[[File:Richard Dawkins at 2010 Global Atheist Convention.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Richard Dawkins]] speaking at the [[Global atheism|Global Atheist]] convention. ]]
The term '''New [[Atheism]] ''' which first appeared in the November 2006 edition of ''Wired'' magazine, is frequently applied to a series of six best-selling books by five authors that appeared in the period between 2004–2008. These authors include [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Christopher Hitchens]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Daniel Dennett]] and [[Victor J. Stenger]].<ref>http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html</ref>
The four most prominent writers of the New Atheist movement are Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett and they have commonly been called "the four horsemen" of New Atheism. [[PZ Myers]] dubbed himself the fifth horseman of the New [[Atheism ]] movement, but the term never caught on and he was mocked by some fellow atheists such as [[Michael Nugent]].<ref>*[http://www.michaelnugent.com/2014/11/04/chronology-of-misrepresentations-and-smears-in-the-atheist-movement-by-pz-myers-and-others/ Chronology of misrepresentations and smears in the atheist movement by PZ Myers and others] by Michael Nugent on November 4, 2014</ref><ref>*[http://thehumanist.com/magazine/november-december-2009/features/comes-a-horseman Comes a Horseman] by PZ Myers • 13 October 2009</ref><ref>*[http://skeptischism.com/atheismneat/ PZ Myers, Animal Lover], Atheism Neat by Matt Cavanaugh</ref>
An irony of the New Atheist movement is that New Atheism is a [[militant atheism|militant form of atheism]] and Richard Dawkins has flip-flopped concerning whether he is an atheist or an agnostic (see: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]).
{{cquote|A number of prominent authors and scientists have published books in the past year that advocate a "New Atheism." The books, which include Daniel Dennett's ''Breaking the Spell'', Richard Dawkins's ''[[The God Delusion]]'', and Christopher Hitchens's ''God is Not Great'', have sparked considerable public controversy across the political spectrum.<ref>http://dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=928</ref>}}
== Social science examination of the New Atheists new atheists and other examination examinations ==[[File:Richard Dawkins - March 2005.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|260px|left|The atheist philosopher Dr. [[Michael Ruse]] declared concerning new atheist [[Richard Dawkins]]' book ''The God Delusion'': "''The God Delusion'' makes me embarrassed to be an atheist."<ref>http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire</ref> ]]''See also:'' [[Antitheism and antisocial behavior]]
New Atheism is a contemporary form of [[antitheism]].
=== Sam Harris and charges of misogny ===
[[File:Sam Harris 01.jpg|thumbnail|175px|rightleft|[[Sam Harris]] ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and sexism]]
Most of the allegations around New Atheism being a cult have been due to the behavior of Richard Dawkins and his fans (see: [[Richard Dawkins' cult of personality]]).
== Impact of Dr. Albert Mohler Jr. commentary on the New Atheism ==[[Image:Mohler.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Dr. Albert Mohler Jr.]]Dr. Alfred Mohler Jr. describes some of the key attributes of the "New Atheism":{{cquote|Now, WIRED magazine comes out with a cover story on atheism for its November 2006 issue. In "The New Atheism," WIRED contributing editor Gary Wolf explains that this newly assertive form of atheism declares a very simple message: "No heaven. No hell. Just science."...
Wolf accomplishes a great deal in his article, thoughtfully introducing the work of [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] such as Dawkins, [[Sam Harris|Harris]], and [[Daniel Dennett|Dennett]]. At the same time, he probes more deeply into the actual meaning of the New Atheism as a movement and a message.
At the beginning of his article, he gets right to the point: "The New Atheists will not let us off the hook simply because we are not doctrinaire believers. They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil. Now that the battle has been joined, there's no excuse for shirking."<ref>http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2006-11-21</ref>}}
== Impact of the New Atheism ==
[[Image:Hitchens,_Stanford.jpg |right|thumb|200px|[[Christopher Hitchens]] ]]
The New Atheism has not had much of an impact in terms of gaining new adherents to [[atheism]]. In a March 10, 2008 [[USA Today]] article Stephen Prothero stated the following regarding the impact of the "New Atheism":
{{cquote|Numbers lie, but they also tell tales untrustworthy and otherwise. So the key question stirring around the much discussed U.S Religious Landscape Survey released in late February by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is what tale does it state about the state of the union.
