Angry Atheists and Soulless Scientists: Stereotypes of nonbelief in the era of the

'New Atheism'

Taner Edis

Department of Physics,

Truman State University

22009

The “New Atheists”

• Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, Dennett, Stenger. . .

• Unexpected publishing phenomenon.

• They and the media exploit each other; “angry atheist” and “soulless scientist” stereotypes.

32009

What are the stereotypes?

• Look online, ask active nonbelievers.

• Strong overlap in observations. Negative stereotypes about personal, moral, and intellectual attributes of atheists.

42009

Actual data?

• Hunsberger & Altemeyer 2006 (H&A). Survey ~300 atheist club members in US.

• Nonreligious Identification Survey, 2009 (NRIS). ~6000, snowball sampling.

52009

Nonrepresentative samples

• H&A and NRIS do not study people who have just dropped out of religion, who don’t look for group support, etc.

• ~ Non-drinkers of bottled water. Not a coherent group.

• My experience is similarly limited.

62009

Angry

• Angry. Resentful. • Angry people will attract

more attention.• Atheists most despised in

US? (> Gays, Muslims.)• Angry feminist, angry

black stereotypes?

72009

Disrespectful

• Arrogant. Uncivil.• New atheists––against

unearned respect. Nonbelievers split.

• Irreverent, yes. • NRIS: nonbelievers tend

to have low “agreeability.”

82009

Unhappy

• Social science: religiosity ~ happiness.

• NRIS: moderate life satisfaction, high emotional stability.

• Confidence in worldview ~ happiness?

• Cosmic “meaning of life” irrelevant?

92009

Immoral, amoral

• Less community-oriented? Liberal, individualist, urban, modern morality.

• Nonbelief rare in prison populations.

• Charity, mutual aid higher among religious people.

102009

Moral relativists

• Not philosophical dispute. Devout ask if nonbelievers can be trusted. If they are loyal.

• Do we establish trust pragmatically, or through deep cultural commonalities?

112009

Sexually deviant, anti-family

• Lots of anti-gay, anti-liberal stereotypes get mixed up here. Not really specifically about atheists.

• NRIS: fewer married nonbelievers. Very low rate of reproduction. Divorce not higher.

122009

No atheists in foxholes

• US military is very Christian.

• Low “right wing authoritarianism” among atheists (H&A).

• More than a disloyalty stereotype.

132009

Godless liberals/commies

• Leftish inclinations (but also right-wing libertarians.)

• High ethnocentrism (prefer atheists), but low prejudice against racial, ethnic, sexual minorities (H&A).

142009

Ignorant of religion

• Some truth in this, with the “new atheists.” Equate religion with fundamentalism.

• Rejecting supernatural beliefs in itself is not a sign of being intellectually shallow.

152009

Atheists hate God

• Grudge against God, bad experience with religion?

• Many (~¾) ex-believers. (H&A)

• Typical loss of faith gradual, intellectual drifting away. (H&A)

162009

No real atheists

• Atheists really believe in God, but want to avoid responsibility.

• Fundamentalist preoccupation.

• Many atheists claim nonbelief is liberating.

• A matter of spin?

172009

Atheists worship Satan

• Let’s not be absurd.

• Might make sense in fundamentalist context?

• Says nothing about atheists.

182009

Atheism is faith-based

• “Atheism is a religion.”• Does not fit atheist self-

image as interested in reasons rather than leaps of faith.

• High dogmatism (or confidence in belief) among atheists. (H&A)

192009

Atheists are against religion

• Often, yes. New atheists consider religion to be a social evil.

• Not all atheists.• Little desire to

suppress religion.

202009

Atheists worship science

• “Scientism.”• Highly educated.

NRIS: 41% graduate degrees.

• Natural scientists, social scientists often irreligious.

• Self-selection effect.

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Non-stereotyped features

• Very male. (NRIS ¾).

• Women generally have stronger supernatural beliefs.

• Stereotype?

222009

What does it all mean?

• Stereotypes can be useful. Or they can overgeneralize.

• Stereotypes of atheists negative. (US is a religious nation.)

• “New atheists” do not change the picture.