Atheists are Fools!
First of all, I would like to make it clear that this list of individuals is not meant to advocate atheism. Instead it is intended to be a rebuke to the unjust stigma heaped upon those who come to disbelieve in a god or gods. Historically and in modern times, most religious groups—especially Christian and Muslim sects—tend to demonize their enemies with the label of atheist because in their minds atheist is about the worst thing a person can be. After all, as PSALMS 14:1 instructs the faithful, “The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”
Both Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine, among many others, where attacked in this way because they were not Christians. Even though as Deists, they believed in a GOD, their enemies attempted—and succeeded in Paines case—to malign their character.
Today, the stigma attached to the label atheist is still embraced and propagated by most religious people as well as popular culture around the world.
This blog—which was inspired by an excellent video created by zakiechan in response to this bigotry against atheists—is my humble attempt to set the record strait. My aim is to extend upon the original idea of the video. Some of the below commentary is from this video which you can find at the following URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdVucvo-kDU
I have included some text as well and all the links and images that follow. I have also added to this list of amazing people and I will continue to add to the list as time permits. Consider this a living blog that will be updated as I get time to include more people. Please check back often and feel free to send me suggestions.
Both Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine, among many others, where attacked in this way because they were not Christians. Even though as Deists, they believed in a GOD, their enemies attempted—and succeeded in Paines case—to malign their character.
Today, the stigma attached to the label atheist is still embraced and propagated by most religious people as well as popular culture around the world.
This blog—which was inspired by an excellent video created by zakiechan in response to this bigotry against atheists—is my humble attempt to set the record strait. My aim is to extend upon the original idea of the video. Some of the below commentary is from this video which you can find at the following URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdVucvo-kDU
I have included some text as well and all the links and images that follow. I have also added to this list of amazing people and I will continue to add to the list as time permits. Consider this a living blog that will be updated as I get time to include more people. Please check back often and feel free to send me suggestions.
Atheist
One who has no belief in a God.
172 million human beings do NOT believe in god.
1.1 billion consider themselves "nonreligious"
In a study by the University of Minnesota, more than 2,000
people were asked which of their fellow citizens lacked the proper
"vision of American society."
More than black, gays, immigrants, lesbians or even
Muslims... atheists are viewed as the least American
(according to the survey).
5% of White, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans said they would
not be able to accept someone of another race marrying into the family.
Pew Research Study 2010
26% of White, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans said they would
not be able to accept an atheist marrying into the family.
Pew Research Study 2010
At Least Seven States in America Have Constitutions
That Ban Atheists from Holding Public Office
North Carolina (Sec. 7/8),Maryland (Article 37),
Mississippi (Article 14, Section 265), Pennsylvania (Article I, Section 4,
Tennessee (Article 9, Section 2), Arkansas (Article 19, Section 1) and of course Texas (Article 1, Section 4)
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor
should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."
--George H. Bush
PSALMS 14:1
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God." They are corrupt,
their deeds are vile; there is
no one who does good.
Let's look at this first sentence a little closer.
According to the Bible...
FOOLS Include
Jennifer Michael Hecht
One who has no belief in a God.
172 million human beings do NOT believe in god.
1.1 billion consider themselves "nonreligious"
In a study by the University of Minnesota, more than 2,000
people were asked which of their fellow citizens lacked the proper
"vision of American society."
More than black, gays, immigrants, lesbians or even
Muslims... atheists are viewed as the least American
(according to the survey).
5% of White, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans said they would
not be able to accept someone of another race marrying into the family.
Pew Research Study 2010
26% of White, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans said they would
not be able to accept an atheist marrying into the family.
Pew Research Study 2010
At Least Seven States in America Have Constitutions
That Ban Atheists from Holding Public Office
North Carolina (Sec. 7/8),Maryland (Article 37),
Mississippi (Article 14, Section 265), Pennsylvania (Article I, Section 4,
Tennessee (Article 9, Section 2), Arkansas (Article 19, Section 1) and of course Texas (Article 1, Section 4)
"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor
should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."
--George H. Bush
PSALMS 14:1
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God." They are corrupt,
their deeds are vile; there is
no one who does good.
Let's look at this first sentence a little closer.
According to the Bible...
