Re: The logic of atheism


Paul Holbach wrote:
Ron Peterson wrote:

Definitions only go so far. Even materialists view that there is an
ultimate reality and can speak to it in personal terms.

Put simply, materialism is the view that everything is entirely
composed of matter.
...

That's a simplistic view.

The difference is that an atheist is not a theist. There is no set of
beliefs that an atheist must follow (i.e. atheism).

The atheist must affirm the negation of what is affirmed by the theist.

That's only if you assume that the purpose of the atheist is counter
the arguments of the theist.

"[I]f you ask what the most fundamental thing is about believing in
God, I would say that it is believing that there is a personal ground
of being, that the universe is in some sense grounded in a personal
reality. The universe is not the product of blind unconscious will, law
or accident. It is the product of a reality which we may rightly call
conscious, purposive, wise and good."

You're falling into the theist trap which is to imply that theism is
about a belief in a god.

Look at theism as a detached observor of humanity. People form groups
because they are more powerful as a group than as individuals. The
groups that survive and prosper will have things that tie them together
such as a common language, mythologies, rituals, and a morality (rules
of conduct).

What do you think happens when one group grows so large that it
eliminates or assimilates the other groups?

The atheistic counterpart reads:

...

It should read for each group, "I don't want to belong to your group.".

The seed of intolerance and religious violence already lies in the
so-called holy scriptures.
...

Yes, some groups will grow and become more powerful and others will die
out because of intolerance.

--
Ron

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The logic of atheism
    ... >> is an ultimate reality and can speak to it in personal terms. ... for materialism is normally considered to imply ... god is real, and the proceeding to debate its nature. ... >>> The decisive difference between theism and atheism is that the ...
    (talk.atheism)
  • Re: Is there a god?
    ... that "reality is at bottom mechanical". ... And that is what materialism and also scientific naturalism claims, ... actually tacitly assuming that atheism / naturalism is wrong. ... can't be an atheistic ontology which is compatible with moral realism. ...
    (uk.religion.christian)
  • Re: The logic of atheism
    ... ultimate reality and can speak to it in personal terms. ... materialism is the view that everything is entirely ... beliefs that an atheist must follow (i.e. atheism). ... The universe is not the product of blind unconscious will, ...
    (talk.atheism)
  • Re: Used to be an index fossil?
    ... straight. ... touch with their atheism rather than getting in touch with reality. ... gee, i guess he doesn't know there are christians, jews and muslims ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Atheism and morality (was Athiesm and morality)
    ... versed discussion about atheism and morality. ... the reality is incompatible and incommensurable. ... religion is. ... one can answer questions about comprehension of reality by paying ...
    (soc.atheism)