Nonsense misdefinition of atheism on Salon

Steve Carse, supposedly a scholar of religion, says this about atheism:

To be an atheist, you have to be very clear about what god you're not believing in. Therefore, if you don't have a deep and well-developed understanding of God and divine reality, you can misfire on atheism very easily.

Let’s unpack the baggage.

First, he’s claiming that the quadrivirate of Dawkins, Dennett, Harris and Hitchens doesn’t meet the first test. And that’s clearly wrong, at least for some. Hitchens clearly believes in none of the gods, entities, or metaphysical presences or rules like karma of any world religion, East or West. Dawkins is clear about Western monotheism; he doesn’t tackle the East; Dennett is more of a speculative discourse in his latest book, but it’s clear that he’s focused on the varieties of Western monotheism. And, without mentioning karma by name, Harris clearly gives Buddhism a pass. But, they’re all clear about these things.

Deep understanding? Dennett is a cognitive scientist and philosopher. Harris is working on a Ph.D., although he’s pretty shaky.

But, religion isn’t a laboratory course of study, unlike nuclear physics.

Beyond that, Carse appears to be trying to make his study the equivalent of a medieval guild or something. Or, as one other commenter to the Salon story said, maybe he’s just trying to shore up his own wobbly belief system.

But, that’s not the main reason for this blog post.

Rather, Carse offers this bullshit, in a question and answer:

And yet, you’ve just told me that you yourself don't believe in a divine reality. In some ways, your critique of belief systems seems to go along with what the new atheists are saying.

The difference, though, is that I wouldn't call myself an atheist. To be an atheist is not to be stunned by the mystery of things or to walk around in wonder about the universe. That's a mode of being that has nothing to do with belief.

Send in the straw men, instead of the clowns, I guess.

This is one of the oldest stereotypes of atheists in the book – hard-headed rationalists who can’t appreciate the wonder of Yellowstone National Park, a Beethoven quartet, or whatever.

Absolute bullshit.