Chen Weihua: What is "New" About Contemporary Western New Atheism
New Atheism is a contemporary transmutation of traditional atheism; it is a cultural phenomenon that emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States at the beginning of the 21st century but is not limited to those regions. Compared to traditional atheism (classical and modern atheism), New Atheism is regarded by critics as blind and radical, "old wine in new bottles," a cultural trend driven by powerful economic interests such as the publishing industry, or even a form of "fundamentalism" operating under the guise of science. In the face of aggressive attacks and critiques, New Atheists remain firm and radical in their stance, holding distinct views on worldview, epistemology, and particularly moral issues. Despite their own theoretical and practical limitations, they actively highlight their identity and discourse power in the public and ideological spheres while simultaneously constructing group identity and political strategies.
In fact, the adjective "new" in the term "New Atheism" signifies a historical dimension. This "newness" encompasses both breakthroughs and creations; that is, it indicates a rupture with tradition while also responding to the latest shifts of the era.
I. A New Posture: Unprecedented Boldness and Courage
The term "New Atheism" appeared between the late summer and early autumn of 2006. When discussing the origin of the term, Thomas Zenke critically argued that New Atheism was merely a random label adopted by media reports rather than being determined by its intrinsic essence, and that its formation was a disorganized process. He noted that when Sam Harris’s The End of Faith (2004) and Daniel Dennett’s Breaking the Spell (2006) were published, critics had not yet applied the term "New Atheism." The term only emerged after the publication of Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion in August–September 2006; it was only then, two years after the release of The End of Faith, that these books were retrospectively called works of "New Atheism." Amidst a chorus of doubt and attack, the term entered public discourse not only in the United States but also in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Finland, and Germany, sparking intense public debate and reaching its peak between 2007 and 2009—an influence that continues to this day.
Many critics of New Atheism, including certain theologians, philosophers, and scientists, believe that New Atheism is merely a retrospective popularization of traditional atheist ideas, lacking originality or breakthroughs. The theologian John Haught pointed out that New Atheism is not new and that its theory is quite weak. Haught argued that New Atheism is simply re-discussing arguments already proposed by David Hume and his followers in the 18th century, and that the religious challenges posed by Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, and other modern existentialist atheists were far more powerful than those of New Atheism. Amidst various critiques and accusations, the critic Jerome Gellman [1] sought to objectively demonstrate the internal contradictions of New Atheism to provide a way of thinking about God; yet, in the process of his philosophical critique, he had to admit that New Atheists had shaken off the sense of loss expressed by Bertrand Russell in Why I Am Not a Christian. He suggested that Russell had betrayed some of the aspirations of atheists and that, to some extent, something important had been lost. In Gellman's view, this "important something" is precisely the boldness and courage of the New Atheists.
Harris’s 2004 work The End of Faith was the most targeted critical work against Islam following the September 11 attacks. At that time, Christians might have been secretly congratulating themselves, thinking Harris’s arguments about the dangers of religious belief did not apply to them at all; however, in 2006, with Letter to a Christian Nation, Harris dealt Christianity a merciless blow. In the same year, the publication of Dawkins’s The God Delusion was regarded as a "brilliant" challenge to belief in God; it remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 51 weeks and was seen as a "landmark text for global atheists." Subsequently, Dawkins established the "Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science" and founded a website in his own name, vaulting to the position of a central figure in the New Atheist movement. Also in that year, Dennett’s insightful Breaking the Spell was released, issuing a call for the scientific study of religion. Following this, Christopher Hitchens’s 2007 atheist work God Is Not Great triggered even more intense debate on religious issues. P.Z. Myers even proposed that atheism is not just a positive explanation of the world based on scientific thought; he also exhorted atheists: "Don't just be proud of what you don't believe, but be proud of what you do believe." Furthermore, the publication of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s memoir Infidel brought a deep shock to the English-speaking world. Ali’s descriptions of female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and the enslavement of women in Islam represent some of the most profound concerns to date regarding how religious belief destroys the lives of women.
In short, unlike other contemporary freethinkers, New Atheists never pretend to be neutral observers. They attempt to convince people that not only are "the core claims of religion false, but also that Western culture grants religion far too much respect." Unlike traditional atheism, New Atheists do not try to encourage people to compromise with theism; instead, they adopt a posture of rejecting moderate forms of religion. They argue that while moderate believers may not fly planes into skyscrapers, they invisibly serve as a protective umbrella for religious extremism because moderate religion cannot solve real-world problems—indeed, they are part of the problem itself. This view is naturally rejected by some other atheists and secular humanists, which to some extent reflects the militant and uncompromising posture of the New Atheists.
