The Secular Struggle. The scientific method stands as one of mankind s greatest accomplishments. The simple

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1 Mr. Williams CP British Literature 4/10/12 The Secular Struggle The scientific method stands as one of mankind s greatest accomplishments. The simple process of critical thinking led to some of the most important advancements in the fields of mathematics, chemistry, physics, and medicine. This process was not without its enemies, however, and the steady march forward was impeded by the church and its dogma. Today, much like the Dark Age in Europe, the ability to question the established beliefs set forward by ancient texts stems from critical thinking and independent thought. Advancement is driven strongly by secularism, but any change that falls outside the purview of religion is strongly resisted. Secularism is a necessary, and ultimately good, force in the United States but it is a strongly opposed avenue of thought. Recent opinion polls have placed Atheists, or secularists, in the unenviable position of being the most hated group in the United States. When asked who least fit their view of America, 39.6% of respondents claimed Atheists fell into that position. The results of this, almost startlingly accurate, poll can be seen in the news, online blogs, and social media. Prominent, and intelligent, secularists such as Richard Dawkins, Jessica Alquist, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson are ridiculed, threatened, and dehumanized daily by those peaceful theistic writers.

2 Jessica Alquist is an atheist from Rhode Island who brought a lawsuit against her public high school s endorsed school prayer. As a young student, Alquist had the courage to stand up against a blatant disregard for the constitution. Sadly, her actions prompted many in the community to issue death threats and to ostracize her at school. The fact that a student had her life threatened for exercising her rights, which are guaranteed in the constitution, shows that it is incredibly difficult for a young atheist to express her belief, or lack thereof. The entire fiasco shows the ridiculousness of Christians are persecuted in the US arguments, the Christians are not the persecuted rather they are the persecutors. The entitlement of some religious groups has led to the rise of the militant atheist. Richard Dawkins is an intelligent atheist and the author of books like The God Delusion. Dawkins is one of the most respected atheists in the United States, but he is still subject to the irrational attacks of many Christians. Recently Dawkins appeared on the Fox News program The O Reily Factor to discuss atheism with the host, Bill O Reily. The program began as cordially as one could hope, given the dispositions of both men, but quickly spiraled into an attack on atheism and an inexplicable claim that Christianity is not a myth. The issue with this meeting is not the debate that ensued between two stubborn men, but rather that an incredibly successful biologist deserves little to no respect. The entire segment seems to encapsulate the entire atheism versus Christianity message; one side makes indefensible claims while the other is stunned by the ignorance of the claims. Christopher Hitchens is the late author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Throughout his life Hitchens was an atheist, and an outspoken one at that. On his

3 deathbed, Hitchens spent some of his last words to reaffirm his lack of belief in a deity. The fact that a man who, throughout his life, was against religion needed to waste his last breathes reaffirming that fact showcases the miniscule amount of respect afforded to atheists. The gall of some outspoken individuals to insinuate that an atheist can have no moral conviction is appalling. Saying that a man may talk one way all his life, and then change his entire persona in an instant, shows how little respect is afforded to an atheist. Atheists endure ridicule, scorn, and hate daily. They must avoid speaking their true opinions for fear of being ostracized and hated. The proliferation of hate comes from religion and its followers, from the flawed teachings of a millennia old text. For the United States to advance societally, religion must give way to reason and critical thinking. Despite the hate and bigotry directed towards atheists, many people are finding a secular society to be preferable to the theistic society. Countries such as Sweden and Denmark are overwhelmingly atheist and boast the highest standards of living. The secular mindset has produced some of the greatest scientists and thinkers of the last three hundred years. Neil DeGrasse Tyson stands at the forefront of intellectual secularism, and Steven Hawking is a prime example of intelligence despite crippling circumstance. Soon, it would seem, those two men would not stand mostly alone as atheists; over the past decade the number of atheists has increased rapidly, mostly aided by widespread access to the internet. Sweden stands as the largest atheistic country on the planet. The country is home to one of the highest standards of living. Despite what some might see as a flaw, secularism has improved the quality of life in Sweden dramatically. It is possible for people to lead productive

4 and healthy lives without being ordered to do so by a book. Sweden also boasts far lower crime rates than the US. Per capita, only seventy-five of one hundred thousand citizens are jailed. That is ten times less than the US, which jails seven hundred and fifty citizens per one hundred thousand. The data shows that people can be secular and moral at the same time. It shows that the qualities that Christians strive for are not exclusive to their bible, but rather stem from a collective sense of right and wrong. Most importantly, the data shows that morality is constantly changing to fit the newest technologies and philosophic breakthroughs. As access to the internet becomes more widespread it will be common to see youth turn away from religion. In 1967 only one percent of Americans did not believe in god. Now, in the most recent poll, almost ten percent of Americans claimed to not believe in god. The creation of the internet is the largest factor in the change. People have unlimited access to unlimited data, from anywhere in the world at any time. Younger adults with a knack for procrastination tend to simply browse the internet. This eventually leads them to information that contradicts their beliefs, and may prompt them to do further research on the topic of religion. This is the best thing that can happen to the United States. A well-educated populace who has come to its own conclusions on faith is much more likely to advocate science and math. When you view atheism through the lens of the scientific method it becomes clear why so many of scientists are atheist. Secularism is the future, whether the general populace likes it or not. Youth are becoming educated, and the education does not come from an authority but rather from their own inquisitiveness. The future is bright for those who seek answers for themselves, they can cast aside the judgments of the theistic and become a truly bigotry free people. In the end, it all

5 comes down to the youth and their ability to access free information. Despite the hate and ignorance directed at secularism, atheists have been able to thrive. Even under death threats atheists have been able to push forward to a higher level of thinking. It is beneath an atheist to threaten harm on someone who simply disagrees with them; instead the atheist will try to use reason and truths to bring the person towards the light of knowledge. Secularism is the force that will truly bring humanity into the new millennia, but the struggle to overcome ancient dogma is to fierce to be taken lightly.

6 Works Cited "Bill O'Reilly, Richard Dawkins Debate Creationism Heatedly (VIDEO)." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < oreilly creationism_n_ html>. Cline, Austin. "Atheists Growing in Numbers The Number of Atheists in America Continues to Grow." Agnosticism / Atheism Skepticism & Atheism for Atheists & Agnostics. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < Agnostic Belief Survey/a/Atheists Growing Numbers.ht m>. GRIMES, WILLIAM. "Christopher Hitchens Is Dead at 62 Ã Â Â Obituary NYTimes.com." The New York Times Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < hitchens is dead at 62 obituary.html?p agewanted=all>. "International Human Development Indicators UNDP." Indices & Data Human Development Reports (HDR) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < "Jessica Ahlquist, Atheist, Receives Threats Over Prayer Banner Ruling; School Board May Appeal (VIDEO)." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr.

7 2012. < ahlquist prayer banner rhode island sch ool_n_ html>. "NationMaster Crime stats: Sweden vs United States." NationMaster World Statistics, Country Comparisons. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < States/Crime>. Olson, Ole Ole. " Research Finds that Atheists are Most Hated and Distrusted Minority NEWS JUNKIE POST." NEWS JUNKIE POST News, Politics, And Opinion From Around The Globe. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr < finds that atheists are most hated and distr usted minority/>.