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→Atheism, leftism and social justice
*[http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ Atheists and the Quest for Objective Morality] by Chad Meister
*[http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ Atheists and the Quest for Objective Morality] by Chad Meister
*[http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality The failure of atheism to account for morality]</ref>
*[http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality The failure of atheism to account for morality]</ref>
== Atheism and the treatment of women ==
Most atheists in the Western World are [[leftist]]s (see: [[Atheism and politics]]). Leftists commonly advocate [[feminism]].
=== Deplorable treatment of many Muslim women decried yet high level of atheist women abused ===
In recent times, atheists have put in a lot of effort and focus into decrying the deplorable treatment of many Muslim women by Muslim men, yet the full extent that atheist women are treated deplorably by atheist men is not given the same degree of attention. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is chosen to be the keynote speaker of the [[American Atheists]] convention and Time magazine names her one of the most 100 influential people in the world.<ref>[http://atheists.org/convention2015 2015 American Atheists National Convention]</ref><ref>[http://wwsg.com/ayaan-hirsi-ali Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world]</ref> Yet, the women who point out misogyny in [[Western World]] atheism receive torrents of abuse (see: [[Elevatorgate]]).
===== Irreligion and domestic abuse =====
[[Image:Cycle.gif|thumbnail|255px|right|Research suggests that irreligiousity is a causal factor for domestic violence.<ref>doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 ]''Violence Against Women'', ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'',] November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112</ref> ]]
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]
The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal ''Violence Against Women'' entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' indicated:
{{cquote|The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.<ref>doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 ]''Violence Against Women'', ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'',] November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112</ref>}}
A higher rate of domestic violence exists among cohabiting couples as compared with married couples<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579211 Demography. 2006 Feb;43(1):127-40. Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriages?. Kenney CT1, McLanahan SS.]</ref> Atheists have lower marriage rates than [[theism|theists]] (see: [[Atheism and marriage]]).
A September 9, 2012 article at ''Atlantic Wire'' wrote about the noted atheist [[John Lennon]]:
{{cquote|But people have mostly forgotten that Lennon was also physically abusive towards women. "I used to be cruel to my woman," he said, citing the lyrics to "Getting Better" in a Playboy interview near the end of his life. "Physically—any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women." In his biography The Lives of John Lennon, Albert Goldman also maintains that Lennon was guilty of spousal abuse.<ref>[http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/09/john-lennon-and-chris-brown-have-something-common/57040/ John Lennon and Chris Brown Have Something in Common]</ref>}}
For more information, please see: [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]
==== Secular Europe and domestic violence ====
''See also:'' [[Secular Europe and domestic violence]]
[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|280px|right|Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref> In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent.<ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/20140305/sweden-out-top-in-eu-domestic-violence-league Sweden stands out in domestic violence study] Published: 05 Mar 2014 08:3</ref>]]
In March of 2014, the [[Sweden|Swedish]] news website ''The Local'' published an article entitled ''Sweden stands out in domestic violence study'' which declared:
{{cquote|A new EU review of violence against women has revealed that one in three European women has been assaulted, and one in twenty has been raped, with the Scandinavian countries at the top of the league tables.
In the Scandinavian countries, in contrast, around half of the women reported physical or sexual violence, which researchers at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said could have several explanations...
In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent. After Sweden, which had the highest rate, Denmark, France, the Netherland and Finland all saw rates above 70 percent. The EU member state with the lowest rate - 24 percent - was Bulgaria.<ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/20140305/sweden-out-top-in-eu-domestic-violence-league Sweden stands out in domestic violence study] Published: 05 Mar 2014 08:3</ref>}}
[[Sweden]] is one of the most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 46 - 85% of Swedes were agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref> Sweden also has the 3rd highest rate of belief in evolution as far as [[Western World]] nations.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/21329204.html Photo: Evolution Less Accepted in U.S. Than Other Western Countries, Study Finds]</ref>
See also: [[Sexual immorality and Sweden]]
For more information, please see: [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]
=== Most prominent atheist leaders are men ===
The leadership of the [[New Atheism]] movement consists solely of white males. Furthermore, atheist leadership in the West is predominately made up of men who have poor leadership skills (See: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and leadership]]}.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2013/07/29/five_reasons_there_arent_more_women_in_atheism/ 5 reasons there aren't more women in atheism - Salon]</ref>
[[File:Richard Dawkins pic.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
{{cquote|From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement - [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] -- are all white men.
