Was the New Atheism Movement a Failed Crisis Cult

[CynthiaCypher]

Before everyone thinks I am calling atheism a religion, I am not. I am asking a specific movement that is identified with atheism...the New Atheism.

First a crisis cult is a term coined by anthropologist Weston La Barre, in his terminology a crisis cult is a group that is created in reaction to a perceived crisis. They spring up when people feel that the social norms are no longer working but absolutely failing, when a perceived threat is imminent or as a reaction to extreme incidences of violence. Much like the Ghost Dance cult movement that rose up during the 1890's in reaction complete collapse of Native American civilization and autonomy.

The New Atheism came into being after the events of 9/11, many within this movement have said that it was rising Muslim terrorism that sealed it for them and they felt that Islam in particular and religion in general was responsible for a majority of the worlds woes. Religion was not only to blame for violence but also blamed for keeping scientific progress at bay thus hindering humankind from advancing.

Like many crisis cults, the New Atheism demonizies and scapegoats the Other, feels persecuted, feels they alone have the truth and the only right way to live and believe and they offer an utopian vision of the future.

All these things are indicative of a crisis cult.

So what do you think? Could the New Atheist movement been some sort of crisis cult?

 

[Sunstone]

Like many crisis cults, the New Atheism demonizies and scapegoats the Other, feels persecuted, feels they alone have the truth and the only right way to live and believe and they offer an utopian vision of the future.

Are you describing the New Atheist Movement or the world's religious fundamentalists?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Are you describing the New Atheist Movement or the world's religious fundamentalists?

To quote Weston La Barre:

But the term “crisis cult” can be criticized on two grounds: is not every moment in history in some sense a “crisis”, and does not “cult” imply invidious reality judgment? The only answer to the criticism is, yes it is, and yes it does. But that is what life is like, a chronic crisis, and that is what science is, making invidious judgments about competing hypotheses or belief systems.

The Religious Right and Al Qaeda could be called crisis cults too. But still the New Atheist bear some of the hallmarks of what anthropologists would call a crisis cult.

 

[Sunstone]

Like many crisis cults, the New Atheism ... feels they alone have the truth and the only right way to live...

Really? Aren't you conflating the belief of some New Atheists that living according to a religion is the wrong way to live with the belief (which no New Atheists I know of actually possess) that they know the right way to live?

When religious fundamentalists say they know the right way to live, they generally have some pretty extensive ideas of exactly what that right way is. I've never read a New Atheist yet who laid out a right way to live in anyway close to the sense in which fundamentalists do. At most, New Atheists say little more than the world would be better without religion, and if science were given greater respect.

...and believe and they offer an utopian vision of the future.

What exactly is the New Atheist "utopian vision of the future"? Are you referring to anything more substantial than a relatively vague notion of a future without religion and with scientific and technological progress?

 

[Sunstone]

...the New Atheism demonizies and scapegoats the Other...

Admittedly, some New Atheists do. But New Atheists in general? Try proving that one! Where, for instance, has Dawkins suggested that religious people were less than human? Where has he demonized them? Quotes and sources, please.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

a relatively vague notion of a future without religion and with scientific and technological progress?

Well wouldn't that be a utopian vision? Why did some New Atheist go about trying to realize their vision of a future without religion, where reason and rationality reigns over emotion and superstition, where we have a morality based on logic and reason, where science and technology is allowed is progress undeterred by backwards institutions like the Church.

I just practically summarized Sam Harris' End of Faith there.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Admittedly, some New Atheists do. But New Atheists in general? Try proving that one! Where, for instance, has Dawkins suggested that religious people were less than human? Where has he demonized them? Quotes and sources, please.

Dawkins has postulated that religion is the "Root of Evil".

That is demonizing.

 

[Sunstone]

Dawkins has postulated that religion is the "Root of Evil".

That is demonizing.

Oh good grief! That demonizes people about as much as saying there's a bad moon rising demonizes people. Either that, or you really need to quit thinking of yourself as a religion.

By the way, what's your source for that. Because if your source is that documentary Dawkins did, you should know Dawkins himself did not choose the title, "Religion is the Root of Evil".

 

[IHaveTheGift]

Oddly, atheists claim its not even an organization, yet it is even has a president "David Silverman".
Atheists even start their own "Churches" now, gather and "not talk about God" together.
Yet still claim that atheism is nothing more than a lack of belief, such as the lack of belief in stamp collecting.
Claim the world would be better off without religion, blame everything on religious people among other things...

Last time I checked, non stamp collectors don't gather and "not collect stamps" together and debate against stamp collectors...
Let alone even have a name (A)stamp-collecters

 

[freethinker44]

Oddly, atheists claim its not even an organization, yet it is even has a president "David Silverman".
Atheists even start their own "Churches" now, gather and "not talk about God" together.
Yet still claim that atheism is nothing more than a lack of belief, such as the lack of belief in stamp collecting.
Claim the world would be better off without religion, blame everything on religious people among other things...

