Skeptics in the Holy City:

Atheism is not a new thing. For as long as there has been a belief in a god or gods, there have been people to deny it. Yet now there is a movement being labeled “New Atheism.”
It’s a community, however disjointed and spread about, of nonbelievers and freethinkers. Some are quiet, “closet” atheists. Others are forthright in their non-belief. More now than ever, atheists have a say. Even here, in the “Holy City” of South Carolina, the “buckle of the Bible belt,” they are making their voice heard.
Yes, some don’t realize that atheism is quite dated.  It may be because it is constantly being rejuvenated by the public intellectuals and commentators of the time.  But when Socrates stood trial in the 14th century BC, it was his disbelief in the gods that brought the death sentence. And in the 13th century, when Thomas Aquinas wrote his five proofs of God’s existence in his “Summa Theologica,” it was partially because questions were being asked and curiosities perked.
Heresy was Galileo’s crime, when he was granted the company of the Roman Inquisition for supposing why the sun set. Humanity left with a scientific breakthrough of universal proportions and a catalyst to rethink literal interpretations.
So questions have been asked and the subject is still very taboo. Atheism is shrouded in misconceptions that have built up over time.  So, it is not to advocate, but to educate that this is being written, in an effort to gain insight into a range of worldviews belonging to those who cannot reconcile themselves with the idea of a god.
In the summer of 2007, a commentary in “The Nation” focused on the influence of four outspoken atheists: Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett.  They are referred to as the four horsemen, or their self-bestowed title “The New Atheists.”
Each author has reached bestseller lists dispelling religious doctrine at every opportunity.  The commentator does not inflate the phenomenon.  But he points out the books’ significance for the millions of atheists in America.  If not representative of a national mood – mentioning that book buyers are such a small piece of the population pie – the four horsemen have given a strong voice to atheists, a group always on the defensive and often ignored.
The authors may range in their backgrounds and their arguments but each writes bluntly, with a sense of urgency.
Harris is an American neuroscientist who studies the basis for belief in the human brain.  In his books, “The End of Faith” and “Letter to a Christian Nation,” (the latter he began writing on September 11, 2001) he is unhappy with the label itself.
“Atheism is a term that should not even exist,” Harris wrote in his “Atheist Manifesto.” “No one ever needs to identify himself as a non-astrologer or a non-alchemist. Consequently, we do not have words for people who deny the validity of these pseudo-disciplines.”
Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist, has been called “Darwin’s Rottweiler” for his advocacy of evolutionary ideas.  In his 2006 book, “The God Delusion,” Dawkins pointed out, even religious people are atheists with respect to thousands of gods, past and present.  Atheists just take one more step.
Hitchens, describes himself not only as an atheist but an antitheist, believing that religion has done more harm than good. This view is apparent by the subtitle of his bestseller, “God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.”
The least resentful is Dennett, an American philosopher and advocate of the Brights movement. Both the movement and his book, “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon” promote public understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview.
Oh, the nerve of these four writers, many have surely thought. Harris did pen a piece called “There is No God (And You Know It).” They have been repeatedly criticized as bitter and downright mean; just narrow-minded writers who found an open-minded audience.  But for both the negative and positive attention received, they’re probably somewhere patting themselves on the back for a job well done.
The New Atheists’ pressure on religion is not just brushed off or ignored. There are those who think of it as the last civil rights battle to be fought. If that’s so, the bell has already rung.
In the early ‘90s,  C of C professor of mathematics Herb Silverman threw a strong punch when he ran for governor of South Carolina. He sought to overturn a statute preventing atheists from holding public office.
Silverman never became governor, but he did win a unanimous decision in the South Carolina Supreme Court. Worthy of being called the fifth horseman, Silverman has since founded the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry and is president of the Secular Coalition for America, a lobbying group for humanist perspectives.
Silverman has experience when it comes to representing atheists in South Carolina and nationwide. But to have real power nonbelievers must come out in numbers.
“When someone finds out their neighbor, a person they like, is an atheist; that changes public opinion,” Silverman said.
Atheists are accused of arrogance, representing themselves as an oppressed minority. A minority they certainly are. Oppressed? Less so now because of the horsemen and their many foot soldiers.
“We want to be judged on our actions, not our professed religion,” Silverman said. “We want a seat at the table of public opinion.”
