Odd as it may sound, this paper is not interested in the existence of God or gods. Neither will this paper be a work of advocacy of atheism nor of religion and faith but a not tendentious culture-scientific study on contemporary atheism in the USA and its model of secularism as it is presented in the Internet.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. EXPLORING
2.1 Lost in Negation: Definition(s) of Atheism
2.1.1 Theism, Anti-Religion, Nones
2.1.2 Positive and Negative Atheism
2.1.3 Agnosticism, Apatheism, Apostasy
2.1.4 Philosophical Blossoms of Atheism
2.1.5 Atheism and Secularism
2.1.6 Summary
2.2 Atheism in Numbers: Data and Patterns
2.2.1 Methodological Problems
2.2.2 Atheism Worldwide
2.2.3 Atheism in the USA
2.2.4 Social Profile of American Atheism
2.2.5 Summation and Interpretation
2.2.6 Summary
2.3 Yesterday's Infidels and Today's Scoffers: The History of American Atheism
2.3.1 In the Beginning: Constitutional Regulations and rational Religion
2.3.2 The nineteenth century: Europe buries God
2.3.3 Deed without Creed: American Nonbelievers push Social Reforms
2.3.4 Survival of the Fittest: Science versus Religion
2.3.5 Atheism among Minorities
2.3.6 The twentieth century: Dawn of militant Atheism
2.3.7 Modernity in the Courtroom: The Scopes Trial
2.3.8 Money talks: “In God We Trust”
2.3.9 American Atheism organized
2.3.10 The New Right: One Nation under God, finally
2.3.11 Summary
3. ANALYZING
3.1 Herding Cats: Problems of Organizing Atheists
3.2 Linking Up: Atheism Reorganized
3.2.1 Member Organizations: Who's Who in the Secular Coalition for America
3.2.1.1 The Atheists
3.2.1.2 The Humanists
3.2.1.3 The Secularists
3.2.2 Endorsing Organizations: Backdoor Men of the Coalition
3.2.3 Missing Links: Freedom From Religion Foundation and The Brights
3.2.4 Interim Result
3.2.5 Social Networks: Getting Acquainted in the Cyberspace
3.2.5.1 Meetups Dot Com: Local Atheist Organization
3.2.5.2 No God Blog Dot Com: Major Organizations Online
3.2.5.3 Why Does God Hate Amputees Dot Com: Personal Web Pages
3.2.6 Summary
3.3 Reaching Out: No more atheists in closets
3.3.1 Freethought Action: Ads and Billboards
3.3.2 Morality Projects: Thank God, my Neighbor is an Atheist
3.3.3 The OUT Campaign: Scarlet Letter A
3.3.4 Selling Atheism: Visibility and Merchandising
3.3.5 Summary
3.4 Building Up: The Community of Reason
3.4.1 Religion is Bullshit Dot Com: Profanity
3.4.2 Losing my Religion Dot Com: Support Groups
3.4.3 Foundation Beyond Belief Dot Org: Atheism Welfare
3.4.4 Darwin Day Dot Org: Calendar for Atheists
3.4.5 Secular Celebrations Dot Com: Atheism and the Circle of Life
3.4.6 Summary
4. DISCUSSING
4.1 Identity: Atheism as a Social Movement
4.2 Orientation: The Age of Science
4.3 Mission: The Secular Model
4.4 Summary
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the emergence of contemporary American atheism as a cohesive social movement and a model of secularity. The primary objective is to analyze how local and national atheist organizations have linked up, reached out, and organized via the internet to challenge the religious hegemony in the United States and establish a secular community. The central research question explores whether contemporary organized atheism functions as a civil rights movement and how its reliance on science and naturalism shapes its secular vision.
- Historical context and evolution of atheism in the United States.
- The role of the internet and Web 2.0 in the formation and organization of the "Community of Reason."
- Political advocacy, lobbying, and the demand for the separation of church and state.
- Public awareness campaigns, merchandising, and identity construction (e.g., The OUT Campaign).
