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9781442218499

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This study puts into context the historical conditions and the socio-political realities that have set the stage for the evolution of one of the most understudied, and yet revealing minority groups in the contemporary United States. The authors search beneath the simple belief vs. unbelief dichotomy, demonstrating that there is more to the story concerning what motivates and shapes both sides. For an introduction and sociological picture of some of the most critical issues surrounding American atheists, begin here. -- Jesse M. Smith, University of Colorado at Boulder David Williamson and George Yancey ably integrate the sociology of religion with political sociology in an insightful analysis of contemporary atheist Americans, a largely unknown and under researched minority. The authors show how, for many atheists, their non-theistic world view meshes with a strong commitment to political progressivism that is very much a mirror image of Religious Right's theocratic conservatism. -- Barry A. Kosmin, director, Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture, Trinity College Religious people assume that the growing atheist minority in America lacks a sense of morality. There is No God gives voice to committed atheists who have a strong moral compass, pointing not toward God but in the direction of rationality, and humanism. Williamson and Yancey describe the long history of atheists' delight in subjecting theism to the test of science and logic, from Diagoras to Diderot to Dawkins. They predict the societal struggle between atheists and theists will be resolved by those between the two extremes. -- Ariela Keysar, co-principal investigator, American Religious Identification Survey, Trinity College, Hartford

This study puts into context the historical conditions and the socio-political realities that have set the stage for the evolution of one of the most understudied, and yet revealing minority groups in the contemporary United States. The authors search beneath the simple belief vs. unbelief dichotomy, demonstrating that there is more to the story concerning what motivates and shapes both sides. For an introduction and sociological picture of some of the most critical issues surrounding American atheists, begin here. -- Jesse M. Smith, University of Colorado at Boulder David A. Williamson and George Yancey ably integrate the sociology of religion with political sociology in an insightful analysis of contemporary atheist Americans, a largely unknown and under researched minority. The authors show how, for many atheists, their non-theistic world view meshes with a strong commitment to political progressivism that is very much a mirror image of Religious Right's theocratic conservatism. -- Barry A. Kosmin, director, Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture, Trinity College Religious people assume that the growing atheist minority in America lacks a sense of morality. There is No God gives voice to committed atheists who have a strong moral compass, pointing not toward God but in the direction of rationality, and humanism. Williamson and Yancey describe the long history of atheists' delight in subjecting theism to the test of science and logic, from Diagoras to Diderot to Dawkins. They predict the societal struggle between atheists and theists will be resolved by those between the two extremes. -- Ariela Keysar, co-principal investigator, American Religious Identification Survey, Trinity College, Hartford Williamson and Yancey have successfully walked the fine line between the two extremes of the religious-atheism divide. This book captures the range of points of view in a balance with delicate skill, and careful, accurate presentation of their various nuances. Their messages are honest, thoughtful, and respectful of the people and points of view along the continuum from those with absolute god belief, absolute no-god belief, and variations in between. People's attitudes about those on the other side, as well as their proclivities to act in certain ways in relation to them, are revealed in in-depth interviews and are represented overall in research on societal trends. Although the book is about the present, interesting historical notes are woven in that add to its intellectual richness and insights. -- Raymond F. Paloutzian, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology at Westmont College, editor of The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion

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David A. Williamson is associate professor of sociology at the University of North Texas. George Yancey is professor of sociology at the University of North Texas. He is the author of numerous books, including Just Don’t Marry: Interracial Dating, Marriage, and Parenting and One Body, One Spirit: Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches.

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