The New AtheistsThe New Atheists

Who are they?

The Principal Players:The Principal Players:

Richard Dawkins

Sam Harris

Christopher Hitchens

Daniel Dennett

Their Books

What’s new about them?What’s new about them?

Not their arguments but Not their arguments but their popularity—and their their popularity—and their aggressiveness.aggressiveness.They are speaking to a They are speaking to a growing audience that is growing audience that is getting increasingly angry getting increasingly angry at any form of religion or at any form of religion or faith. faith. They are reacting against They are reacting against the global spread of the global spread of religious extremism.religious extremism.They are the vanguard of a They are the vanguard of a kind of atheist liberation kind of atheist liberation movement—helping movement—helping atheists to come out of the atheists to come out of the closet.closet.

What are they saying?What are they saying?A quick summary (most agree with most of these points):A quick summary (most agree with most of these points):Faith in God should be eradicated from human culture.Faith in God should be eradicated from human culture.““God” is a ridiculous and dangerous idea—a person like you and God” is a ridiculous and dangerous idea—a person like you and me, except (!) for being undetectable and infinite, who made me, except (!) for being undetectable and infinite, who made everything, controls everything, communicates mostly through everything, controls everything, communicates mostly through books written centuries ago, and demands total, unquestioning books written centuries ago, and demands total, unquestioning obedience. obedience. Faith is unquestioning belief—both belief without evidence and Faith is unquestioning belief—both belief without evidence and belief against evidence—in a ridiculous idea like “God.”belief against evidence—in a ridiculous idea like “God.”Unquestioning belief in such a ridiculous idea produces terrorism Unquestioning belief in such a ridiculous idea produces terrorism and oppression.and oppression.Faith in God can only be cured by promoting and defending Faith in God can only be cured by promoting and defending reason—by force if necessary.reason—by force if necessary.Reason is refusing to believe anything not supported by science.Reason is refusing to believe anything not supported by science.Science is a very simple matter of framing hypotheses and Science is a very simple matter of framing hypotheses and testing them through observation, always preferring the simplest testing them through observation, always preferring the simplest explanation.explanation.Anyone who does not denounce faith in God is a traitor to reasonAnyone who does not denounce faith in God is a traitor to reason—this includes religiously tolerant scientists and religious —this includes religiously tolerant scientists and religious moderates or liberals. moderates or liberals. Moderates’ and liberals’ views on God and faith are dishonest Moderates’ and liberals’ views on God and faith are dishonest and dangerous, when not irrelevant.and dangerous, when not irrelevant.Parents have no right to bring children up in their faith tradition.Parents have no right to bring children up in their faith tradition.

Some Quick Observations:Some Quick Observations:

These are all interlocking ideas—their These are all interlocking ideas—their views of God and faith are the result of views of God and faith are the result of their views of reason and science, and their views of reason and science, and vice versa. vice versa. Faith, God, reason and science are all Faith, God, reason and science are all described in ways that make extremism described in ways that make extremism and conflict inevitable, so that nobody and conflict inevitable, so that nobody can win unless somebody else loses. can win unless somebody else loses. A common ground is ruled out from the A common ground is ruled out from the outset, so if you try to offer one you will outset, so if you try to offer one you will be labeled a traitor to reason, a be labeled a traitor to reason, a dishonest parasite, or an irrelevant dishonest parasite, or an irrelevant academic.academic.Ironically, these interlocking ideas make Ironically, these interlocking ideas make critical discussion of them all but critical discussion of them all but impossible—the very accusation they impossible—the very accusation they make against people of faith.make against people of faith.