Atheists and conflict resolution

In 2018, David Silverman said about his fellow atheists: "Lots and lots of division in our movement. Hard, bad division... And that has resulted in a splintering and factioning of the movement that I have never seen before and none of us have."

There is a lot of internal conflict within the atheist population in the Western World (see: Atheist factions and Atheism and social skills). In addition, there is no strong basis for forgiveness under an atheist worldview (see: Atheism and forgiveness). Furthermore, conflict resolution between atheists which uses the secular civil authorities can be lengthy and expensive (see: Richard Carrier's lawsuits against fellow atheists).

Most atheists are likely East Asians (see: Asian atheism). Mainland China which has state atheism and has the largest atheist population in the world, is increasingly being aggressive/belligerent towards its neighbors and making Indo-Pacific dialogue among nations in the region more difficult. See: China and atheism and Atheism and world peace

In addition, most Americans/Europeans/others see China's unfair trade practices being a threat to their economic interests and China has been stubbornly refusing to resolve this matter. Furthermore, China has been engaging in a large amount intellectual property theft and has been reluctant to resolve this issue (see: Atheistic China and intellectual property theft).

Furthermore, there is a significant amount of evidence showing that atheists are often unreasonable (see: Atheists and unreasonableness).

Contention/quarrelsomeness within the atheist population

See also: Atheist factions

The atheist Neil Carter wrote: "Friends of mine have noted lately how biting and critical the atheist community can be, not only toward outsiders, but even toward its own members. Has there ever been a subculture more prone to eating its own than this one? I really don’t know."

Blair Scott served on the American Atheists board of directors. Mr. Scott formerly served as a State Director for the American Atheists organization in the state of Alabama. On December 1, 2012 he quit his post as a director of outreach for the American Atheist due to infighting within the American atheist movement.

Mr. Blair wrote: "I have spent the last week mulling over what I want to do at this point in the movement. I’m tired of the in-fighting: at every level. I am especially tired of allowing myself to get sucked into it and engaging in the very behavior that is irritating..me."

David Silverman, ex-president of the American Atheists organization.

At the 2018 American Atheists convention, the ex-president of the American Atheist organization David Silverman declared:

“

It is a hard time to be an atheist activist. This has affected us. And it has affected our community... ...it has really affected us. We are suffering a level of defeatism that I have never seen before... And people are reacting to each other now. And so that is causing a division. Lots and lots of division in our movement. Hard, bad division... And that has resulted in a splintering and factioning of the movement that I have never seen before and none of us have. In other words, we're in a bad situation and it's getting worse.

”

Numerous atheists have declared that the "atheist movement is dead/dying" (see: Decline of the atheist movement)

The atheist James Croft wrote about American atheism:

“

...something has happened to organized secularism, such that its priorities and population have rapidly changed. Today, there is a deepening rift between two wings of the movement, and the changes in Skepticon demonstrate this perfectly. The new rift in the secular community, it seems to me, parallels one deepening in the culture at large: it is between those who are on board with contemporary social justice culture, and those who are not. In the community of skeptics, this rift is filled with lava: there is an incredibly intense animosity between those on different sides, and the divide seems impossible to cross.

”

The new atheist Richard Dawkins was at the center of the Elevatorgate controversy.

Jacques Rousseau wrote in the Daily Maverick: "Elevatorgate..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."

An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of Atheist positions, but there exists an actual battle between certain Atheist factions." See also: Schools of atheist thought

According to an international study done by William Bainbridge, atheism is frequent among people whose interpersonal social obligations are weak and is also linked to lower fertility rates in advanced industrial nations (See also: Atheism and fertility rates). See: Atheism and social skills

In terms of politics and atheist infighting, there is friction between right-wing atheists (and right of center atheists) and secular leftist. See: Atheism and politics and Western atheism, schisms and political polarization

In 2017, atheist David Smalley has indicated that leftist/progressive atheists were "killing the atheist movement" through being contentious and divisive. Smalley indicated that the atheist movement was disintegrating.

