Angry Atheists and Soulless Scientists: Stereotypes of nonbelief in the era of the 'New Atheism' Taner Edis Department of Physics, Truman State University Taner Edis Department of Physics, Truman State University

20092 The “New Atheists” Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, Dennett, Stenger... Unexpected publishing phenomenon. They and the media exploit each other; “angry atheist” and “soulless scientist” stereotypes.

20093 What are the stereotypes? Look online, ask active nonbelievers. Strong overlap in observations. Negative stereotypes about personal, moral, and intellectual attributes of atheists.

20094 Actual data? Hunsberger & Altemeyer 2006 (H&A). Survey ~300 atheist club members in US. Nonreligious Identification Survey, 2009 (NRIS). ~6000, snowball sampling.

20095 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.

20096 Angry Angry. Resentful. Angry people will attract more attention. Atheists most despised in US? (> Gays, Muslims.) Angry feminist, angry black stereotypes?

20097 Disrespectful Arrogant. Uncivil. New atheists––against unearned respect. Nonbelievers split. Irreverent, yes. NRIS: nonbelievers tend to have low “agreeability.”

20098 Unhappy Social science: religiosity ~ happiness. NRIS: moderate life satisfaction, high emotional stability. Confidence in worldview ~ happiness? Cosmic “meaning of life” irrelevant?

20099 Immoral, amoral Less community- oriented? Liberal, individualist, urban, modern morality. Nonbelief rare in prison populations. Charity, mutual aid higher among religious people.

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?

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.

No atheists in foxholes US military is very Christian. Low “right wing authoritarianism” among atheists (H&A). More than a disloyalty stereotype.

Godless liberals/commies Leftish inclinations (but also right-wing libertarians.) High ethnocentrism (prefer atheists), but low prejudice against racial, ethnic, sexual minorities (H&A).

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.

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)

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?

Atheists worship Satan Let’s not be absurd. Might make sense in fundamentalist context? Says nothing about atheists.

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)

Atheists are against religion Often, yes. New atheists consider religion to be a social evil. Not all atheists. Little desire to suppress religion.

Atheists worship science “Scientism.” Highly educated. NRIS: 41% graduate degrees. Natural scientists, social scientists often irreligious. Self-selection effect.

Non-stereotyped features Very male. (NRIS ¾). Women generally have stronger supernatural beliefs. Stereotype?

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.