FOOLS Include
Jennifer Michael Hecht
The Fool who earned her Ph.D.in the History of Science from Columbia University. A fellow of The New York Institute for the Humanities whose works include the award-winning poetry books The Next Ancient World (2001) and The Happiness Myth (2007). This amazing woman is also the author of The End of the Soul (2003) and Doubt: A History (2003).
The "Fool" who served in the United States Air Force for 31 years as an Air Force flight surgeon and a general surgeon serving at various bases in the U.S. from New York to California as well as bases in England, Spain, and Japan. Henderson was the volunteer Medical Director of Planned Parenthood, a volunteer at The Health Adventure, served on the Policeman’s Pension Board, and served on the American Red Cross Medical Advisory Committee. He also served on the speaker's bureau for Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers and was the author of three books including god.com, Fear, Faith, Fact, Fantasy and Judging God.
"Happiness and contentment come from peace of mind, not from gods and goddesses."
The "Fool" who is a physicist that worked at CERN (the European Research Center on Particle Physics) in Geneva on the UA5 experiment, which studied proton-antiproton collisions who later became an ESA astronaut. He was first launched aboard the STS-116 Shuttle mission on 10 December 2006.
When interviewed by Swedish newspaper DN in 10/12 2006 the reporter told him a story about another astronaut in the Space station having a religious experience he was cut off by Christer, because Christer wanted to confirm to the reporter that he was an Atheist.
The "fool" who is probably familiar to most people for his mathematical equation about the nature of energy, E = MC2. In 1921 he recieved the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to Theoretical Physics. In 1999 Time magazine named him the "Person of the Century". Over the years Einstein became very active in political, humanitarian, and academic projects around the world.
“The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses..."
"It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."
“The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses..."
"It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."
The "fool" who was biochemist, a prolific science fiction writer and a popularizer of science.
"I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it. I've been an atheist for years and years, but somehow I felt it was intellectually unrespectable to say one was an atheist, because it assumed knowledge that one didn't have. Somehow it was better to say one was a humanist or an agnostic. I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time."
"I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it. I've been an atheist for years and years, but somehow I felt it was intellectually unrespectable to say one was an atheist, because it assumed knowledge that one didn't have. Somehow it was better to say one was a humanist or an agnostic. I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time."
The "fool" who is the professor of linguistics at MIT who created the theory of generative grammar and who was cited between 1980 and 1982 as a source more often that any other living scholar. He was also considered the leading American public intellectual of 2005.
I'm what's called here a "secular atheist," except that I can't even call myself an "atheist" because it is not at all clear what I'm being asked to deny.'
The "fool" who co-discovered the structure of DNA and won the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology of Medicine.
The "fool" who won the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics and won the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
The "fool" who is an Oxford professor of biology and was voted the #1 British intellectual...receiving twice as many votes as the runner up.
The "fool" who is a leading philosopher of the mind, cognitive scientist and evolutionary biologist.
The "fool" who was a professor at Harvard University and was a leading paleontologist and evolutionary biologist.
The "fool" who has a Ph.D in Botany, a Ph.D in Genetics, a Ph.D in Philosophy and is a professor of biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
The "fool" who is a professor of psychology at Harvard, was the Director for the Center of Cognitive Neuroscience at MIT, is on of Time Magazine's top 100 most influential people and is one of Foreign Policy's top 100 public intellectuals.
The "fool" who is considered the most influential philosopher of science in the 20th century and created the concept of "falsifiability".
The "fool" who was a world famous astronomer, astrobiologist and popularizer of science, was voted as one of the 100 greatest Americans by the Discovery Channel and is the 1978 Pulitzer prize winner.
The "fool" who is an experimental psychologist and historian of science, founded "Skeptic Magazine", writes for "Scientific American" and is Americas's leading skeptic.
The "fool" who co-discovered the structure of DNA and won the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
The "fool" who was a professor of entomology and evolutionary biology at Harvard, was named one of Americas top 25 most influential people and won 2 Pulitzer prizes and the Crafoord prize.
According to the Bible...
all of those brilliant men and
women of science are fools.
PSALMS 14:1
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God." They are corrupt,
their deeds are vile; there is
no one who does good.
Let's take a closer look at that second sentence.
According to the Bible...
"Vile" people, who do "no good"... include:
all of those brilliant men and
women of science are fools.
PSALMS 14:1
The fool has said in his heart,
"There is no God." They are corrupt,
their deeds are vile; there is
no one who does good.
