Excellent Refutation of 'New Atheists' Flawed by Heterodox Open Theism

Book Reviews Excellent refutation of ‘new atheists’ flawed by heterodox open theism highly educated and more law-abiding A review of than the general population; they The Irrational Atheist: also share ‘undeveloped social skills Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of … so dramatic as to be reasonably Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens: described as a form of social autism’ by Vox Day (p. 16). On the other hand, ‘low Benbella Books, Dallas, church’ atheists tend not to even call TX, 2008 themselves atheists, falling into the ‘no religion’ or ‘secular’ categories in polls. They are also much more likely to be incarcerated, and are less intelligent than both their ‘high church’ Lita Cosner counterparts and religious folk. While the ‘high church’ atheists are more the Dark Ages, which was ended by don’t care if you go to Hell. … vocal and visible, the ‘low church’ bold non-believers who ushered in the ‘I Your soul is not my responsibility’ atheists significantly outnumber them. Enlightenment. Day shows that ‘The (p. 5). That is hardly the sort of opening Dawkins, Dennett and Harris all belong Dark Ages’ is actually a reversal of a one expects from a self-described ‘non- to ‘high church’ atheism, and it is this Christian metaphor of ‘pagan darkness denominational evangelical Christian’ particular manifestation of non-belief giving way to the Light of the World’ (p. 1) whose pen name is a play on the that Day attacks. (p. 35), and was created by the Italian Latin for ‘Voice of God’. Vox Day poet and Christian Francesco Petrarca does not have a Ph.D.; his biography Which science? (Petrarch, 1304–1374) in contempt of lists no higher education, in fact. He German invaders, not Christian faith. is a video game designer, blogger,1 and Atheists often argue that science Although historians have discarded the columnist,2 who claims no intellectual has disproved the claims of religion in notion of the Dark Ages as a period achievement except ‘to have once general and Christianity in particular. of religious oppression for nearly a convinced [conservative columnist Day contends that ‘it is impossible and author] Michelle Malkin to skip to entirely separate atheism from century (indeed, even the term ‘Dark an opportunity to promote herself’ science, because scientific materialism Ages’ has been replaced with ‘Middle (p. 3). However, Day’s lack of formal has such an influence on atheistic Ages’), many atheists still promote this qualification does not affect the quality thinking even in matters where mistaken theory. of his arguments, for the most part, in science is not directly involved’ In The End of Faith, Sam Harris his book. He claims his purpose in (p. 28). So his next step is to define argued that religion is too dangerous in writing The Irrational Atheist is ‘not science. Day accepts the definition light of the advent of nuclear, biological to defend God, or even to argue for of an evolutionary biologist, who and chemical weapons in warfare: the truth of my particular religious gives a three-fold definition: science ‘Words like “God” and “Allah” must faith’ (p. 1). Instead, he argues against is ‘a dynamic body of knowledge go the way of “Apollo” and “Baal,” the ‘fraudulent, error-filled writings’ (scientage), a process (scientody), or they will unmake our world’ (cited of Dawkins, Dennett and Hitchens, and a profession (scientistry)’ on p. 43). Day argues that the five the ‘unholy trinity’ referred to in the (p. 32). It is the second definition, major religions of the world have been subtitle of his book. science as a systematic study of the around for 116 centuries, collectively, natural world through observation and without causing the extinction of Which atheism? experimentation, which Day refers to humankind. Modern science, however, The definition of atheism varies throughout the book. after existing only 350 years, has depending on who is defining it, so Having defined science, Day is created ‘a veritable witches’ brew Day begins by dividing the irreligious free to explore whether it is really in of potential dangers to the human into two categories—‘high church’ conflict with religion. The popular race, ranging from atom-shattering and ‘low church’ atheists. ‘High view is that the Church repressed explosive devices to lethal genetic church’ atheists tend to be wealthy, science and knowledge leading to modifications’ (p. 45). Day argues 28 JOURNAL OF CREATION 22(3) 2008 Book Reviews that if science mixed with religion is a that, other than conflicts that involve Making atheists look ridiculous formula for the extinction of the human Muslim religious violence, there are Having addressed some race, it is more reasonable to attempt to currently very few religiously-based arguments that the New Atheists eliminate science rather than religion, wars, and some that are assumed to be have in common, Day focuses on as there are far fewer scientists than religious are actually primarily