Not too long ago, I wrote that American atheism was going the way of the freak show. As books by Christopher Hitchens and other "new atheists" climbed the best seller lists, I caught a lot of flak for that prophecy. But atheist make up only 1.6% of respondents to this survey....<ref>American Faith: A Work In Progress by Stephen Prothero, USA Today, March 10, 2008, page 11A</ref>}}
A prime reason Stephen LeDrew wrote at [[Oxford University]] Press's Academic Insights for the ineffectiveness Thinking World website:{{cquote|The ten-year anniversary of the publication of Richard Dawkins’ ''The God Delusion'' is approaching, and it has already been over ten years since Sam Harris published ''The End of Faith''. Social science in general has not yet fully appreciated the significance of the New Atheism and has tended not to take it very seriously, with the exception of those working in the new sub-discipline of secularity studies. But whatever one might think of the New Atheists’ ideas, an honest appraisal would recognize that they have had a significant and lasting impact. They should be remembered for catalyzing a movement for religious dissent and inspiring atheists to come together and find a voice in American public life. But there’s a much darker side to the legacy of the New Atheism that stems from its imperialist and xenophobic tendencies, to say nothing of some thinly veiled Social Darwinism and [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11047072/Richard-Dawkins-immoral-to-allow-Downs-syndrome-babies-to-be-born.html arguments] for eugenics. Sam Harris in particular is now known more for [http://www.samharris.org/podcast/item/why-dont-i-criticize-israel supporting the Israeli occupation of Palestine] and [http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/in-defense-of-profiling ethnic profiling] at airport security than for his science-based critique of religious faith. Richard Dawkins’ personal legacy has taken a heavy hit in the past few years, as his rambling criticisms of feminism and Muslim “barbarians” on Twitter have led to charges of [http://www.salon.com/2014/10/03/new_atheisms_troubling_misogyny_the_pompous_sexism_of_richard_dawkins_and_sam_harris_partner/ sexism], [http://www.salon.com/2013/08/10/richard_dawkins_does_it_again_new_atheisms_islamophobia_problem/ racism], and general arrogance and intolerance. <ref>[http://blog.oup.com/2015/11/legacy-new-atheism/#sthash.6ZTcoHLw.dpuf The legacy of the New Atheism] by Stephen LeDrew wrote at [[Oxford University]] Press's Academic Insights for the Thinking World website</ref>}} On November 4, 2015, Elizabeth Bruenig published an article in the ''New Republic'' entitled ''Is the New Atheism Dead?'' which declared:{{cquote|Coming at a time of sharpening political divisions over the issue of religion, it would seem the stage is set for the kind of religious versus anti-religious antagonism that gave birth to the New Atheist movement in the early aughts. But in significant ways, New Atheism seems to be on the wane, suggesting a new era of growing conciliation between the two sides.<ref>[http://www.newrepublic.com/article/123349/new-atheism-dead ''Is the New Atheism Dead?''] by Elizabeth Bruenig, ''New Republic'', November 4, 2015</ref>}} A common criticism of the "new atheism" is the shallowness of its material. For example, even atheist philosopher [[Michael Ruse]] stated that that Richard Dawkins' book ''The God Delusion'' made him "embarrassed to be an atheist".<ref name="TDD3">http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/47052/?page=3</ref>
The "New Atheism" largely has a unfavorable view outside the United States as well. The [[liberal]] leaning British publication [[The Guardian]] stated the following regarding the "New Atheism":
{{cquote|The Christian backlash and response to new atheism is/was considerable, and neither can the consequences, changes, and foci which marked their response be ignored.
In the end, have we simply made the aforementioned goal more difficult to accomplish.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-third-wave-of-attack-coming-towards.html What is the third wave of Christian backlash coming against the new militant atheists. Will it come at the worst possible time?]</ref>}}
Subsequent to the New Atheism campaign, the [[Christian apologetics]] organizations [[Ratio Christi]] and [[Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology]] were founded.
== New Atheism leaders and problems with being overweight ==
[[ImageFile:Hitchens,_StanfordPzMyers2.jpg jpg|rightthumbnail|thumb251px|200pxleft|Christopher Hitchens[[PZ Myers]]<br /><br /><small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small> ]]
As noted earlier, the main authors of the New Atheism movement include Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Victor J. Stenger and Christopher Hitchens.<ref>http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html</ref> The New Atheism movement claims to be pro-science, yet 3 out of 5 of these men have have had issues with being overweight as can be seen [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3UXl0oMYPLs/SXgxH_-MgFI/AAAAAAAAAF4/EU-wzxEjOmc/s1600-h/atheist-reason.jpg HERE] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/7230309@N05/3708479160/ HERE] and [http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/Quantum-Mechanics-Could-Link-Humans-with-the-Universe-2.jpg/ HERE]. [[PZ Myers]] is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and PZ Myers [[PZ Myers|has had issues with being overweight]].