Where does the left stand on religion?
It's fairly obvious from a marxist standpoint. "religion is the opiate of the masses." End, that's it, we can all go home now. However as marxism falls in popularity due to its failure to keep up with the capitalist west, we are seeing common arguments and standpoints of the left fall into disuse.
One such point is our ardent stand against religion.
It seems that radical Atheism is on the decline, it's become a bit of a social pariah. I understand where this comes from of course. The radical atheists of the Naughties (Dawkins, Harris etc) and the  Atheist internet noise box (TAA and r/Atheism) brought "euphoria" to the general populace.
The vilification of radical atheists as fedora tipping neckbeards worked wonders to push atheism out of the mainstream. I'm not, of course, saying atheism stopped being a thing rather that it largely stopped being talked about outside of the neckbeard stereotype.
I'm not going to talk about neckbeards, though through that discussion we could learn alot about the current composition and reinvigoration of the far-right.
What is more pressing is the reaction on left to this phenomena.
Neckbeards are a conglomeration of everything the left doesn't like, sexism, racism, capitalism. Neckbeards in their various forms either take all of these things or some of them. As such, it would be silly to say all neckbeards believe the same thing, they don't. Neckbeards are three different reactions to Liberalism.
The left typically places the blame of the reactionary rise on the denigration of the working class under neoliberalism. Whilst that undoubtedly has alot to do with the current state of middle-lower class political discourse, it can hardly be the only factor.
The truth, as always, lies in a multitude of factors.
New Atheism bred a lack of tolerance in any religious institution or area perceived to be dogged down with religious dogma. The wests lack of knowledge of the middle east, the rhetorical strength of New Atheism and 9/11, All formed a powerful beginning to the rise of the Neckbeard.
When 9/11 happened the New Atheists had a new injection of fervour to their movement. An act of religious terrorism that kicked New Atheism and Nationalistic furore into high gear. Suddenly, American interests in the Middle East could boil over into a war. So began "Operation Iraqi Freedom".
For the New Atheists, Terrorism was the fault of religion. It was irrational and dangerous, therefore the destruction of governments that harboured or abetted such things could justifiably be destroyed.
For the Nationalists it was easier. Terrorism was endemic to an inferior society. The white world would always be at war with the Islamic world. It was justifiable to subdue the Muslims who stood against the white nations.
But as the war dragged on, the countries increasingly turned to chaotic religious conflicts. This only added fuel to the fire. If without a dictator these countries fall to pieces, from the nationalist and New Atheist perspective these people were incapable of joining the ranks of the Civilised nations. These people were incompatible with white society and infact were a danger to it.
These countries could not accept or grow to enjoy the benefits of what the western neckbeard considered civilisation. Hallmarks including: Free market capitalism, secular governance and democracy.


Neckbeards to Nationalism (Alt-right) -
-Turned New Atheism into islamophobia, to racism and due to refugee crisis turn to nationalism
-Never bought New Atheism (unaligned or christian) and followed same route.
-Either way have dropped the Liberal tenet of Tolerance entirely.
-This causes the dropping of all Liberal tenets.
-The dropping of Liberal tenets meant the picking up of nationalist tenets.
Neckbeards to NEET's  (Otaku, Gamergaters)
-Turned New Atheism to social exclusion. May have social issues compounded by social exile.
-Disaffected members of society with either a superiority complex or inferiority complex. either rationalizing their lifestyle as better than the wage slave or in a cycle of self-pity compounding their issues.
-Either way, they can find solace in hating Liberal society as either being wage-cucks or vapid consumer whores.
Neckbeards to American Libertarians (Ancaps)
-Turned from New Atheism to hatred of tolerance. A hatred of tolerance makes it easy to justify hating the poor because Liberal tolerance and understanding justifies the welfare state. Hating the welfare state means hating/not thinking those who benefit from the welfare state deserve what they get.

Neckbeards:
Abundant use of the computer for social and ideological nattering.
Hatred-distrust of the other
Superiority complex
Harder time empathizing past their in-group Nationalism(my race made it, why can't you?) Chads (Only the born beautiful and popular make it) Libertarianism (i made it why can't you?)
Difficulty understanding structural causes

new atheism -> neckbeards ->anarcho-capitalism
New Atheism -> Hatred of Islam for religious atrocities -> 4chan/hatred of other races as inferior-> rising nationalist right
New atheism -> New Atheism too edgy ->