The Secular Coalition for America has been going strong for 15 years. They speak out for nontheistic viewpoints and seek to protect the secular character of our government.
“After all, we can’t have freedom of conscience for all people unless freedom of religion also means freedom from religion.”
Silverman is currently a columnist for the Washington Post, writing weekly from the atheist perspective.
Atheism has received its share of attention in the media too. On the conservative side, atheists aren’t given much room to work. They defend themselves like modern-day Socrates. Only this time they are not alone.
After a billboard on I-26 let fellow atheists know just that, local media took notice. The sign asked a question: “Don’t Believe in God?” And provided consolation and a Web address: “You’re Not Alone.” The Web site was that of the organization responsible, the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry.
A feature story on the billboard and religious skepticism by Charleston City Paper columnist Will Moredock, appeared shortly after. Each week, Moredock writes about the two things you are told not to bring up at a dinner party – politics and religion. Although it seems to accomplish little, Moredock believes there is a reason to write about religion.
“It’s very important to talk about the role of religion in society. But for most people – like pulling for USC or Clemson – religion is something they do instinctively,” Moredock said. “And even asking them to think about it can be taken as controversial.”
There also may be a reason why the media in general has paid attention to the changing climate.
“It is not surprising that there are more atheists and agnostics in the media. Being skeptical and analytical is what makes for a good journalist,” Moredock said. “Newspapers have traditionally been a haven for all kinds of nonconformists who would not fit any other social or professional niche.”
The “New Atheism” movement’s manifestations are as a political and social revolution. But what comes before it is intellectual. It’s personal but not a preference. To be an atheist is to have arrived at a point where a supernatural world no longer makes sense.
Whether an activist for atheism or preferring to leave well enough alone, this is often the last stop on a journey everyone takes. And it doesn’t take nonconformity or a bestselling book.
C of C students Corey Harvey and John Wannamaker are atheists, at different points on the tracks.  As with any religious person, there is a range of ways the atheist feels about atheism.
For Harvey, it was the social aspect of her Jewish upbringing that she enjoyed, not a belief in God.
“I realized the reason I liked going to Hebrew school so much was for the community,” Harvey said. “Is that really enough of a reason to believe in God?”
Wannamaker was raised Protestant and attended Catholic school. When he met an atheist, he began to ask questions of his own.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t already feel that way,” Wannamaker said. “He was the first person I met that was open about it.”
How Harvey and Wannamaker feel about religion now shows the two sides of an atheist’s feeling towards religion. Wannamaker has read the four horsemen; Harvey doesn’t feel the need to.
“Some people do need to believe in something higher,” Harvey said.
For Wannamaker, it’s doesn’t comes up often, but when it does, someone usually gets insulted.
“You can’t tell someone everything they base their life on is stupid without being insulting,” Wannamaker said, “unless you sugarcoat it.”
A common argument against atheists: Where did morality come from? Atheists just think killing is OK? To which many atheists have responded: “If that’s what you think I hope you remain a believer.” Harvey believes morality can be separate from religion.
“I don’t feel like any morals I have came from religion,” Harvey said.
Many atheists believe humanity can benefit a great deal from religious teaching, just not God.
“The golden rule really makes the most sense,” Wannamaker said, “even from a humanist perspective.”
Wannamaker and Harvey’s morals are judged by their actions. But they have both seen the other generalization of atheists.
“People rarely think I am a bad person, but I do get a lot of pity,” Wannamaker said.
“Or people think it’s an elitist thing,” Harvey added.
If there is anything all atheists believe, it’s that there is no afterlife and there are no miracles. For someone raised to believe in heaven and hell, this is a step. But for many it adds to their lust for life, without taking away the beauty they see in it.
“I leave room for mystery. Things can seem miraculous without being miracles,” Harvey said.
For others, looking at life through the lens of science, there’s plenty to marvel over.
“It’s surprisingly romantic. I can look at things in a rational way, but that doesn’t take the beauty out of it,” Wannamaker said.
———–Matt Lorenz
There are millions of atheists in America. Some are lobbying for visibility. Others would rather not be visible at all. You can watch them get nowhere arguing the pundits or read their controversial books. Apparently, some atheists ride horses. There is a lot to say about atheism and plenty of people to say it. But the best way to learn about it is getting to know an atheist. You’ll probably like them.

By Brian Sewell

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