31 What IS an Atheist? (Part 4)

While defining atheism as 'a lack of belief in a god or gods' fails in its attempt to define away the essential faith-structure of atheism, it does suggest another way of understanding the theist/atheist conflict. If we understand the "lack of belief" as active rather than passive in its import, we can understand this definition of atheism as 'living as if god does not exist.' So long as we can maintain the distinction between creed and action ("living"), this understanding does absolve the atheist from the charge of faith in a proposition as definitive of their position. Regrettably, such a distinction cannot be maintained, as what we think, what we believe, what we value as human beings is integral to our action as rational creatures. We are not acting when our rationality is not involved, but reacting.

If, however, we think of atheism and theism as a belief-continuum, rather than as discrete positions, the suggestion of this definition can be quite helpful. Atheism, then, becomes the propensity to deny god any place in our thoughts and actions, while theism is the progressive tendency to include god in our thoughts and actions. We should be clear here that what is at issue is the very notion of "faith" itself. To believe on this definition means an integration of mind and body, of action and thought, and the truest of beliefs are those that are most clearly represented in our actions. Thus, for the atheist, the urge to purge god from all aspects of human existence would be both a practical and a theoretical end. The beauty of this definition is that is makes room for all the real differences among atheists that I constantly encounter, and with which I am constantly charged with "straw manning." Everyone will find some place on this continuum. It is a story rather than a proposition or position. It is, that is, a dialectical definition.

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