Last time I checked, non stamp collectors don't gather and "not collect stamps" together and debate against stamp collectors...
Let alone even have a name (A)stamp-collecters

David Silverman is not the president of atheism. That statement is beyond ridiculous.

 

[IHaveTheGift]

David Silverman is not the president of atheism. That statement is beyond ridiculous.

serious?


David Silverman (activist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My bad, he is the president of the non stamp collectors of america :sorry1:

 

[Penumbra]

Oddly, atheists claim its not even an organization, yet it is even has a president "David Silverman".

And the Pope is the leader of all Christians.

Oh wait; he's actually just the leader of the subset of Christians called Roman Catholics that chose to put him as their leader, and he speaks only for them.

It's kind of like that. "American Atheists" is one specific organization of a small subset of people out of the far larger group of people that are atheist, agnostic, secular, irreligious, etc.

 

[Penumbra]

Before everyone thinks I am calling atheism a religion, I am not. I am asking a specific movement that is identified with atheism...the New Atheism.

First a crisis cult is a term coined by anthropologist Weston La Barre, in his terminology a crisis cult is a group that is created in reaction to a perceived crisis. They spring up when people feel that the social norms are no longer working but absolutely failing, when a perceived threat is imminent or as a reaction to extreme incidences of violence. Much like the Ghost Dance cult movement that rose up during the 1890's in reaction complete collapse of Native American civilization and autonomy.

The New Atheism came into being after the events of 9/11, many within this movement have said that it was rising Muslim terrorism that sealed it for them and they felt that Islam in particular and religion in general was responsible for a majority of the worlds woes. Religion was not only to blame for violence but also blamed for keeping scientific progress at bay thus hindering humankind from advancing.

Like many crisis cults, the New Atheism demonizies and scapegoats the Other, feels persecuted, feels they alone have the truth and the only right way to live and believe and they offer an utopian vision of the future.

All these things are indicative of a crisis cult.

So what do you think? Could the New Atheist movement been some sort of crisis cult?

I'm glad that the New Atheist movement got involved in public discussion. I also think New Atheist is a bad description. Anyway you didn't quote any references from so-called New Atheists about any of the claims you made about them.

In the US, non-religious people now account for 20% of people, and up to over one third in some states and among younger people. This is way up from just ten years ago. I think books, speeches, debates, and other things on the topics, are good.

It's okay to criticize religion, like any other idea or worldview.

 

[IHaveTheGift]

And the Pope is the leader of all Christians.

Oh wait; he's actually just the leader of the subset of Christians called Roman Catholics that chose to put him as their leader, and he speaks only for them.

It's kind of like that. "American Atheists" is one specific organization of a small subset of people out of the far larger group of people that are atheist, agnostic, secular, irreligious, etc.

Where did I say he is the speaker of all atheists?

 

[freethinker44]

Where did I say he is the speaker of all atheists?

You said he is the atheists president.

That's like saying Pat Robertson is the Christian president.

 

[IHaveTheGift]

You said he is the atheists president.

That's like saying Pat Robertson is the Christian president.

What is peoples problems?
He is in fact the president of an organization called AMERICAN ATHEISTS.
What part of that does not compute?

Hell, Obama is the president of the USA and its safe to say that 100% of the US population does not like him, nor agree with his actions, but he is still the speaker for US in general.

I don't care if you agree with Silverman or not, he is the speaker for atheists and when he is on TV, he represents atheists and (Anti)Theism
You liking it or not is not plausible, its a fact.
Same with the Pope, he represents the Catholic faith, not ones individual ideals.

Lets even use the WBC for example, even though they do not represent religious people in general, when people hear them, it gives us a bad name.
Same with priests that molest kids and such

 

[Willamena]

The New Atheism came into being after the events of 9/11, many within this movement have said that it was rising Muslim terrorism that sealed it for them and they felt that Islam in particular and religion in general was responsible for a majority of the worlds woes. Religion was not only to blame for violence but also blamed for keeping scientific progress at bay thus hindering humankind from advancing.

I was under the impression that New Atheism began in the 1990s.

 

[Sees]

What is peoples problems?
He is in fact the president of an organization called AMERICAN ATHEISTS.
What part of that does not compute?

Hell, Obama is the president of the USA and its safe to say that 100% of the US population does not like him, nor agree with his actions, but he is still the speaker for US in general.

I don't care if you agree with Silverman or not, he is the speaker for atheists and when he is on TV, he represents atheists (Anti)Theism
You liking it or not is not plausible, its a fact.
Same with the Pope, he represents the Catholic faith, not ones individual ideals.

Lets even use the WBC for example, even though they do not represent religious people in general, when people hear them, it gives us a bad name.
Same with priests that molest kids and such

That is rather silly.

If there is an organization for driving enthusiasts, and you drive a vehicle, does that make the president of the driving enthusiast organization your president?

 

[Willamena]

What is peoples problems?
He is in fact the president of an organization called AMERICAN ATHEISTS.
What part of that does not compute?

Evidently, "organization" is the part that does not compute.

 

[dust1n]

The President of American Atheists (which is a political group; not a church) is not the president of atheists.