[MD] What all is about.

[Peter Corteen]

Evenin' Ham,

I certainly reject the idea of God and the super-natural, so in your terms I
am a nihilist.

For me nihilism has the strong connotation of immorality and that there is
no sense to life, even one's own; in these terms I am not a nihilist as I
value my own life and that of others and I seek to add meaning, sense and
purpose to my own life.

You've said that you think being cannot be divine - have you seen any
pictures of Marilyn Monroe?. Seriously though, 'Divine Being' was a phrase
you used.

I go along with you when you say that the essence of reality is beyond human
description, but I think probably the 'Essence' you refer to is not the same
as my essence. I am opposed to theism but I'm not proposing religion should
be outlawed either. I don't believe in spirits and I think people trying to
pursue a spiritual way of life are really just trying to be more happy.

The Muslim extremist is nihilist because he does not value his own life and
his actions are immoral.

You'll have to try to get me to understand what you mean by 'transcendental
essence' before I can say whether I think it qualifies you as an atheist. It
may be something like a fundamental principle you are proposing though I
suspect it may be Creationist (you did refer to creatures before); but who
knows, we may be singing from the same hymn sheet after all!

-Peter

On 06/11/2007, Ham Priday <hampday1 at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
> Mornin' Peter --
>
>
> > I am not in a position where I can get this Bicameral Mind theory
> > out of the way. ...I like it because, as an atheist I have to confront
> > the question of how did the idea of God arise? For me Jaynes'
> > proposal provides a possible fit in the jigsaw of ontology.
> [skip]
> > I agree that there is little significant difference between the
> > Christian fundamentalist and the Muslim but do you not hold your
> > 'Essence' as a 'Divine Being'? If not, then are you not, by your own
> > argument, a nihilist?  I don't consider myself a nihilist.
>
> I always find it incredulous when a self-professed atheist denies being a
> nihilist.  If you are truly an atheist you are not only opposed to theism,
> you reject God or any concept of a supra-natural or transcendent source of
> sensibility and value.  To me, that's nihilism, pure and simple.
>
> To answer your question, I do not believe that 'being' can be divine, but
> I
> do believe in the absolute Essence of reality which is beyond human
> description.   That could conceivably make me an atheist too, except that
> I'm not opposed to theism.  I see belief in God as an expression of man's
> innate spirituality.
>
> > I think the Muslim extremist is more nihilist. I do not deny my own
> > existence as an individual and I rely on my proprietary awareness as
> > my measure of relative truth and value; just as you, and we all,
> > cannot help but do.
>
> I would like to know why you think the Muslim (extremist or moderate) is
> more nihilistic than you are.  I'd also like to know if my belief in a
> transcendent essence qualifies me as an atheist in your opinion.
>
> Regards,
> Ham
>
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