In the late 1990s , all regional branches of DVG were dissolved , and for a while it appeared the association itself would disappear , but partially due to the rise of Islam , especially after the September 11 attacks , there was once again a need for a firmly atheistic stance in society . DVG joined the Humanistische Alliantie ( " Humanist Alliance " ) , a national umbrella for humanist organisations founded in 2001 , but because they found this coalition much too postmodernist and moderate , the freethinkers were hardly involved in its activities . Under chairship of Anton van Hooff , who opined that the ' combativeness against religion and other unscientific quackery ' is threatening to disappear with the ' softened ' humanist groups , they left the Alliantie in 2014 , and instead sought to work with amongst others Stichting Skepsis and the Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
De Vrije Gedachte