Let's take a closer look at that second sentence.
According to the Bible...
"Vile" people, who do "no good"... include:
Known for his film review column (appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967, and later online) and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The Movies.
Pete Stark
"[I am a] Unitarian who does not believe in a supreme being. I look forward to working with the Secular Coalition to stop the promotion of narrow religious beliefs in science, marriage contracts, the military and the provision of social service."
Mr and Mrs Anthony W.
Mr and Mrs Average UK Citizen. Long wed. Parents to four beautiful and law-abiding daughters who have twelve beautiful and law-abiding children between their respective and respectable long and happy marriages to their good and law-abiding husbands. All of work age have honest jobs that provide for their respective families and none of them rely on state hand-outs to survive.
"I'm merely a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather who happens to cherish his family and friends more than I ever could any imagined god."
Best known for her role as "Prissy" in the 1939 MGM movie "Gone with the Wind," Butterfly was a nearly lifelong atheist. The role of Prissy, she would later say, "was not a pleasant part to play--I didn't want to be that little slave. But I did my best, my very best." She quit movie acting in 1947 to avoid further typecasting, going to work as a real-life maid, Macy's saleslady, and seamstress. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science in 1974 at age 64 from the New York City College. Butterfly McQueen became the Freedom From Religion Foundation's premiere Freethought Heroine in 1989. The Life Member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation died in a tragic accident on Dec. 22, 1995.
“As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery of religion.”
American singer, songwriter, composer, and guitarist and member of the American rock band Pearl Jam. An outspoken activist for human rights and animal rights—he is also an avid surfer and advocate for conservation and the Earth’s environment.
At a July 22, 1998 Pearl Jam concert in Seattle's Memorial Stadium, Vedder said about the unusually beautiful weather, "I would thank God, but I don't believe in it."
More quotes at Celebrity Atheists.
Championed free speech, secularism, birth control, women’s equality and labor unions. She was also an outspoken critic of prejudice against homosexuals and dedicated much of her life to the abolition movement.
“I do not believe in God, because I believe in man. Whatever his mistakes, man has for thousands of years been working to undo the botched job your god has made. There are . . . some potentates I would kill by any and all means at my disposal. They are Ignorance, Superstition, and Bigotry--the most sinister and tyrannical rulers on earth.”
An outspoken defender of women’s rights in Islamic societies, Ms. Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. She escaped an arranged marriage by immigrating to the Netherlands in 1992, and served as a member of the Dutch parliament from 2003 to 2006. In 2005, she was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She has also received several awards for her work, including Norway's Human Rights Service's Bellwether of the Year Award, the Danish Freedom Prize, the Swedish Democracy Prize, and the Moral Courage Award for commitment to conflict resolution, ethics, and world citizenship.
"I do not believe in God, angels and the hereafter."
Prolific American writer, one of the grand masters of science fiction with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. Often called "the dean of science fiction writers", he is one of the most popular, influential, and controversial authors of "hard science fiction" who attacked religious hypocrisy and corporate power games. On October 6, 1988, Heinlein was posthumously awarded the NASA's Distinguished Public Service Medal.
"History does not record anywhere or at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unkonwn without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it."
A screen legend, Hepburn holds the record for the most Best Actress Oscar wins with four.
"I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for people.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa established himself as a prolific and highly distinctive composer, electric guitar player and band leader. Zappa was a forthright and passionate advocate for freedom of speech and the abolition of censorship, and his work embodied his skeptical view of established political processes and structures.
"If you want to get together in any exclusive situation and have people love you, fine- but to hang all this desperate sociology on the idea of The Cloud-Guy who has The Big Book, who knows if you've been bad or good- and CARES about any of it- to hang it all on that, folks, is the chimpanzee part of the brain working. "
The author of more than 70 books, including novels, poetry, short stories, literary criticism and essays. Several of her novels have been made into movies. Oates, one of the most recognized contemporary authors, has won numerous awards, including the O'Henry Prize for Continued Achievement in the Short Story, and the National Book Award. She has been twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
"It has always been something of a mystery to me that intelligent, educated men and women--as well as the uneducated--can "have faith" in an invisible and nonexistent God."
A two-time Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer.