II. New Forms: The Boosting Effect of New Media
Compared to traditional atheism, the internet has provided a more convenient platform for the dissemination of New Atheist thought. Through this platform, the reach of New Atheism has widened, fostering a large community of "invisible" atheists. From "African American Humanists" to "Young Freethinkers," the links page on Dawkins’s website once listed approximately 150 secularist websites. Furthermore, the number of atheist websites, forums, blogs, virtual communities, chat rooms, videos, and print-trading networks has increased. This has allowed scattered non-believers, who previously did not dare to publicly acknowledge their atheist identity, to find a platform for communication and a sense of spiritual belonging, ensuring they no longer feel alone. At the same time, new media communication methods have become a new medium for the spread of atheism. Compared to traditional media, the interactivity between atheist groups and individuals has increased, and communication methods have become more direct and convenient. Both atheist individuals/groups and other non-religious entities can become disseminators of atheist ideas and concepts. These groups and individuals can use mass replication and reposting to instantly boost the influence of topics they care about, resulting in faster transmission, greater timeliness, and a wider scope of diffusion. Therefore, in the new media era, the internet is not only a space for interpreting the world but also an active space and "site" of production. In the past decade, many important atheist movements in the United States—especially the Secular Coalition for America—have consistently used emerging media like the internet to launch coordinated actions for the separation of church and state and campaigns against the discrimination of atheists. Research indicates that on the issue of presidential campaigns, secularists are more likely than religious believers to utilize information networks.
Well-known atheist blogs and websites have become new strongholds for atheists. The top five atheist, agnostic, and skeptic blogs on the internet were once Pharyngula, Friendly Atheist, Cynical-C, Debunking Christianity, and Atheist Media Blog. Searching Google for terms like "atheism," "atheist," "New Atheism," and "secular humanism" reveals many relevant websites and blogs. In particular, P.Z. Myers’s blog and "Thunderfoot’s" YouTube videos are two of the most popular core sites regarding secularism. These relatively influential websites also feature special topics such as atheism vs. theism, science forums, and biological evolution. They collect a large number of videos from rationalists and freethinkers regarding the universe—especially video materials of New Atheists like Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris—and include aphorisms from famous historical atheists as well as directories of famous agnostics, skeptics, and freethinkers. Simultaneously, they sell atheist books and related materials. In short, online atheist resources have become an important component of contemporary Western secular culture, driving the widespread dissemination of New Atheism.
If globalization and the internet have boosted the transnational flow of religion, they have likewise played a powerful role in the transnational flow of atheism and the development of "cyber-atheism" or "network-disseminated atheism." The arrival of the new media era has given atheists immense power of choice; they can freely voice their positions, views, and demands, find "like-minded" atheist organizations and individuals in virtual space, and utilize the interactivity and immediacy of internet technology to interact without the constraints of time and space. In the process of frequent interaction and exchange, non-believers or those with wavering faith will inevitably develop a shared perspective on religious theism to a certain extent. As mutual exchange gradually increases, the sense of mutual identity among participants will further strengthen, thereby laying the necessary ideological and organizational foundation for the final formation of new atheist groups and organizations. The widespread application of new media technology, primarily the internet, has provided material support for the realization of atheist pressure [2] in a true sense and has acted as a booster for the spread and development of New Atheist thought—all of which is incomparable to traditional atheism.
III. New Goals: Identity Construction and the Expression of Political Demands
New Atheists defend secular liberal values in a radical manner to oppose the rising tide of religious fanaticism. Stephen Drew, a researcher of New Atheism, argues that New Atheism is not just about attitudes toward God or the relationship between religion and science; at its core, it is a profound political phenomenon. New Atheism is not merely a restatement of atheism or a marketing concept; it seeks to deconstruct the tight alignment of religious theocracy and politics, and to speak out on specific social, political, economic, and cultural issues, highlighting its status and values as a minority culture.
Identity construction is a primary goal of the New Atheist movement. Mary Bernstein has used concepts such as "identity deployment," "identity strategy," and "political identity" to describe the ideals and goals of atheists, while gaining recognition from the mainstream ideology is the cultural goal of the New Atheist movement. "Identity is not a strict cultural tool, but the expression of identity as a political strategy can be effectively utilized for cultural or political goals."
Research shows that atheists in the United States possess psychological mechanisms that may influence politics. Compared to theists, they are less authoritarian and prejudiced, less dogmatic, and less non-conforming [3]; they are more tolerant and open on religious issues and more likely to be politically independent, thereby supporting progressive, liberal values and political activities. Atheists and conservative Christians struggle over issues such as government intervention in social policy and moral topics, and both are constantly expanding their respective political influence. This is not because atheists and conservative Christians are essentially political, but because both attempt to use their own worldviews to draw moral boundaries and exert maximum influence on cultural and political processes. New Atheists are also committed to promoting the separation of church and state, arguing that the takeover of government by religious figures would create a theocracy and could even lead to government resources flowing into religious groups. Thus, they seek to suppress and eliminate the influence of religion in government and public life, believing that guidance by science and reason is the best socio-political path. New Atheists also demonstrate their political progressivism by supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and stem-cell research while opposing the death penalty and supporting gun control. Even politically conservative atheists generally do not support political conservatism [of the religious type].
