Christian Atheists

Have you ever noticed, that most of the atheists you run into are... Christian atheists?

By that, I mean that somehow, for some illogical reason, despite holding that:

• The universe is the product of chance, not necessity or a divine plan
  
• There is no ultimate meaning behind existence
• Our lives, once we die, are over for ever
• There is no essential difference between man and any other living species whether ape, goat or cabbage - time and undirected genetic mutations link us all together
• Etcetera etcetera...

Yet, then still try to argue that, whilst being an atheist, they can or should...

• Believe it's better to live a "moral" life than an "immoral" one (whatever those terms mean)
• Live a "meaningful" and "purposeful" existence (whatever those terms mean)
• Contribute something "positive" to existence (whatever... you get the idea)
• Live as if man is somehow a "superior" or more "significant" life form (whatever...)

Where did they get those ideas from? Not from atheism, that's for sure. Nobody starts with the first set of premises above, and logically progresses to the second. Those ideas come from Christianity. The modern Western atheist feels a very strong need to somehow argue that he can hold to that second set of premises, and comes up with the most interesting set of arguments to justify it.

Of course many atheists have been more consistent, and admitted that, starting from the presuppositions of atheism, you can't arrive at a basically Christian view of the world. Some of these atheists have been profoundly depressed by that conclusion; others have argued that we ought to face the facts and ditch the idea that Christianity is a "superior" world-view (such terms having no essential meaning), and instead start building a society based squarely on atheistic ideas.

Very few can go that far though. Most have to try to be content with the inconsistent stopping place of being Christian atheists - and thus continuing to testify to what they know is true, even though they wished it wasn't so.