Is nihilism the logical extreme of atheism?

[Whateverist]

http://atheistforums.org/thread-28924-page-2.html

I know that many consider some of my firm (and oft repeated) beliefs about atheism ignorant and provocative. For example, I still think nihilism is the logical extreme of atheism, even though many atheists believe that they are not themselves nihilists. Personally I don’t think they have thought it through all the way for whatever reason, but haven’t pressed the issue recently except on threads devoted explicitly to meaning and significance.

So it occurred to me upon reading your post in the above thread that I am one of those who has has insisted that I myself am not a nihilist. I haven't ever investigated the concept in any formal way so my rejection of the label was based on a vague equating of nihilism with lack of meaning and satisfaction in life.* So I decided to look it up.

*From wikipedia:

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Nihilism (/ˈnaɪ.ɨlɪzəm/ or /ˈniː.ɨlɪzəm/; from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical doctrine that suggests the negation of one or more reputedly meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Moral nihilists assert that morality does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived. Nihilism can also take epistemological or ontological/metaphysical forms, meaning respectively that, in some aspect, knowledge is not possible, or that reality does not actually exist.

The term is sometimes used in association with anomie to explain the general mood of despair at a perceived pointlessness of existence that one may develop upon realising there are no necessary norms, rules, or laws. Movements such as Futurism and deconstruction, among others, have been identified by commentators as "nihilistic" at various times in various contexts.

Nihilism is also a characteristic that has been ascribed to time periods: for example, Jean Baudrillard and others have called postmodernity a nihilistic epoch, and some Christian theologians and figures of religious authority have asserted that postmodernit and many aspects of modernity represent a rejection of theism, and that such rejection of their theistic doctrine entails nihilism.

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It seems the word "nihilism" is a great house with many rooms each with a specific meaning. So it would probably be best to ask you, Chad, to specify what sense of the word in particular you have in mind.

In the meantime, it occurs to me that rather than deny it, I could as easily claim it but assure you that I've never felt any lack on its account. To me, the lack of objective norms and authoritative values just feels real. In the great scheme of things, a human life -my own included- doesn't matter a great deal; but within my perspective, of course, it means the world. I don't miss having a schema to explain away this obvious contradiction nor does its lack concern me. It is liberating and, more importantly, rings true for me. It feels authentic. So, if you like, I am happy to claim the mantle of nihilist so long as that is not understood as any kind of despair.