ethnic, the individual members of the ‘New religious people, and while religion political or linguistic conflicts (p. 85). Atheists’. He attacks Harris first, who has never been completely stamped For example, the IRA’s ideology was he calls ‘a grave embarrassment to out, scientific development has been mainly atheistic and Marxist, and had atheism, intellectuals, and the Stanford (pp. 53–54). nothing to do with Christian teachings. University philosophy department’ If religion inspired hawkishness, one (p. 113). Day accuses Harris of A New Enlightenment ? ‘ ’ would expect to find that militaries ignorance about the religions he For all their pseudo-scientific of religious countries have higher attacks, and of intellectual dishonesty. arguments, Day argues that the New volunteer rates for their military forces He documents factual and logical Atheism really has nothing to do with than do secular countries, however, errors in The End of Faith and Letter science; rather, science is only useful this is not the case (although it would to a Christian Nation,3 and in particular to them so far as it promotes their be more valid to examine the military refutes the ridiculous assertion in the goals (p. 68). Their real goal is to volunteer rates of religious individuals latter that ‘Red’ (or Republican, so obliterate Christianity, and to replace instead) (p. 91). allegedly more Christian according to it with their own code of morality. Since America is the most religious Harris) states are more prone to crime The New Atheists look forward to a nation in the Western world, if the than ‘Blue’ (or Democrat, so more ‘New Enlightenment’ where religious atheists’ hypothesis about religion secular) states. Indeed, most of the crimes in ‘Red’ states are committed texts will be replaced by literature and fuelling a warlike attitude is valid, in their ‘Bluest’ counties. poetry (the religious texts apparently then America should be particularly Dawkins is ‘the world’s foremost containing neither literature nor poetry) aggressive and that its wars should spokesman for secular science’ and one could practice unlimited be religiously motivated. However, licentiousness without fear of an (p. 136), yet his recent works contain Day shows that the vast majority of very little actual science. While afterlife or societal prohibitions in this American wars have been against one. As ideal as this humanist paradise Dawkins finds the idea of God utterly primarily (at least nominally) Christian incredible, Day shows that he has no sounds, the first Enlightenment, instead enemies, and only one of them, the of an atheist utopia, led to the French problem believing other things without War on Terror, could be properly said evidence. In Unweaving the Rainbow,4 Revolution and its associated Reign to be a religious war (pp. 99–102), but of Terror, Marxism and the European Dawkins professes to believe that even this war is only against violent science can inspire art and poetry as Union. Hitchens, a former Marxist, extremist Muslims, not Islam as a easily as religion, despite centuries of provides the insight that humanists who whole. evidence to the contrary. Day cites are anti-authority support authoritarian government actions because ‘temporary expedients considered necessary for the achievement of a primary goal are easily transformed into dogma that cannot be questioned lest the attainment of the goal be jeopardized’ (p. 75). This explains why so many atheists in power have committed horrific crimes in pursuit of an ideal. Does religion cause war? Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins both claim that religion is responsible for enabling war-making, because the belief in an afterlife makes a person more willing to risk his earthly life. Image from <Wikipedia> However, their whole argument is flawed, because the vast majority of wars Atheists blame religion for the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition, but atheist regimes over the history of mankind have had in the 20th century have killed far more people than all religiously-caused ‘atrocities’ nothing to do with religion. Day shows combined. JOURNAL OF CREATION 22(3) 2008 29 Book Reviews the atheist academic Camille Paglia, Michel Onfray is a prolific only 3,230 people were sentenced to who argues that religion is an artistic writer, nearly unknown in the English death, hardly the bloodbath of millions necessity, and it is because of atheism speaking world, but very popular in that it is sometimes made out to be that ‘anything goes, and nothing lasts’ France and Italy. He has published (pp. 217–219). in modern art (p. 142). Dawkins’ 31 books on a wide range of topics Some atheists go back even further beliefs that wars are won through (p. 197), and his Traité d’athéologie, to the Crusades to find material with blind obedience, atheists are less published as In Defence of Atheism in which to accuse Christians; Day likely to destroy religious architecture, England and Atheist Manifesto in the similarly handles this issue.

Load more