# Famous Atheists.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 2, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931 "2004-08-02T05:20:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931/21 "2004-08-03T07:55:17Z")

</div>

The etymology of religion has been done ad nauseum on these boards. Wouldn’t it be much more interesting to just say screw it and get back to the OP?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931/22 "2004-08-03T14:58:08Z")

</div>

I think I remember Carl Sagan explaining the “God” of physicists;

Basically, “God” is merely the sum total of the physical laws that govern the mechanics of the universe.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931/23 "2004-08-03T22:59:44Z")

</div>

Back to the OP (sort of)

Have there been any Atheist US Presidents? What about Prime Ministers?

Atheists in position of power in the western world?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931/24 "2004-08-03T23:13:00Z")

</div>

> [@Lobsang](#):
>
> Have there been any Atheist US Presidents? What about Prime Ministers?

I’m sure there have–just none dumb enough to admit it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931/25 "2004-08-04T10:49:56Z")

</div>

IIRC, Franklin Pierce, the 14th president, was affirmed into office, as opposed to sworn in. He had recently lost his son in a tragic accident.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-atheists/257931.md?page=1)