“I absolutely believe what Ellie [Arroway, the atheist astronomer in the movie "Contact"] believes--that there is no direct evidence, so how could you ask me to believe in God when there's absolutely no evidence that I can see? I do believe in the beauty and the awe-inspiring mystery of the science that's out there that we haven't discovered yet, that there are scientific explanations for phenomena that we call mystical because we don't know any better.”
An American actor and television producer best known for his acting roles as Doctor Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers and as the voice of the character of Chris Griffin on Family Guy.
"God is, to me, pretty much an idea. God is, to me, pretty much a myth created over time to deny the idea that we're all responsible for our own actions."
American film actress and a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency.
"For some people. I hope [there is a God], for them. For the people who believe in it, I hope so. There doesn't need to be a God for me."
Martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century.
When asked by an interviewer, do you believe in god Bruce replied "To be perfectly frank, I really do not."
Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter.
"I'm glad some people have that faith. I don't have that faith. If there is a God, a caring God, then we have to figure he's done an extraordinary job of making a very cruel world."
Veteran English stage and screen actor, the recipient of a Tony Award and two Oscar nominations.
"I was brought up a Christian, low church, and I like the community of churchgoing. That's rather been replaced for me by the community of people I work with. I like a sense of family, of people working together. But I'm an atheist. So God, if She exists, isn't really a part of my life."
An Emmy Award-winning American actress who has been nominated for four Academy Awards.
Actor's Studio host asked (paraphrased) "What would you say to God at the pearly gates?" Moore answered (not paraphrased) "Wow, I was wrong, you really do exist."
Three-Time Academy Award winning actor.
“I don't believe in God now.”
“I don't believe in God now.”
World famous Magicians and creators of the award winning Showtime series "Bullshit".
Penn: "I believe that there is no God. I'm beyond atheism. Atheism is not believing in God. Not believing in God is easy -- you can't prove a negative, so there's no work to do."
An American actor and activist who is best known for his portrayal of Superman in four films during the late 70’s and the 1980’s and for founding the Christopher Reeve Foundation which is dedicated to finding treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders. In 1987, he led a public rally in support of 77 Chilean actors, directors, and playwrights who had been sentenced to death by the dictator Augusto Pinochet for criticizing his regime in their works. Pinochet canceled the sentence after the ensuing media coverage, and Reeve was awarded with three national distinctions from Chile for his actions.
". . . family, friends and well-wishers from around the world assured me that prayers and my faith in God would comfort me. I tried to pray but I didn't feel any better, nor did I make any kind of connection with God...But I think that -- while I don't believe in God, per se, I believe in spirituality. And I believe that spirituality actually is automatically within ourselves…"
Best known as the creator of what would become the science fiction universe of Star Trek and he would also become one of the first people to be "buried" in space. Roddenberry was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.
"We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes."
Academy award winning director. Soderbergh's "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic" (both released in 2000) wowed at the 2001 Oscars, where he was nominated as "best director" of both, and won for "Traffic."
When asked "Do you Believe in God?" Soderbergh answered with a simple "NO!"
American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to secure women's suffrage in the United States.
"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."
Won the Tour de France—cycling's most prestigious race—seven consecutive times, from 1999 to 2005, cancer survivor and founder of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
“If there was a god, I’d still have both nuts.”
Donated 37 Billion Dollars to charity.
Donated 30 Billion Dollars to charity.
Nobel prize and Pulitzer prize winning author.
A stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience.
American cartoonist best known worldwide for his Peanuts comic strip.
Pat Tillman
Who turned down a multi-million dollar contract to play football in the NFL so
he could fight for the US Army in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than
to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
-Carl Sagan
I leave you with the closing comments of The Shallow Gene Pools Commentary About Atheists which is about zakiechans video.
Christians and Theists in general claim persecution in western societies and claim that without God, morality or even civilized behavior would be an impossibility.
Judging by the reactions of a large section of people in the United States, the prison population and divorce rates, it appears that the theists are incorrect in regards to these claims.
I'd like the conservatives out there to take note of the last person mentioned in [the list above]. So many of you honor Pat Tillman for his sacrifice and rightfully so but I have to wonder how many of you would have done so if you would have known he was an atheist.
It should make you wonder if other people you know, love and respect are also atheists. It should also make you wonder if it is just and righteous to follow the teachings of a religion that summarily condemns such people to an eternity of damnation and torture.
