*[I believe] Atheism is an absurd worldview

[Kapalika]

The atheistic worldview is an absurd one. Why? Because the atheist views the world as ultimately meaningless and therefore as absurd.

OP's assertion is absurd. There is no "atheist worldview". Atheism only defines a person's position on one specific thing. Trying to color someone by a single attribute is a very futile way to try to judge a "worldview".

 

[George-ananda]

As has been thoroughly discussed in this tread, belief in an purpose (even an objective one) for thr Universe is not dependant on theism.

What 'objective purpose' does classical western atheism believe the universe has? Isn't it man creating his own purpose in an absurd universe? Or are you just referring to other types of atheism?

 

[Midnight Rain]

What 'objective purpose' does classical western atheism believe the universe has? Isn't it man creating his own purpose in an absurd universe? Or are you just referring to other types of atheism?

Why would man creating his own purpose be absurd? Need there be an all powerful plan at play to have meaning? I would disagree. We make our own meaning.

 

[George-ananda]

Why would man creating his own purpose be absurd? Need there be an all powerful plan at play to have meaning? I would disagree. We make our own meaning.

Yes, I do understand your point. I was trying to tie my comment back to thread topic and title and probably should have dropped the word 'absurd' from my comment.

I'm going to grant you the point.

 

[Curious George]

Merriam-Webster defines "absurd" as "meaningless." If you're an atheist, then you view the world as ultimately purposeless and meaningless and therefore absurd.

Yet it doesn't define meaningless as absurd...now why is that?

 

[Reflex]

Some recent notes I took:

Culture comes apart when the predominant myths are no longer plausible because people can no longer communicate and cannot coordinate their actions. Culture need a story, a myth that people sign on to, that fosters personal wholeness and brings together cosmology and values. Metaphors, myths, do that better than scientific facts because they can effectively deal with qualitative values, whereas science deals only with things, with quantities. The problem with being “amythic” is that we no longer have an I-thou relation with reality, no means to guide and justify our behavior, and no personal relationship with what is undeniably real: time, nature and mystery. If we, as a species, relate to reality as an “it,” we will be the cause of our own extinction.

With one God (however that God may be conceived), we have one creator of the universe and one giver of moral order. God is therefore the ultimate explanation for reality and the ultimate justification of our behavior. When God loses its plausibility, when final explanations and justifications become too diversified, the moral order disintegrates and culture disintegrates. God as a person alongside other persons won't do, God as a computer won't do, and turtles all the way down won't do, either. And in the final analysis, turtles is all atheism has.

 

[Gambit]

I am not an atheist per-se but even if I was what basis do you claim that a worldview that doesn't include a god would be meaningless?

I have already explained that in the original post of this thread.

Also the definition you linked to shows
I found no mention of "meaningless" anywhere in it.

You'll find it in definition number two.

Full Definition of absurd
2: having no rational or orderly relationship to human life : MEANINGLESS <an absurd universe>; also : lacking order or value <an absurd existence>

(source: Merriam-Webster)

 

[Gambit]

Why would man creating his own purpose be absurd? Need there be an all powerful plan at play to have meaning? I would disagree. We make our own meaning.

In the Godless worldview of atheism, there is no free will. Without free will, you cannot create your own purpose. (By the way, creating purpose qualifies as a purpose in and of itself.) In fact, all creativity must be deemed illusory.

 

[OutOfTheDarkness]

Some recent notes I took:

Culture comes apart when the predominant myths are no longer plausible because people can no longer communicate and cannot coordinate their actions. Culture need a story, a myth that people sign on to, that fosters personal wholeness and brings together cosmology and values. Metaphors, myths, do that better than scientific facts because they can effectively deal with qualitative values, whereas science deals only with things, with quantities. The problem with being “amythic” is that we no longer have an I-thou relation with reality, no means to guide and justify our behavior, and no personal relationship with what is undeniably real: time, nature and mystery. If we, as a species, relate to reality as an “it,” we will be the cause of our own extinction.

With one God (however that God may be conceived), we have one creator of the universe and one giver of moral order. God is therefore the ultimate explanation for reality and the ultimate justification of our behavior. When God loses its plausibility, when final explanations and justifications become too diversified, the moral order disintegrates and culture disintegrates. God as a person alongside other persons won't do, God as a computer won't do, and turtles all the way down won't do, either. And in the final analysis, turtles is all atheism has.

What heinous act would you commit if it were suddenly proven God did not exist?

 

[Willamena]

OP's assertion is absurd. There is no "atheist worldview". Atheism only defines a person's position on one specific thing. Trying to color someone by a single attribute is a very futile way to try to judge a "worldview".

An atheistic worldview is a view of the world informed by an attitude toward that one specific thing. There very much is such. Denying it is unproductive, off-topic, and silly. If you want to deny it, begin your own thread.

 

[Willamena]

In the Godless worldview of atheism, there is no free will. Without free will, you cannot create your own purpose. (By the way, creating purpose qualifies as a purpose in and of itself.) In fact, all creativity must be deemed illusory.

Atheism, though, is precisely the godless world created by people exercising their free will. It stands in contrast to the surrender to god's will, which is the theist. Isn't that Genesis I in a nutshell?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There is an atheist worldview.

An atheist does have a "overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world." This perspective is not based on deities. If one interprets the world without a belief in deities, that is an "atheist worldview."

The difference between theist and atheist worldview, is that theist tend to be less flexible. If it was the other way around, there would be no such thing as belief systems.

On the other hand, an atheist worldview would lack deities and, if he or she has good or bad experiences, his interpretation of those experiences won't be based on deities but something else entirely. That is an atheist world view.

Very broad.

 

[Willamena]

No offense, but I encounter more inflexible atheists and more flexible theists every fricken day on these forums.

I figure the theists are the ones who stay for curiosity rather than stubborness.

 

[Reflex]

What heinous act would you commit if it were suddenly proven God did not exist?

You sound like an atheist: superficial.

 

[Revoltingest]

There is an atheist worldview.

An atheist does have a "overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world." This perspective is not based on deities. If one interprets the world without a belief in deities, that is an "atheist worldview."

The difference between theist and atheist worldview, is that theist tend to be less flexible. If it was the other way around, there would be no such thing as belief systems.

On the other hand, an atheist worldview would lack deities and, if he or she has good or bad experiences, his interpretation of those experiences won't be based on deities but something else entirely. That is an atheist world view.

Very broad.

I observe that we tend to be materialists, but not all of us are.
(Some have weird spiritual otherworldly beliefs.)
Does a majority opinion mean that all atheists share a worldview?

 

[Reflex]

I observe that we tend to be materialists, but not all of us are.
(Some have weird spiritual otherworldly beliefs.)

That's true. Atheists do tend to be superficial and inconsistent.

 

[Revoltingest]

That's true. Atheists do tend to be superficial and inconsistent.

The first sentence appears to agree with me.
But the 2nd appears to be somewhat the opposite.
Explain?

 

[Curious George]

You'll find it in definition number two.

Yet, absurd is not in the definition of meaningless.

Circles are shapes without edges but not all shapes without edges are circles.

 

[McBell]

What 'objective purpose' does classical western atheism believe the universe has? Isn't it man creating his own purpose in an absurd universe? Or are you just referring to other types of atheism?

The only difference between the atheist purpose and the theist purpose is that the atheist does not claim their purpose comes from a god.

 

[McBell]

In the Godless worldview of atheism, there is no free will.

What a load of crap.
In the godless world of the atheist it is all free will.
Why?
Because there is no plan of gods that can be screwed up by us mere mortals.