New atheism gives voice to some, alienates others

When Lydia Hartunian first became involved in the atheist community a few years ago, she was taken aback by the aggression she faced from other atheists.

“I went into this endeavor - for example beginning to start the Great American God-Out! - with the best of intentions, only to raise awareness of how one can be good without God, and was greeted almost immediately with some of the most hostile sentiments from people who I thought were like-minded,” said Hartunian, 46, of Iowa City.

“‘How atheist are you?' ‘Are you a skeptic, an agnostic, a humanist?'” she said she was asked. “The ‘right' answer mean everything to some of these people and yet I hadn't a clue what in their minds the ‘right' answer was.”

Hartunian, who has “described myself as non-religious for as far back as I can remember,” likely bumped head first into “new atheists,” those who have grown tired of being a silent group and have started to speak out.

“New atheism” emerged about five years ago with the publication of books by Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens - books that have given a voice to a group that for a generation has been “almost voiceless, often on the defensive, routinely derided, both warned against and ignored,” according to a column by Ronald Aronson in “The Nation.”

The movement has taken some atheists, agnostics and secularists to a different, almost proselytizing level, Hartunian said. The more active she tried to become in atheist groups, including taking her Great American God-Out! to New York City, the more often she found herself shunned and ignored.

“I thought people would come together for a worthy cause, not because it would put another feather in their cap or dollar in their pocket,” she said. “Now ... I realize these ‘movements' and groups were no different than the proselytizing ones I was trying to distinguish from.”

Adam Blyth, 46, of North Liberty, said he doesn't see difference in attitudes among atheists as any more divisive than strong opinions on anything else.

“I don't really have a problem with anyone's point of view, I just don't want anyone to tell me that I have to have their point of view,” said Blyth, who describes himself as an agnostic atheist.

“As far as I'm concerned, Christians could be right, Hindus could be right - I don't have anything wrong with it, I just don't see any evidence of it.”

The change in approach is more evident in groups, Hartunian said. While Hartunian is content in having her beliefs and having conversations about her beliefs, she said there are others who are aggressive in their atheism, to the point of ridicule and belittling.

According to the New Atheist Web site, new atheists believe in the “disregard for the tolerance of religion” and the “indoctrination of logic, reason and the advancement of a naturalistic worldview.”

Blyth isn't sure that's where he belongs. He said he's not interested in insulting Christians for being Christians.

“That's one of the things I was afraid of when I joined the community here,” he said. “When we're all sitting around together making fun of people who believe in that kind of stuff, it's a hoot. But I wouldn't want to do that with the people themselves, because it's disrespectful.”