The political power of religion in the United States has already provoked a current of resistance within Western society. Although New Atheists, as one branch of this opposition, still possess a certain political inertia, they have nevertheless achieved significant influence. However, because the social and cultural influence of religion in America is so deeply rooted, atheists remain marginalized in many respects. To a large extent, atheists are still regarded as immoral heathens, and the growing atheist community is viewed as a threat to the dignity of the political community. Under these circumstances, it is imperative for New Atheists to exert political effort to transform American society and safeguard the secular public sphere. As the manifesto of the alliance of American atheists states: "Our vision is to change society into one that understands and respects atheists; to support and respect a worldview based on reason, empiricism, and naturalistic values; and to respect and protect the separation of church and state, the Constitution, and the fundamental human rights of atheists." Consequently, compared to traditional atheism, the New Atheist movement is no longer confined to academia and the intellectual strata; it is gaining broader legitimacy and an unprecedented level of group solidarity.
IV. A New Choice: A Possible Way of Life
Marx pointed out: "The degree to which theory is realized in a nation is always determined by the degree to which theory satisfies the needs of that nation." [4] The emergence and future development of contemporary Western New Atheism will not be shifted by the subjective will of any individual or group, but is rather the result of the continuous interaction between the contemporary needs of atheism and the internal logic of the development of atheist thought. Examined from the perspective of Marxist atheism, in addition to possessing its own unique zeitgeist and theoretical characteristics, New Atheism maintains a theoretical and spiritual continuity with traditional atheism, while also exhibiting a degree of "heterogeneity" and rupture. It is an inheritance of the spirit of the Enlightenment and rationality, representing a new stage in the contemporary development of Western atheism. Regarding its causative factors and fundamental goals, New Atheism is not merely a theoretical doctrine, but also a social consciousness and cultural phenomenon. Whether consciously or unconsciously, it stands at the vanguard of the new century—a product of the needs of the era and the impetus of various political forces and events. It exerts function and influence in public spheres such as politics and culture, and has an extraordinary impact on the cultural choices of the common people. Of course, it also faces its own practical social dilemmas.
From the perspective of the influence of the Enlightenment spirit, New Atheism traces its lineage back to the "militant spirit" of the Enlightenment and draws upon the latest achievements in the natural and human sciences; it is the contemporary form of the development of atheism. Compared to the "hush-hush" [5] attitude of secular humanism toward religion, New Atheism is essentially a reflection, resistance, and challenge by a non-mainstream ideology against the mainstream ideology. Naturally, the influence generated by New Atheism is not identical across different countries. The popularity of New Atheism in the United States has already unsettled Christian apologists, who have published a large number of anti-atheist books and launched vehement attacks on New Atheists. To some extent, these critiques and attacks have actually expanded the influence of New Atheism. Even the liberal theologian Tina Beattie has had to admit that "this form of atheism has led the liberal zeitgeist," arguing that this form of thought must be taken seriously and lamenting that scientific materialism and atheist rationalism have already captured the hearts of the intellectual class. Michael Ruse believes that "atheism has undoubtedly become a possible choice." Following the New Atheist movement, "post-New Atheists" (also known as "New-New Atheists") such as Alain de Botton and Ronald Dworkin appeared, as did a group of postmodern theologians reflecting on or deconstructing traditional theology from within. The influence of New Atheism has formed a synergy with the trends of modernization and secularization, continuing to create ripples in the depths of people's thought. Dr. Eric Maisel, in his book The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods, writes: "The atheist's way of life is a life without gods, religion, and the supernatural... a way of life that integrates the traditions of secularists, humanists, scientists, freethinkers, agnostics, rationalists, and existentialists into a complete worldview."
In summary, setting aside the debate over whether the content of New Atheism is superficial or its form radical, its inner essence lies in being an ideological confrontation against the resurgence of religious fundamentalism and religious terrorism following the "September 11" attacks. It is the most radical strain within contemporary Western atheist trends and represents an ideological alternative to religious belief. The rise of New Atheism caters to the "Middle Way" [6] psychology of Europeans and Americans who do not wish to see their governments deviate from the policy of separation of church and state toward extremism. They prefer to seek a middle path between New Atheism and the religious right. To some extent, this mindset is conducive to the expansion of New Atheism's influence, thereby sparking an atheist "craze" in Western countries, primarily Britain and the United States. It signifies that the cultural space and conditions of belief in which the Western elite strata exist have changed; the so-called "age of atheist awakening" is being realized as a way of life and a possible cultural choice.