Recent Times
In the early 21st century the New Atheists, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, were prominent as critics of religion.
In the opinion of Austin Cline, criticism of religion from atheists is very unwelcome while comparable defense of religion by others is more tolerated. Cline believes this defensiveness happens because wider awareness of criticisms might cause a greater decrease in religious beliefs than has already occurred.
Read more about this topic: Criticism Of Religion
Famous quotes containing the word times:
“It were a blessed sight to see
That child become a willow tree,
His brother trees among.
He’d be four times as tall as me,
And live three times as long.”
—Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765–1834)
“I will soon be going out to shape all the singing tomorrows.”
—Gabriel Péri, French Communist leader. Letter, July 1942, written shortly before his execution by the Germans. Quoted in New York Times (April 11, 1943)