me that he or she was an atheist. The only so-called atheists I've "met" thus far have mostly been right here at AB...and that's fine...I have no problem with it. Maybe I just need to get out more! :-)

Because religion was supposed to alleviate the fear of death, but for many centuries fear has been its primary marketing tool. People who don't allow themselves to be motivated by fear live longer, happier lives.

Because we stopped worrying about an invisible menace/ judge/ father figure/ whatever. Stopped doing phony "good deeds" so we can be gifted with a future existence in a fictional heavenly place and realized the we should just BE and be good for goodness' sake. We came to terms that we may be alone on this planet and IT'S OK. We stopped hiding behind a concept and faced ourselves and our imperfections and realized IT'S OK. I don't know. It just makes life alot easier when you let go of the bugaboos, superstitions, archaic dogma, and live here, now, in the moment, trying to find your own peace and live in peace with those among you wihtout having to worry about someone infringing on your private life with thier idea of what's right and wrong.

The last Harvest has not yet come. For when it dose, many eyes will be opened.

Because one *CAN* live a full life without including tribal ritual and worship of wishful thinking. +5

They live to the fullest where it actually matters. They don't put all their faith in something they don't even know exists after they die.

Because they accept reality.

Perhaps because they know that statistically they will get sick and die younger than their religious counterparts.

Sorry for ignoring the question (in the main). But it does give me a giggle that it comes from someone who uses as an avatar someone who: a: died insane at a fairly young age (doesn't make your question look good), b: described himself as an "immoralist" (doesn't make atheists look good), and c: espoused nihilism, that is to say, the meaninglessness of life (how can you have a fulfilling nihilist life?). That said, what statistics, bearing in mind Mark Twain's view of statistics?