I have mentioned before the atheism jag that I have been on, and even if I hadn’t mentioned it, it would have been obvious. Just last week I posted covers of some of the new titles coming out. One thought that has occurred to me is that a number of Christians may be thinking, “For pity’s sake, you made your point already.” Why, as the historic question goes, beat a dead horse?
The militant atheist surge does not appear to have been a seasonal fad. The books by Harris, Hitchens and Dawkins have not only sold extremely well, but the publishers are lining up for more. Dawkins’ follow on to The God Delusion earned him a pretty penny. He’s almost as well off as a televangelist. He is timing that book to coincide with the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species. Cambridge is even hosting a Darwin Festival.
Another book is not specifically about atheism, but the contributors should tell you something. Harper Perennial is publishing What Have You Changed Your Mind About? and contributors include Dawkins, Harris, and Stephen Pinker.
Right after God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens edited The Portable Atheist, published by Da Capo last October. And Hitchens is now engaged in writing his memoir called Both Sides Now. And another book for secularists is being published — called Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion. Richard Dawkins is one of the contributors.
As long as these folks keep publishing their balloons, there should be room for us to keep publishing our needles.