- The relationship between morality, science, and the construction of a secular counter-culture.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1 In the Beginning: Constitutional Regulations and rational Religion
Surely, there probably were no atheists among the Mayflower Pilgrims. Still, while the conflict between the Protestant English and the American Natives was deeply characterized by a religious note and also Quakers, Catholics and Jews had to suffer due to their heterodoxy compared with the Puritan world view, atheism in America was essentially unheard of until the eighteenth century. If America was intended to be a nation of Judeo-Christian principles or if the U.S. Government is primarily secular is an ongoing debate. Steven Gey, scholar on religious liberty, sheds light on the confused situation during the founding of the nation:
The nation was founded in between two so-called Great Awakenings, during which religious devotion and fervor ran high. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, six of the original thirteen states had some form of religious establishment.[...] In these states, citizens were required to pay a mandatory religious tax, which the state would collect and then forward to religious organizations. […] Seven of the original thirteen states had abandoned any form of religious establishment by the time the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791. Some of these states never had an official religious establishment at any time in their existence. Some states were founded by religious groups and persisted in their religious character, other states had never been religious, and still other states had been religious but had moved toward a secular model of governance.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the rise of the "new atheism" in the United States, highlighting the growth of secular identification and the emergence of organized atheist movements in the post-9/11 era.
2 EXPLORING: This section provides a conceptual and historical foundation, defining atheism and secularism while tracing the history of non-belief in America from the Founding Fathers to the contemporary political landscape.
3 ANALYZING: This chapter focuses on the digital organization of atheists, detailing how the internet is used to facilitate networking, political advocacy, and the creation of a distinct secular culture through support groups and campaigns.
4 DISCUSSING: This chapter critically evaluates the identity, orientation, and mission of the contemporary atheist movement, drawing comparisons to historical ideological movements and examining the challenges of maintaining a "secular model" in a pluralistic society.
5 CONCLUSION: The concluding chapter summarizes the study's findings, reflecting on the success of the organized atheist movement and noting that the debate over secularism remains a vital, ongoing component of the American public discourse.
Keywords
Atheism, Secularism, United States, Community of Reason, New Atheism, Internet, Social Movement, Secular Coalition for America, Humanism, Naturalism, Church and State, Identity Politics, Scientism, Freethought, Religion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this thesis?
The work explores contemporary American atheism, analyzing it not merely as a lack of belief, but as an organized, active social movement seeking to establish a secular, science-based "Community of Reason."
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the institutional organization of atheists (such as the Secular Coalition for America), the use of the internet as a tool for community building, the history of American non-belief, and the ongoing tension between religious and secular influence in U.S. politics.
What is the core research question of this paper?
The paper asks how contemporary American atheists have moved from fragmented individuals to a unified social movement and how this "Community of Reason" creates and promotes its own secular model of living.
Which scientific methods does the author employ?
The author uses a cultural-scientific and sociological approach, analyzing existing social scientific research, demographic data, and original content from atheist organizations' websites and online communication platforms.
What is covered in the main section of the book?
The main part analyzes the "linking up, reaching out, and building up" of the atheist community. It covers formal organizations, the role of social networks and personal blogs, and various campaigns aimed at increasing public visibility.
How would you characterize the movement with its own keywords?
The movement is characterized by keywords such as secularism, humanism, naturalism, the "Community of Reason," and political advocacy for the separation of church and state.
Is this study considered an advocacy piece for atheism?
No, the author explicitly states that the paper is a non-tendentious cultural-scientific study that seeks to explore and analyze the movement without advocating for the existence or non-existence of gods.
How does the author interpret the term "Community of Reason"?
The author uses this term to encapsulate the various independent atheist and humanist organizations that have aligned to form a broader social movement aimed at promoting science, reason, and secular values in American public life.
Does the author discuss the relationship between atheism and the "New Atheism" franchise?
Yes, the author discusses how figures like Richard Dawkins and the "four horsemen" popularized a militant, pro-science stance that catalyzed the current organized movement and influenced its aggressive public posture.
What is the author's stance on the influence of the internet in this context?
The author considers the internet as the primary technological driver for the modern atheist movement, enabling a level of organization, anonymity, and community-building that was previously impossible in an "offline" era.
- Quote paper
- Martin Mickan (Author), 2010, American Atheism 2.0, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/191104
