The difference between ethical atheism and nihlism is that ethical atheists have more faith

[Whateverist]

I can't decide if you have your head in the clouds or up your ass. But in this you are on the same level with plenty of atheists.

Was that a dig at me?

Not a dig exactly. Really I meant that in the very nicest way possible.

You insist on placing morality under the domain of reason,

He does no such thing. He tries to, but fails miserably.

And this is different from what you do .. how?

No one responds to morally reprehensible behavior involving cruelty to others in a purely intellectual way.

I do.

Well, so you claim. But do you really know yourself all that well? A little bird told me probably not.

It is empathy for others which makes us recoil against cruelty, and empathy operates at the level of feeling, not rationality.

And a highly unreliable basis it is.

Your criteria for choosing a basis for morality reminds me of the drunk who searches for his wallet under the street light because the light is better, even though that is not where he thinks he lost it. I think you just like the bright light of rationality even if no objective basis for morality may be found there.

There is no need to justify an assignment of value to people objectively, for either theists or atheists, if you recognize that empathy and not rationality is the basis of morality.

You mean, for your morality - which is self-contradictory and unreliable.

Unlike real life where no contradiction or unreliability need ever arise in the course of human affairs.

One need not have a reasonable justification for rejecting cruelty in order to avoid what one finds unpleasant.

Unless they are deluded enough to think they can actually justify their position and expect others to share it.

Fixed that for you.

In the same way I need not have an objective basis for rejecting store-bought mayonnaise in order to leave it off my sandwiches.

But then, you don't expect others to do the same, do you?

As with common values, never. People are full of surprises.

That in fact is the proper use of rationality, to serve feeling and come up with strategic goals for maximizing that which one is drawn to and avoid that which one is repulsed by. One just needs to keep rationality in its place.

"Proper use"? How very teleological of you. Tell me, how did you divine that that was the "proper use" of rationality or who told that? The little bird that sings inside you?

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!