But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
=== Elevatorgate and rape threats ===
[[Elevatorgate]] is a term commonly used to describe a scandal involving [[Atheism|atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]' inappropriate comments made to fellow atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]. In July of 2011, Richard Dawkins was widely criticized within the atheist community and in various press outlets for his insensitive comments made to atheist Rebecca Watson about an incident which occurred in an elevator (see: [[Richard Dawkins' Elevatorgate comments]]).<ref>
*[http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/07/08/atheist_flirting Richard Dawkins: Skeptic of women? - Salon, July 8, 2011]
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]
*[http://gawker.com/5818993/richard-dawkins-torn-limb-from-limbby-atheists Richard Dawkins Torn Limb From Limb—By Atheists - Gawker]
*[http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-15/atheist-sexism-women/50416454/1 Atheists address sexism issues - USA Today]</ref> Specifically, Watson was invited for coffee and a conversation late at night by a man who was a fellow atheist. Watson was upset by this and subsequently blogged about it. Following this, Richard Dawkins wrote an open letter to a fictitious Muslim woman, satirically equating Rebecca's plight with that of abused Muslim women. Watson has written about perceived widespread [[misogny]] within the atheist community and she has received threats of rape (see also: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://skepchick.org/2011/07/the-privilege-delusion/ The Privilege Delusion by Rebecca Watson - Skepchick]</ref>.
[[File:Rebecca-watson.jpg|thumbnail|200px|Atheist [[Rebecca Watson]]
<br />
<br />
<small>(photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rebecca_watson_geek.jpg Wikimedia commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]
Post Elevatorgate controversy, at an atheist convention, [[Rebecca Watson]] claimed:
{{cquote|Hundreds of atheists have informed me that either they wanted to rape me, someone should rape me so that I will loosen up or that no one would ever rape me because I am so ugly".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1mLHdTsmPc PZ Myers and the Art of Shameless Dishonesty]</ref>}}
In July of 2012, Watson declared: "It get regular rape threats. I get regular rape and murder threats".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96FtpDLi_Vw FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers]</ref> Furthermore, in August of 2013, [[Rebecca Watson]] said that post [[Elevatorgate]] she received a flood of rape threats and she continues to receive rape threats (see: [[Atheism and rape]]).<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/06/sikivu-ophelia-and-rebecca-who-says-atheism-lacks-women-stars/ Sikivu, Ophelia, and Rebecca — who says atheism lacks women stars?]</ref>
According to Rebecca Watson atheist women are often punished for being outspoken - particularly when they speak about [[feminism]].<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> In August of 2013, Watson said the harassment she received from male atheists skyrocketed after Elevatorgate. <ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> Furthermore, she said she still receives harassment from male fans of Richard Dawkins.<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref> The atheist feminist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson concurs with Watson and says that sexual harassment has been institutionalized within the atheist movement and that atheist men have an investment in censoring, controlling and policing women and also have an investment in "male privilege".<ref>[http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/women-are-afraid-of-atheism/51fae2acfe344467f2000596 Calling All Female Atheists - Huffington Post - video]</ref>
=== New Statesman reporter and skeptic David Allen said Richard Dawkins is a misoginist ===
The ''New Statesman'' reporter and fellow [[Philosophical skepticism|skeptic]] [[David Allen Green]] said he believed Dawkins was a [[sexism|mysoginist]] and a racist.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref> In addition, Green wrote: "Can Richard Dawkins still credibly pose as a champion of rational thinking and an evidence-based approach? In my opinion, he certainly cannot, at least not in the way he did before."<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]</ref>
=== Western atheism and race ===
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]]
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
{{cquote|From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement - [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] -- are all white men.
But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
Secular leftists in the West often decry [[racism]], yet the atheist leadership is made up predominantly of white males and racial minorities are underreprentated in atheist community in the Western World (see: [[Western atheism and race]]).
In addition, since WWII atheists/agnostics have been the most vocal proponents of Darwinism.<ref>
* Dr. Don Batten, [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
</ref> [[Evolutionary racism]] may partly explain the lack of atheists in minority populations in the West (see: [[Western atheism and race]]).
== Atheism, leftism and social justice ==
== Atheism, leftism and social justice ==