Why do people who dont believe in god pray?

Answer 1

People who do not believe in god -- atheists -- have all the same troubles that any other person might have. In times of strife, they may seem to pray, but perhaps they are just talking to themselves about their problems and trying to figure things out. It's kind of like praying, but there's no supernatural being out there.

So, really there's not much difference, is there?

Answer 2

A person who is an atheist does not pray anymore than he shouts into an empty room and expects an answer. Some people claim that when an atheist hits his thumb and lets out a string of expletives which may include terms like Jesus Christ!, Goddamn! or such he is praying, but our culture has created these as demonstrations of pain or surprise, not religion. An atheist hitting his thumb and saying Thermal conductivity!, Heisenberg uncertainty principe! would not (culturally speaking) be expressing his reaction to the event.