Full Idea
A free-thinking atheism would begin by questioning the prevailing faith in humanity. But there is little prospect of contemporary atheists giving up their reverence for this phantom.
Gist of Idea
Free atheism should start by questioning its faith in humanity
Source
John Gray (Seven Types of Atheism [2018], Conc)
Book Reference
Gray,John: 'Seven Types of Atheism' [Penguin 2019], p.157
A Reaction
He seems to be referring to 'humanism', which I take to be quite different from atheism. I take it as obvious that simple atheism is entirely neutral on the question of whether we should have 'faith' in humanity (which presumably mean optimism).