What Would The Christian Rather See?

[The Thinker]

I see you don't know the definition of "worldview".

You don't. Atheism is not a worldview. Naturalism is a worldview. Every educated person recognizes this.

[The Thinker]

Don't you see the irony in this statement?

There's no irony here.

[The Thinker]

Atheism is not "a" worldview. It is a particular element of a great many disparate worldviews.

You seem to get it. Naturalism is a worldview. Atheism is not. Atheism is one part of naturalism. Although technically not all atheists are naturalists.

[Boxing Pythagoras]

You seem to get it. Naturalism is a worldview. Atheism is not. Atheism is one part of naturalism. Although technically not all atheists are naturalists.

I know quite a number of atheists who are not Naturalists. And my own worldview tends to differ greatly from that of most American atheists.

[seer]

I know quite a number of atheists who are not Naturalists.

What would an atheist be besides a Naturalist? What other option is there?

[Mountain Man]

Atheism is not "a" worldview. It is a particular element of a great many disparate worldviews.

Care to demonstrate this? What "disparate worldviews" include atheism in such a way that atheistic beliefs are not fundamental to that worldview?

(And don't give me any of that "Atheists don't have beliefs, they have a lack of belief" bull, because that's a cop-out, and every atheist knows it.)

[Mountain Man]

What would an atheist be besides a Naturalist? What other option is there?

That's a good question. I suppose someone could believe that the supernatural exists but reject the idea that a god exists, although I really don't see how such a position would be tenable.

[Adrift]

That's a good question. I suppose someone could believe that the supernatural exists but reject the idea that a god exists, although I really don't see how such a position would be tenable.

I've found that atheists are divided on this. Some atheists will say that atheism accepts the supernatural with the exception of a divine creator, some, like American Atheists, the organization founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, are adamant that, "The only common thread that ties all atheists together is a lack of belief in gods and supernatural beings."

[Mountain Man]

Atheism is not a worldview. Naturalism is a worldview.

They are both worldviews.

I find it genuinely fascinating that many atheists are apparently so uncertain of their own beliefs that they put a considerable amount of effort into explaining why they shouldn't have to defend them.

[Boxing Pythagoras]

Care to demonstrate this? What "disparate worldviews" include atheism in such a way that atheistic beliefs are not fundamental to that worldview?

I didn't say that atheism isn't "fundamental" to worldviews which have it as an element. I said that there exist numerous worldviews which are different despite sharing atheism in common. Atheistic Buddhism presents a very different worldview than does atheistic Humanism, which is-- in turn-- very dissimilar to atheistic Taoism, which shares very little in common with atheistic Heathenry. And none of these has much in common with atheistic Nihilism.

(And don't give me any of that "Atheists don't have beliefs, they have a lack of belief" bull, because that's a cop-out, and every atheist knows it.)

Atheists certainly have beliefs. I don't think anyone would argue otherwise. Some of us do, however, note that "atheism" is not a belief, but rather a lack of belief.

[Adrift]

Some of us do, however, note that "atheism" is not a belief, but rather a lack of belief.

[Mountain Man]

I didn't say that atheism isn't "fundamental" to worldviews which have it as an element. I said that there exist numerous worldviews which are different despite sharing atheism in common. Atheistic Buddhism presents a very different worldview than does atheistic Humanism, which is-- in turn-- very dissimilar to atheistic Taoism, which shares very little in common with atheistic Heathenry. And none of these has much in common with atheistic Nihilism.

I don't see how any of that contradicts the idea that atheism is a worldview in and of itself. You might almost say that your list represents different denominations of atheism.

[Boxing Pythagoras]

I don't see how any of that contradicts the idea that atheism is a worldview in and of itself.

That's cool. I don't see how atheism is a worldview.

You might almost say that your list represents different denominations of atheism.

Only if you might similarly claim that the sky, a pair of jeans, and a robin's egg are different denominations of blueness.

[The Thinker]

What would an atheist be besides a Naturalist? What other option is there?

An atheist could believe in ghosts. Ghosts aren't gods, just spirits, and so one who rejects a belief in gods yet who believes in ghosts could technically still call themselves an atheist.

[Adrift]

That's cool. I don't see how atheism is a worldview.

Only if you might similarly claim that the sky, a pair of jeans, and a robin's egg are different denominations of blueness.

Atheist philosophers like Alex Rosenberg are perfectly fine with thinking of atheism as a worldview. It's no less a worldview than theism is, or are you of the opinion that theism is not a worldview either?