Hitchens has a whole chapter to defend secularism—a belief system without god as a significant factor—against the truthful claim that Nazism, Stalinism and other atrocious societies were secular. Hitchens, not unlike a child trying to defend himself, points how religious groups—especially Catholics—associated themselves with the secular totalitarian governments. Hitchens does admit that secular societies don’t have a great track record, but, once again, just claims that the religious one is worse. I would say that first, there isn’t enough evidence to know the moral guidance of any secular societies, since we don’t have enough of a record of them, although I will say that the current tally up till this point isn’t very great.
Certainly those dedicated to the scientific method have proven to be just as prejudiced, myopic and hateful as any religious person. And should secularism be in full charge, religious groups will be persecuted severely. This is not because secular groups are worse than religious groups, but because humans fear that which is not like themselves. It isn’t religiosity or secularism that is really the issue here—it is cultural prejudice and humanity at large. In general, no matter what one’s racial, national, cultural or religious persuasion, the marginalization and then the dehumanization of other groups will rule. This is the way of all humanity.
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