Hopeless is salvation.

I don't know who or what gives the secularist seal of approval for opinions, I would say that hope is an emotional term, irrational and can be attached to ones attitude on objects and processes as any other emotion may be. I would think the phrase "reasons for hope" as oxymoronic. Hope, as other emotion arises unbidden and often contrary with what might be reasoned.

Given the circumstances, hope can be cruel or fantastic, but hope is never realistic.

Keep hoping.

The secular justification for hope:
Everything is temporary. Change is inevitable.
ergo: If things are bad now they will eventually change to be better.

the realistic character of "a" Hope is bound to its circumstances and expectations. perhaps existential angst is the justification for hope.

What's existential angst?

Hope is a description of a perceived feeling, so it is as real as our feelings. It is a word we use to describe this common feeling, or its absence, and in objectifying a feeling, we can address the feeling to our cohorts.

Most importantly, referencing 'hope' is a means to identify a desired condition or unwanted problem. This identification process is important because describing an issue is the first critical step in addressing and, hopefully, solving that issue.

For instance, one can have hope in the face of existential angst. Identifying existential angst defines the problem as the frustration of angst caused by framing one's personae in a context of the philosophy of existentialism. However, existentialism is merely one of many philosophical views and one can easily choose some other philosophical, or scientific perspective. Our intellectual plasticity gives us the freedom of what notion to think about. Got a bad feeling from existentialism? Think about something else. It's not that hard. Unless your obsessive. Then you might want to try some entheogens.

It's as real as despair.

Hope is what you want to make of it; it is fully subjective. Some do not see the point of hope and commit suicide, or live miserable lives. Some see hope everywhere.
There is a memorable quote by Bertolt Brecht:
“Those who are weak don't fight. Those who are stronger might fight for an hour. Those who are stronger still might fight for many years. The strongest fight their whole life. They are the indispensable ones.”
In terms of hope, those that are weak have little hope. The strongest live always with hope. Everybody else fall somewhere in between.

Fuck hope.

And I don't mean that whiny blond asshole from FFXIII.

...sorry I should probably be more specific...

Hopelessness is one of the symptoms of depression. To have hope is an attitude, a looking toward a good outcome or state. It doesn’t substitute for action, nor negate the need to act, but it may inspire action, and motivate continued acts to fulfill the hope. I cannot imagine an activist without hope. It is the essence of perseverance.
‘Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops, at all.’ Emily Dickinson

When it comes to the " In the sure and certain Hope of Resurrection, etc, etc," as spouted by Priests etc, at a graveside of a person being buried, I would say that it IS 100% UNREALISTIC in that NO hope can EVER be Sure and Certain.
But, when something goes wrong around the house, i.e. there is an unexpected power failure, and we often hope to ourselves that it IS not something like a massive problem like the electrical wiring circuits of the whole house have suddenly failed, then, Yes, hoping that it IS not just your problem can be realistic, or, even buying a Used car and hoping that the mechanic inspecting it on your behalf finds not faults, major or minor, for example, can also be realistic.
But Hey, that's my thoughts and opinions on Hope.

Yes

Without hope what do you have? We need a reason to go on else...

The world is full of despair. I offer hope to my friend and loved ones when things fall apart and seem hopeless.

If it's short term in the long run it all turns out the same for everybody

I hope so or I'm fucked.

Only if it is realistic hope based on realistic expectations.

I have found that hope as a noun is useful and important. Hope as a verb on the other hand is damaging and pointless. Again this is what I have found for myself.

Many things are unrealistic. However positive thinking (ie. hope) can lead to changes.

There are a range of different things that can realistically happen - from very bad to very good. They are not all equally likely, but if there is a meaningful chance that they might happen, then they are a possibility.

Hope is just a desire to see a better 'possible option' than a worse one - and REALISTIC hope is that desire tempered by a meaningful understanding of the true probabilities.