Ukuaji wa ukafiri wa kutoamini kuwepo kwa Mungu (uagnostiki) katika ulimwengu wa Magharibi katika nyakati za hivi karibuni umekuwa wa kushangaza. Katika Uingereza na Marekani, kwa mfano wa nchi mbili tu, kumekuwepo ongezeko la kuacha Ukristo (uasi) ambalo halijawahi kurekodiwa katika historia ya karibuni. Ukuaji wa haraka wa uagnostiki umeambatana, kwa kiasi kikubwa, na kuenea kwa Uatheist Mpya (New Atheism). Wanaoitwa New Atheists, kama Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens na Daniel Dennett, wanatofautishwa kwa mtindo wao wa kujadiliana na hoja zao za kielimu kwa kiasi sawa; kipambanuzi chao kikuu cha kimtindo kinaonekana kuwa ghadhabu kuhusu athari za dini katika jamii (Taylor). Mbali na ghadhabu ya kimaadili, New Atheists kwa kawaida hutumia mfululizo wa hoja za kisayansi na za kidini, ambazo zinaanzia katika kudai kwamba nadharia ya Darwin inakanusha hoja ya usanifu kwa ajili ya kuwepo kwa Mungu, hadi hoja zinazodokeza kwamba dini imezuia na inaendelea kuzuia maendeleo ya kisayansi.

The growth of agnosticism in the Western world in recent times has been remarkable. In both the UK and US, to take just two examples, there has been an increase in Christian apostasy the like of which has never been recorded in recent history. The exponential growth of agnosticism has coincided, by and large, with the spread of New Atheism. New Atheists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett are distinguished as much by polemical style as argumentative substance; their main stylistic distinguisher seemingly is outrage on the effects of religion on society (Taylor). Aside from moral outrage, New Atheists typically employ a series of scientific and religious arguments which range from postulating that Darwinism negates the design argument for God’s existence, to arguments suggesting that religion has and continues to inhibit scientific development.

Kwa kuzingatia mwelekeo wa kidemografia kuelekea ukafiri (agnosticism) katika nchi za Magharibi, swali muhimu ni hoja hizi zimekuwa na ufanisi kiasi gani?

Considering the demographic movement towards agnosticism in the West, the vital question is how effective have these arguments been?

Ili kushughulikia hili, nitajaribu kueleza hoja zinazotolewa na wanatheolojia wa upande wa kutokuamini Mungu (atheist apologists). Nikiangalia jambo kwa mtazamo wa kihistoria, nitalinganisha pia majibu mbalimbali ya kitheolojia, ya Kikristo na ya Kiislamu, kwa sayansi kwa ujumla, na kuuliza kama simulizi la New Atheists la mgongano kati ya sayansi na dini limejidhihirisha katika historia. Baadaye nitaeleza mbinu za kijamii zinazojaribu kueleza michakato ya usekulari (secularisation), na kutathmini jinsi zinavyoweza kusaidia kuelewa harakati kuelekea uagnostiki. Kisha nitachunguza data za idadi ya watu na tafiti, nikilenga ulimwengu unaozungumza Kiingereza, na kubaini kama Waislamu na Wakristo wote huchagua sayansi (au hasa nadharia ya Darwin) kama sababu za kuacha dini. Mwisho, nitatathmini madai ya kitheolojia ya kisayansi ya Waislamu na Wakristo, na jinsi madai hayo yanavyokanushwa na matumizi ya mitandao ya kijamii na New Atheists ili kuendeleza msimamo wao. Kwa lengo hili, nitatumia programu za Python kuchambua akaunti za Twitter za wanatheolojia watano wa New Atheist kwa mwaka mmoja, pamoja na jinsi watu wanavyoshirikiana na twiti za akaunti hizo. Kwa kuwa New Atheists hutegemea sana mitandao ya kijamii, uchambuzi huu unalenga kubaini ufanisi wa hoja za New Atheist kwa watu wenye imani za dini, Wakristo na Waislamu, katika mazingira yanayotumia Kiingereza.

To address this, I will strive to explain the arguments made by atheist apologists. By approaching the matter from a historical perspective, I will also compare various theological reactions (both Christian and Muslim) to science in general, and ask whether the New Atheist narrative of a clash between science and religion has manifested in history. I will subsequently describe the sociological approaches that seek to explain processes of secularisation and assess how useful these may be in understanding a movement towards agnosticism. Next, I will examine the demographic and survey data focusing on the English speaking world and establish whether Muslims and Christians both choose science (or Darwinism in particular) as reasons for apostasy. Finally, I will assess competing Muslim and Christian theological scientific claims and will examine how these claims are refuted by New Atheists’ use of social media to further their cause. To this end, I will use python-based programmes to assess the Twitter accounts of five New Atheist apologists for one year and the interaction people have with tweets on these accounts. Since New Atheists depend largely on social media, this layer of analysis aims to uncover the effectiveness of New Atheist arguments on religious individuals; both Christian and Muslim, in English speaking contexts.

Kwa kuwa hoja za New Atheist zinalenga kushambulia dini, ni muhimu sana kwamba viongozi wa dini, Wakristo na Waislamu, wawe na ufahamu wa hoja hizo na uwezo wa kuzijibu. Zaidi ya yote, viongozi wa dini wana wajibu wa kijamii wa kuwaelimisha waumini wao juu ya masuala ambayo huenda yasiwe ya kitheolojia moja kwa moja, lakini yanayoathiri theolojia.

Given that New Atheist polemics are intended as an attack on religion, it is vital that both Christian and Muslim religious leaders are aware of and capable of responding to the arguments of the New Atheists. Above all, religious leaders have a social duty to edify their congregation members on issues which may not be directly theological, but which do impact theology.