Is nihilism the logical extreme of atheism?

[Jenny A]

Dear Forest Gump,

If the purpose of life is life, would that meaning change depending on whether there is a god? How about if the purpose is to live a good life or a moral one? Because if atheists and theists reach the same conclusion, it would seem god is not necessary to the answer.

Hi Jenny

Yes. In my understanding, atheists operate on the premise that there is no ultimate justice, as that's the natural order of things. Reality. So an atheists morals are based upon an unfair system. The Christians morals are based upon a fair system, therefore our moral standards are different.

Life's a box of chocolates...

Hmmm. I don't think atheists morals are based on an unfair system, so much as they are formed in an amoral reality (i.e. the natural world isn't immoral it simply does not have morals). Good humans strive to make our morals within that reality as fair and just as possible.

It seems to me that whether there is a god or not, nature is still essentially amoral. Hurricanes doesn't destroy cities because they are evil, the question simply doesn't apply to hurricanes, or tigers who eat lambs, or diseases that kill people. But groups of people, no matter how primitive, and regardless of what god or gods they worship create moral systems.

Your proposition if I understand you correctly is that the natural order of things is moral because God somehow makes reality fair. As our current reality is clearly amoral with the exception of human beings, I can only think that you mean god's system is fair because of some kind of final reckoning after death.

The major difference between the atheist structure and the Christian structure is that atheists are compelled to form their structure from reason and Christian use The Bible and/or revelation in addition to (we hope) reason.

What I don't see is how having a moral system created by god would provide humans with more purpose in life.