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The New Atheism: Part 2
Written by Jerry Robinson
Originally Posted on 5/7/2007
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Part 2: Enter the New Atheism
Enter the New Atheism. The Age of Reason, which included the Enlightenment, has had innumerable effects upon the modern global society. Technological, scientific, and medical breakthroughs have increased mankind’s efficiency, knowledge, and lifespan, respectively. Thanks to these remarkable advances, the 20th century became the first generation to see blacksmith fathers raising aerospace engineer sons. The generation gap has increased greatly, and few in the Western Hemisphere are complaining.
These advances are due, in large part, to the Age of Reason’s destruction of the enduring stranglehold that the ruling religious authorities had upon the large centers of population. For example, consider Galileo, the Italian physicist, mathematician, and astronomer. Galileo conducted his research in the pre-Enlightenment era. He has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy,” the “father of modern physics,” and the “father of modern science.” However, the Roman Catholic Church had another title for him: a “heretic.” What was Galileo’s crime? He dared to disagree with the Catholic Church’s belief that the Sun revolved around the Earth. Instead, Galileo had adopted the Copernican view that the Earth revolved the around the Sun. Of course, modern science has since justified the Copernican view that all the planets in our solar system revolve around the Sun.
If he had lived after the Enlightenment, Galileo would have dined with kings. Instead, however, Galileo spent the final years of his life under house arrest on the orders of the Inquisition. This is just one example of how human advances were stifled under the ruling religious authorities in the pre-Enlightenment era.
To the modern day atheist, the successes and triumph of the Age of Reason practically destroyed the credibility of the Church, and religion in general. Europe, for example, was humiliated by the Age of Reason. This era successfully converted once beautiful thriving churches into museums and relics. However, religion flourished in America in the wake of the Age of Reason. In fact, the modern atheist stands in awe of the dualistic nature of America. On one hand, it reaps all of the fruit borne from the Age of Reason (namely, scientific and technological advances.) And yet, America still clings to its religion. To the new atheist, this is similar to wanting to "have your cake, and to eat it too." The new atheist wonders: "Does the modern Christian learn nothing from history? Or worse, does he even know his own history?" How can religion be dislodged so successfully by reason as the primary basis of authority for mankind, and still be taken seriously? The new atheist is amazed at the amount of people in his culture who still fearfully remain in the “Cave of Religion.” The antiquated views of invisible gods and eternal damnation for those who misbehave insult his own logic and reason. And the patience of many modern-day atheists appears to be wearing thin, especially when we examine the recent diatribes that they have issued in the form of best-selling books. Their secular bent, along with all who adhere to their ideals, is being felt across the nation as they seek to rid the world of the “disease” called religion. "If the human race will not emerge from the Cave of Religion," the new atheist says, "we will have to go in and force them out." Today, Europe. Tomorrow, America.
Over the last twelve months, a rash of new atheist manifestos have been published and have, not surprisingly, become best sellers in America and abroad. In 2007, over 1 million books have been sold by the peddlers of the New Atheism. These include: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (over 500,000 copies), god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens (296,000 copies), and Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris (185,000 copies).
The assault on faith and religious beliefs unleashed upon this generation is serving to further galvanize those who choose not to believe in the concept of a Creator or a Sustainer God. And this anti-theistic attack appears to be highly orchestrated. For example, Dawkins' book relies upon science to reject the idea of God. Hitchens' book seeks to expose religion as a sham from a literary standpoint. And Harris writes his diatribe against religion from a moral standpoint. This diabolical trinity seemingly blocks every reasonable escape for those who maintain a belief in organized religion.
Not surprisingly, the attack has been most virulent in targeting the American youth culture. This assault upon the young has come most viciously in the form of The Blasphemy Challenge. The Blasphemy Challenge, which has received much media attention recently, offers a free atheistic DVD to anyone who will make a simple video of themselves denying the existence of three things: God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Sadly, this rebellious trend against God has been gaining popularity among young Americans who are searching for truth. Add to this the consistent promotion of Darwinian evolution to our nation’s young through the public school system and we discover that the secular agenda is crystal clear. That is, to equate religious belief with myth.
And although the belief in the Christian concept of a supreme God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, is under a malicious and violent attack from secularists of all types, there may be a far greater threat to the church today. This threat is one of an internal nature and will be examined next week.
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