Painfully Awake

Why do some people put their head in the sand when trouble looms?  The new atheists accuse religious people of refusing to look reality square in the eye--and undoubtedly some are guilty of that--but is that the sort of faith Scripture calls us to?  Christian faith has real answers for real, painfully real, life.  How can a more fully-formed faith help you in your day-to-day life?