Christians: Why do you assume atheists are nihilists?

I would assume indoctrination is to blame. The morals of atheists generally do not differ from that of christians. Atheists just don't make the mistake of attributing their morals to god.

It's a matter of projection. This particular fallacy conflates the specific God superstition with the basis of morality, so the person who conflates these two things can't imagine one without the other. Therefore, they can't imagine other people having one without the other.

Exhibit A: "All mankind is absent of morals until they come to God"

Exhibit B: "The absence of God and the human "soul" means morality is completely relative"

I rest my case.

The absence of God and the human "soul" means morality is completely relative. This is not an opinion, but a fact. if there is no God, and our conscience arises simply from our cultural upbringing, then morality is relative and what is good for one person may be bad for another. Which is what we are seeing in America today.

Why do atheists assume that because there are many religions, they must all be wrong about the existence of God and related beings? Why do you all use a million words to describe how something works, and then downplay the grandeur of creation by proclaiming "aha! see this means there is no God cuz we talked about it!" ???

I don't assume that the are nihilists. I do not presume that they have no morals either. What is missing in them is having a moral anchor that prevents them from drifting all over the place. Moral drift eventually negates the usefulness and validity of holding any moral code. Morality is an absolute standard of conduct. It can't exist in an atmosphere of situational acceptance of behaviors.

Atheists tend to have a rather pliable set of moral and ethical standards. This arises from the fact that their definition of morality is faulty, being based upon changing societal mores.

A sheer inhability on their part to have ANY morals without the ball and chain they call god. If they can't conceive a decent behavior without it then it's obvious that they transfer that skewed vision to everyone around them.

BECAUSE: a true nihilist

one who believes existence has no objective meaning

No , purpose

, or intrinsic value,

does not believe in hope and faith because those things cannot be tangible or provoke feeling

believes that spiritual essence only exists in the mind and there is no philosophcal proof

or reason beyond doubt.

Who sets the standard for morals? You? You know as well as I that humans are incapable of agreeing on what is moral and what is not.

TO HALPERN57: You say the best people you know are atheists (and then the myth that they are "more intelligent"). I would first say you don't know many people then. Secondly, can I enter the intelligence contest?

I am gonna guess that it is because God IS their meaning in life, but they can't imagine others have something other than a god.

All mankind is absent of morals until they come to God, who shows you what is right and wrong. Without one source to direct as God does then every person decides for themself what is right or wrong and most don't agree. Only Christ can give consistent morals.

In my observations, those who say this don't know any actual atheists. They listen to what Pastor tells them about atheists, no matter how stupid it is.