Interesting article on "new style atheism"

[cilla4progress]

An energetic atheism can tackle the twin crises of creeping theocracy and the death of conventional religion.

There are two pressing crises tied to the state of religion in America today. A new style of atheism can help answer both of them.

The first crisis is rooted in an excess of religion. Christian theocracy is not far-off specter but an emerging reality in America. Fueled by a radically reactionary Supreme Court that is two-thirds Catholic, Thomas Jefferson’s already-dilapidated and graffitied “wall of separation” between church and state is crumbling. The overturning of Roe v. Wade means the lives of women across the country are being held hostage by a conservative Christian conception of life. Kennedy v. Bremerton permits school officials to publicly pray and make students feel pressured to join in. Carson v. Makin allows taxpayer dollars to be used to fund religious education. And at the state level, Republican-led legislatures have invoked Christianity as they pursue a systematic assault on transgender rights, while “abortion abolitionists” convinced some Louisiana lawmakers that people who get abortions should be charged with homicide.

...

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/new-style-atheism-can-counter-christian-nationalism-decline-religion-n1297611

[Chainfire]

1. A "new style" of non-belief seems a bit incongruous to me.

New and non just don't work together.

I am a non-believer, but I do not like the term atheist (or non-believer for that matter) because it implies, to many people as being anti-religious. I am not anti-religious. I don't care what others believe any more than I care who they sleep with, as long as their beliefs do not start intruding on my freedom. Keep your god out of my life, and I will not try to interfere with your church.

Religion should be a private contract with one's god, practiced, in private, or with the consent of fellow believers, in the church or home. Religion should never become public policy. Our founders knew this, and they could foresee what could come about by the state adoption of religion; any religion.

I will say this; I sincerely believe, from a strictly historical perspective, that far more harm has come to people, through the practice of religions, than ever came from people who are non-believers. A moral life does not require the inclusion of a supernatural being, and immoral acts can not be forgiven as the practice of religion. Modern American religion seems to have changed from the worship of people's various gods, and the promotion of moral living, to the feeling that they have the right to impose their beliefs on others, and that laws, morals and ethics are variable in the pursuit of that objective. If I am attacked with a cross, a star or moon, and I will respond with a club.

[Martin68]

2. The article failed to convince me that there is a new style of atheism, or that such a concept would

be useful in overcoming the dangers of theocracy and interference against other religions that conservative Christianity poses. I would rather see an alliance between progressives of every kind, atheist or not, to solve our many problems.