Stephen, you might benefit from reading an atheism FAQ at:
http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/intro.html
"Stephen E. Jones" writes
in message <200007092204.GAA06927@muzak.iinet.net.au>:
> Reflectorites
>
> TH>That's vacously true because atheism doesn't claim to address
> >questions of morality. By analogy, you might as well argue that
> >the scientist would have no reason *within his/her science*,
> >for not being immoral.
>
> If Ted is an atheist, then this is a damaging admission which his fellow
> atheists might not agree with?
No, I doubt most atheists would disagree with my observation
expressed above.
> Because it would mean that atheism is not a complete worldview, like
> Christian theism is, and indeed atheism would be parasitic on other
> worldviews, like Christianity:
Atheism is not a complete worldview, if by "complete" you mean
the inclusion of moral and ethical principles.
However, atheism is no more "parasitic" on other worldviews than, say,
science is. (Parasitic? Does that mean atheism weakens Christianity
by borrowing its concepts, in Stephen's view? Hmm... :-)
<snip>
> So an atheist, in criticising Christianity, could be actually *using*
> Christianity as the basis fot his/her moral/ethical standards. This could
> especially be the case if the atheist came from a Christian home.
This might be the case for some atheists --although such a position
would most likely be incoherent. I'd guess they're in the
extreme minority.
> TH>Since atheism can only be one small part of a person's beliefs,
>
> What then is the major part of an atheists "beliefs"?
Any and everything except a belief in the existence of most
gods.
> TH>morals come from other areas -- enlightened self-interest mostly
> >I find.
>
> If "enlightened self-interest" is the only basis for atheist's
> ethical/moral standards, then it would show atheism's bankruptcy.
> *Everyone* could claim to be acting out of of *their* "enlightened
> self-interest"- even Joseph Stalin!
No, you don't understand enlightened self-interest. The
"enlightened" part of enlightened self-interest recognizes that
the well-being of *other* people is critical to one's own
well-being and, therefore, a consideration of others must be
balanced against pure self-interest for all rational moral
decisions.
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