As long as “atheist activism” is identified first and foremost with anti-religious criticism — and surveying the field of prominent atheist activists, this is assuredly so — the infighting among those involved in the atheist movement will continue. So I’ll come right out and say it: I in fact do not share the goal of trying to eliminate religion — I oppose totalitarianism and dogmatism in all their forms — and I have major concerns about the ways many vocal atheists go about trying to accomplish this goal through simplistic, unreasonable criticisms of religion. I do not think the termination of religion is an achievable goal, and I have no reason to believe it would eliminate dogmatism and totalitarianism, which I believe are the central causes of religious (and nonreligious) conflict. But I also think that if the atheist movement is going to prioritize religious criticism, we ought to be thoughtful about how we engage in it.
Furthermore, I disagree with Christina’s claim that “confrontationalism” is “the best strategy for achieving our other goals.” Focusing one’s activism on criticizing a caricature of religion does nothing to improve atheism’s image; in fact, it actively hampers attempts to improve the conditions of life for nonreligious people. As Jon Stewart’s commentary on Dave Silverman’s comments about the World Trade Center memorial demonstrated, unsophisticated criticisms of religion estrange reasonable people — both fellow atheists, and potential religious allies.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member