Angry Atheists and Soulless
Scientists: Stereotypes of
nonbelief in the era of the
'New Atheism'
Taner Edis
Department of Physics,
Truman State University
The “New Atheists”
• Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens,
Dennett, Stenger. . .
• Unexpected publishing
phenomenon.
• They and the media
exploit each other; “angry
atheist” and “soulless
scientist” stereotypes.
2009
2
What are the stereotypes?
• Look online, ask active
nonbelievers.
• Strong overlap in
observations.
Negative stereotypes
about personal, moral,
and intellectual
attributes of atheists.
2009
3
Actual data?
• Hunsberger & Altemeyer
2006 (H&A). Survey
~300 atheist club
members in US.
• Nonreligious
Identification Survey,
2009 (NRIS). ~6000,
snowball sampling.
2009
4
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.
2009
5
Angry
• Angry. Resentful.
• Angry people will attract
more attention.
• Atheists most despised in
US? (> Gays, Muslims.)
• Angry feminist, angry
black stereotypes?
2009
6
Disrespectful
• Arrogant. Uncivil.
• New atheists––against
unearned respect.
Nonbelievers split.
• Irreverent, yes.
• NRIS: nonbelievers tend
to have low “agreeability.”
2009
7
Unhappy
• Social science: religiosity ~
happiness.
• NRIS: moderate life
satisfaction, high emotional
stability.
• Confidence in worldview ~
happiness?
• Cosmic “meaning of life”
irrelevant?
2009
8
Immoral, amoral
• Less communityoriented? Liberal,
individualist, urban,
modern morality.
• Nonbelief rare in prison
populations.
• Charity, mutual aid higher
among religious people.
2009
9
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?
2009
10
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.
2009
11
No atheists in foxholes
• US military is
very Christian.
• Low “right wing
authoritarianism”
among atheists
(H&A).
• More than a
disloyalty stereotype.
2009
12
Godless liberals/commies
• Leftish inclinations (but
also right-wing
libertarians.)
• High ethnocentrism
(prefer atheists), but
low prejudice against
racial, ethnic, sexual
minorities (H&A).
2009
13
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.
2009
14
Atheists hate God
• Grudge against God,
bad experience with
religion?
• Many (~¾) exbelievers. (H&A)
• Typical loss of faith
gradual, intellectual
drifting away. (H&A)
2009
15
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?
2009
16
Atheists worship Satan
• Let’s not be
absurd.
• Might make
sense in
fundamentalist
context?
• Says nothing
about atheists.
2009
17
Atheism is faith-based
• “Atheism is a religion.”
• Does not fit atheist selfimage as interested in
reasons rather than leaps
of faith.
• High dogmatism (or
confidence in belief) among
atheists. (H&A)
2009
18
Atheists are against religion
• Often, yes. New
atheists consider
religion to be a
social evil.
• Not all atheists.
• Little desire to
suppress religion.
2009
19
Atheists worship science
• “Scientism.”
• Highly educated.
NRIS: 41%
graduate degrees.
• Natural scientists,
social scientists
often irreligious.
• Self-selection effect.
2009
20
Non-stereotyped features
• Very male.
(NRIS ¾).
• Women
generally have
stronger
supernatural
beliefs.
• Stereotype?
2009
21
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.
2009
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