The website Atheism and the City wrote about the 2018 cancellation of the first major atheist conference to be held in New York City:

“

But none of this is going to happen now because the event has just been canceled. The reasons why are complicated, but it started out difficult enough. The atheist community has splintered into a million shards in recent years. There are the atheist feminists and the atheist anti-feminists, the social justice warrior atheists and the anti-social justice warrior atheists. The pro-PC atheists and the anti-PC atheists. There are pro-Trump atheists and anti pro-Trump atheists. Atheists are split over gamergate, elevatorgate, whether we should organize, or whether we should even call ourselves atheists at all. The divisions go on and on.

”

The Journal of Contemporary Religion says about schisms within atheism: "The persistence of internal schisms and regular outbreaks of in-fighting within the atheist movement also ensure that much energy is effectively wasted on parochial concerns and further undermine attempts to establish a genuine sense of group cohesion."

The Journal of Contemporary Religion say that internal divisions within the American atheist movement have to do with:

“

internal divisions within the movement around issues relating to goals, strategies, and direction. These can be seen most notably in debates about the formation of a collective ‘atheist’ identity, in disputes about the effectiveness of confrontationalism and accommodationism, and in concerns about the movement’s ethnic, racial, and gender profile.

”

Atheism and forgiveness/unforgiveness

See also: Atheism and forgiveness

The atheist Neil Carter wrote:

“

At least Christians have to pay lipservice to forgiveness because they believe it’s what God wants from them. Do atheists have any such compunction? I fear that we have no mechanism which compels us as a community to be kind to each other, to speak to one another with respect.

”

John Lennox on atheism having no basis for forgiveness

John Lennox

Miriam Diez Bosch, who interviewed Christian apologist John Lennox wrote:

“

Where creation has become dehumanized, the core concepts of faith — mercy and forgiveness — become meaningless and irrelevant, says Lennox. “It is one of the reasons why I am a Christian, because atheism has no forgiveness, of course, and no ultimate justice. The genius of Christianity is that the acceptance does not come after the final Judgment, it comes at the start, because God has done something in Christ that deals with my central problem of guilt. I live my life not to gain God’s acceptance, but because I have got it as a free gift.” This acquaintance with mercy begets mercy, “always. I want every day and every year to be a Year of Mercy and I am glad to see that emphasis because this is the Christian Gospel: God in his grace has shown mercy to us. It is not something I deserve, it is something God offers.”

”

James S. Spiegal and unforgiveness as a cause of atheism

The Conversion of St. Paul by Nicolas-Bernard Lepicie, 1767.

See also: Causes of atheism and Atheism and bitterness and Atheism and love

The Apostle Paul taught about love that "it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.." (1 Corinthians 13:5 NASB). See: Atheism and love

The Christian Post reports about the Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel's book The Making of an Atheist:

“

Spiegel, who converted to Christianity in 1980, has witnessed the pattern among several of his friends. Their path from Christianity to atheism involved: moral slippage (such as infidelity, resentment or unforgiveness); followed by withdrawal from contact with fellow believers; followed by growing doubts about their faith, accompanied by continued indulgence in the respective sin; and culminating in a conscious rejection of God.

”

Atheists and expensive/lengthy conflict resolution

The Apostle Paul defends his preaching (Giovanni Ricco)

The Apostle Paul declared about Christians resolving disputes among themselves rather than using the civil courts: "When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?" (1 Corinthians 6:1).

Atheists have no authoritive source of information which discourages litigious behavior against fellow atheists.

In addition, not possessing a religious basis for morality, which can provide a basis for objective morality, atheism is fundamentally incapable of providing a coherent system of morality. See also: Atheism and morality and Atheist population and immorality and Atheism and ethics

Atheist Heman Mehta on the Richard Carrier lawsuit against Freethought blog, The Orbit and the Skepticon conference

See also: Richard Carrier's lawsuits against fellow atheists

Hemant Mehta

The atheist Richard Carrier initiated defamation lawsuits against Freethought Blogs, The Orbit and the Skepticon conference.

