Atheists: A Groundbreaking Study of America's Nonbelievers

by Bruce E. Hunsberger

According to polls, most Americans believe in God.But disbelief is spreading. After reviewing the mounting evidence that organized religion is declining in many countries, this accessible book provides the first scientific study of active atheists. The authors surveyed nearly 300 members of atheist organizations in the United States. Besides soliciting these nonbelievers'' level of education, political leanings, etc., the researchers sought to understand how each respondent had become an atheist. Had they ever believed in God, or had they never? Had they paid a price for their atheism?Three chapters describe the levels of dogmatism, zealotry, and religious prejudice found among the active atheists. These results, compared with others obtained from more ordinary samples of atheists (and strong fundamentalists), often surprised the authors. Uniquely, the book features a chapter in which the atheists give their reaction to the study and its often-surprising findings. Another chapter breaks down the answers a large Canadian sample gave to the measures used in the American study, according to how religious the respondent was-from atheist to agnostic to four different levels of theistic intensity. A clear finding the more religious a group was, the more their personalities, prejudices, and beliefs separated them from everyone else.

Genres: Atheism, Religion, Nonfiction, Philosophy

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[G. Branden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work focuses not so much on what atheism is or why one should (or shouldn't) disbelieve in God, which is the concern of practically all other literature on the subject, but on how atheists, as a demographic, think and feel compared to agnostics, religious fundamentalists, inactive believers, and the general public. In many ways, Altemeyer and Hunsberger found, atheists (and agnostics too) really are "different", and almost at a cognitive level--my choice of words, not theirs.

I find that most of the book's results reinforce the feeling I've had for a long time that atheism is more a consequence, rather than a cause, of how one's mind apprehends the world. Particularly noteworthy are the authors' accounts of former devout believers who became atheists. It turns out there is a way to raise your children in a heavily God-and-Jesus-saturated household that will increase their risk of apostasy--and that way isn't what a deeply cynical person might suspect. In other words, parents don't drive their offspring from the faith through abuse or harassment; sadly, such treatment likely keeps them within the flock.

The authors candidly admit that they were surprised by their own results multiple times. A lifelong atheist, I was on occasion as well. Are atheists more or less dogmatic than believers? More or less zealous? More or less ethnocentric? I reckon most folks, atheists and believers alike, feel confident they could make qualitative guesses about all of these. Hunsberger and Altemeyer show us data. Some are bound to be disappointed, and others pleasantly surprised--and it's not always the same team that is vindicated in its prejudices.

Atheists is pretty short--only about 150 pages, is engagingly, informally written and makes for a brisk read. For statistics and social science buffs, copious chapter endnotes open the authors' kimono regarding statistical significance, correlation, and alpha factors, so anyone who wants to attack their methodology had better have their skills sharp. Moreover, the authors spend the first third of Chapter 8 critiquing their own approach and pointing the way for future studies. One of my own concerns, about the hypotheticals they constructed to measure dogmatism in atheists and believers, was amply and eloquently addressed in the final chapter, in which atheist and humanist activists are given space to speak for themselves. Above all, I hear an imperfectly stifled cry for more, and better-funded, research on this subject. They're professors--can we expect any less?

Hunsberger and Altemeyer disclose their religious orientations (or lack thereof), but first and foremost, I got an impression of earnest, honest scientists tackling what they feel to be an under-studied subject. And yet with all that, they find time to squeeze in a humorous aside or two. If you want a stuffy, pretentious, or doctrinaire treatment of atheists, you'll have to look elsewhere.

I award the book four out of five stars because, like the authors, I wish they'd had the budget for a much broader study. In a better world, they'd have had it.

[Anthony Faber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this interesting, but I'm a geek. Most of the findings were as I expected and the authors are very clear about the problems with it, but it is a start. There are a few surprises in there.

[Judy J. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would most benefit the very believers who likely wouldn't read it. A thorough analysis of correlates of devout, religious believers in contrast with non-believers. Five stars!

[morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very interesting analysis of various religious and atheist groups across Canada and the USA. i do agree with some of the feedback that there are a few flaws in the nature of Drs Hunsberger and Altemeyer's methodology; however, this comes with the territory of their work being the inaugural study into atheism in North America. overall, Altemeyer and Hunsberger should be commended for the amount of effort and detail they put into their work, as well as their endeavour to make the results of their study accessible to everyone regardless of educational or ideological backgrounds.

on a more personal note, this book helped me order my thoughts about religion and deities as i tend to intellectualise my beliefs (admittedly sometimes to an unhealthy degree). so thanks guys!! i am tentatively calling myself an atheist :)

[Stephanie]

I'm only putting it as read because while I didn't read the whole thing and don't intend on finishing, I still wanted to give input on what I DID read.

I think the thing that kept me from finishing was knowing that the study the authors conducted isn't anywhere close to being a complete one. The author(s) of the book openly state that, so it's not like they were trying to pull the wool over people's eyes. From what I read, it seems like the study was conducted as unbiased...ly?, as possible; it just didn't hold my interest because I kept thinking in the back of my mind that it wasn't going to be as accurate as it probably could be in future studies. Still, for a first study, it seems pretty decent.

[Taede Smedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book which consists for the biggest part in a presentation of the results of a large survey among American atheists about their beliefs. It's a relatively small survey (as the authors admit), and this means that the results shoudl be approached with caution, but the authors also hope that it will inspire more surveys to map atheist convictions. Particularly interesting is the high rate of "dogmatism" among atheists, meaning that many atheists have a tendency to stick to their beliefs no matter what. The comments by atheist organizations (in an appendix) shows that atheists find this troubling.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having done my senior thesis on a very similar topic, this book was a great starting point. It's incredibly informative and even points out its own fault. The inclusion of what was wrong with their methodology and the response letters was very refreshing.

I found the writing very approachable and helps the reader get through all the statistics.

I can't wait to see future studies expand this one with an even greater sample size and with more political beliefs included. Are atheists a viable and cohesive voting block like the "religious right"?

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is reported to be the only study of American Atheists. I took part in the study while living in the Bay Area.