This is an oversimplification, and there are many types of nihilism, but in general I find nihilism at least as ridiculous as theism. They're both preposterous on their face, the latter for asserting fantastical things with no evidence, and the former for denying things by using some of those very things being denied. "There is no meaning! Knowledge is impossible! Check it out, it's all down in this book I wrote!" *eyeroll*
If lapsed christians often turn to nihilism, I imagine it's a phase they go through as a result of severe but temporary disillusionment, rather than a genuine embracing of its tenets. Like if someone suddenly lost a limb. At first their focus is on the void left by what used to be there. After a few-months long period of grief and adjustment, they adapt and learn to carry on with their new situation. Although I tend to view religion more as a sociological disease and belief in religion as a sort of benign brain tumor, crowding out the parts of the brain responsible for things like reason, rationality, logic and critical thinking. Which I'm alright with until they start trying to make policy. Then I prefer to leave matters to the adults in the room.