In 2018, the atheist Hemant Mehta wrote about the matter:

“

The lawsuit began in September of 2016, when Dr. Richard Carrier..., the author of several books about ancient philosophy, religion, and science, sued individual atheists, Freethought Blogs and The Orbit (atheist blog networks), and the Skepticon conference on charges of defamation, interference with his business, and emotional distress. Those charges stemmed from posts made about his alleged sexual harassment, an accusation he repeatedly denied.

”

Mehta also wrote:

“

In all three lawsuits, Carrier is asking the Court for damages worth $1.3 million — that’s nearly $4 million in total — in addition to legal costs, interest, and anything else the Courts deem fit. He’s also filing all three lawsuits on his own — without the help of a lawyer (at least one who’s listed in the complaints).

”

PZ Myers' commentary on Richard Carrier's defamation lawsuit

PZ Myers

In 2019, the atheist PZ Myers wrote about the defamation lawsuit filed against Freethought Blogs by fellow atheist Richard Carrier:

“

The next step in the never-ending nonsense that is the Carrier lawsuit takes place tomorrow, a hearing at the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in St Paul, at 1:30 in the Devitt Courtroom... …I should at least be there to witness the fate of my financial future. As always, we’re still looking for donations to support our resistance against this SLAPP suit. Our colleagues at Affinity and sterr have also been carrying out sales and auctions to raise money for the effort. Lawyers are expensive. I just want the foolishness to end.

”

Richard Carrier's commentary on the defamation lawsuit

• The Details of My Defamation Case by Richard Carrier, 2016

• End This Defamation: Help Me Get the Truth Told by Richard Carrier, 2018

Analysis of the Richard Carrier Lawsuit

• Richard Carrier’s Lawsuit, with Andrew Torrez
• Analysis of the Richard Carrier Lawsuit by Damion Reinhardt

Commentary at PZ Myers' blog regarding the Richard Carrier lawsuit

In 2019, a commentator on PZ Myers' Pharyngula blog wrote about the Richard Carrier lawsuit against Freethought Blogs:

“

Presuming, as I think is likely, that the magistrate recommends dismissal and the district judge agrees and dismisses the case, Carrier would then have the right to appeal his loss to a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. This would mean a few more months during which P.Z.’s lawyers and Carrier would submit further written arguments to the appellate panel. I suspect the court would not order oral argument in a case like this, so the panel would likely issue its decision based on written submissions alone. If we assume that Carrier lost at that phase as well, he would then have the right to ask for a rehearing in front of the full Eight Circuit (“en banc”) and/or ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appellate decision. The chances that either one of those requests would be granted, however, are remote. All of these courts have wide discretion in deciding how quickly or slowly to rule. That means it’s very difficult to place a confident time frame on when we should expect to know the final outcome of the case; if every court took as much time as reasonably possible just to complete the appeal process described above, it could take… I dunno, five years? But this lawsuit is in fact a small, relatively simple one, so it’s more likely that that process will be finished in a year or less.

”

Atheism and violence

See: Atheism and violence

Atheism and world peace

• Atheism and world peace

• Irreligion/religion and war

Christian worldview concerning resolving conflict among Christians

The prophet Moses authored the book of Deuteronomy

Under a Christian worldview the following 4 things apply in terms of conflicts and wrongdoing within the Christianity community:

1. Matthew 18:16 ESV:

"But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."

(Matthew is alluding to Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV : “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.)

2. Matthew 18:15-17 ESV

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Jesus Christ and his apostles taught a gospel of love. See also: Atheism and love

3. Jesus Christ and Christendom have emphasized the importance of love and forgiveness and in the last few decades mental health specialists have increasingly seen the importance of forgiveness to alleviate bitterness and other emotional problems within individuals. See also: Atheism and love

As adults, children who attended religious services regularly are 87 percent more likely to possess high levels of forgiveness. See also: Atheism and emotional problems

4. As noted above, the Apostle Paul declared about Christians resolving disputes among themselves rather than using the civil courts: "When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?" (1 Corinthians 6:1).

See also

• Atheist Karl Marx and conflict theory
• Atheism and its anti-civilizational effects
• Atheism and violence
• Conflict resolution