# Openly Atheist Characters on TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416 "2004-12-17T21:05:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/41 "2004-12-18T01:49:28Z")
Shh! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/42 "2004-12-18T02:08:31Z")
In _Red Dwarf_ Lister was an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/43 "2004-12-18T02:21:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yeah, this is why I want to write a sitcom… > > Mulder would be hard to classify. For the first five or so years of the show, Scully was at least an agnostic, I’m sure, but got back into her Catholic upbringing following her cancer. I remember that I had trouble buying that from her. As far as I remember, Scully was always painted as a Catholic, as far back as the first-season episode when her father died. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/44 "2004-12-18T02:48:30Z")
I seem to recall that the father in the Waltons was either agnostic or an atheist, which caused friction between him and the religious mother. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/45 "2004-12-18T03:11:31Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > an atheist (albeit of the “former believer whose ideals were destroyed and is now ‘mad at God’” variety). Sigh … that seems to fit the description of most fictional TV atheists. They’re atheists only because God killed their baby brother, or gave them cancer, or didn’t let them have that tricycle they wanted when they were 4 years old – and then only until the end of the episode when they “forgive God” and become True Believers again. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/46 "2004-12-18T03:49:28Z")
> [@JerH](#): > > I think Dr. Gregory House on _House_ is an atheist - seems to me I remember him saying something to that effect in this week’s episode. Yep, when he was talking to the nun he was comparing a trained doctor some made up, pie in the sky God. He’s a brave man not to worry about being rular’ed ;). ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/47 "2004-12-18T03:52:47Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > And, interestingly (considering Joss Whedon is unapologetically strong atheist himself) the show also features Shepherd Book, a serious and credible advocate for faith. There’s a great scene in one episode where River (_“she’s craaazy”_ :D) is tearing pages out of the shepherd’s Bible, saying it’s “broken,” and Book gives her a little speech about being religious that’s one of the more perceptive little nuggets of philosophy I’ve ever seen on television. “You don’t fix faith, River; it fixes you.” And I speak as an atheist myself. > > Great show. ☹ That whole epsiode was an exceptional exploration of religion. Jayne was the town’s savior, and he couldn’t understand why they had so much faith in him and that they would literally die for him, and that contrasted nicely with River fixing the Bible. > [@](#): > > Exactly why crucifixes would burn a vampire was never fully explained; perhaps faith, even if unfounded, is a powerful weapon. Another interesting thing to consider is that when Angel and Spike fight in **Soul Purpose** , Spike picks up a cross and hits Angel with it. Doesn’t bother Spike at all, but clearly as an effect on Angel. When I saw this thread, Mulder on the X-Files is the first thing that popped into my head, though for the life of me, I can’t remember exactly why. I think it is because he is _always_ skeptical of Scully’s religion and religious experiences. _eyes X-File DvDs_ maybe I’ll investigate this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/48 "2004-12-18T04:10:27Z")
I just watched an episode of malcolm in the middle where Reese told some priests something along the lines of “We’re heathens, so take your ghost stories elsewhere” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/49 "2004-12-18T04:39:14Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > When I saw this thread, Mulder on the X-Files is the first thing that popped into my head, though for the life of me, I can’t remember exactly why. I think it is because he is _always_ skeptical of Scully’s religion and religious experiences. _eyes X-File DvDs_ maybe I’ll investigate this weekend. Mulder seems like the type who would think humans were created by aliens or that life began when an asteroid carried extraterrestrial bacteria to Earth, I guess conventional religion would be too boring for him. > [@Tracy Lord](#): > > As far as I remember, Scully was always painted as a Catholic, as far back as the first-season episode when her father died. Obviously she’s have been raised Catholic, but did they ever depict her as an actual believer as opposed to somebody going through the motions? I do remember it was a big deal when she spoke with that priest and took confession, she said she hadn’t done so in years. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/50 "2004-12-18T04:54:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Obviously she’s have been raised Catholic, but did they ever depict her as an actual believer as opposed to somebody going through the motions? I do remember it was a big deal when she spoke with that priest and took confession, she said she hadn’t done so in years. Scully’s faith was very important to her throughout the series, and she tended to wear a cross daily. In fact, I remember Mulder “teasing” her for it more than once. She’s also had at least two religious experiences that she accepted as real… And I agree that organized religion would probably be too boring for Mulder… ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/51 "2004-12-18T05:18:46Z")
A couple of the aliens on _Roswell_ said specifically that they were atheists. (Feel free to mock me for knowing this.) ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/52 "2004-12-18T06:39:15Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > That’s _Balance of Terror_, as I mentioned. There were no symbols of any religion in the room, and in Blish’s version he mentions that they rearranged a break room for the ceremony, and that Scotty’s wedding gift was to set up a broadcast of the ceremony. In his version, btw, the wedding goes through, which increases the tragedy. At the end she returns to the scene of her almost wedding to grieve. I don’t recall any praying. Anyhow, Kirk performs the purely secular ceremony. If there were a chaplain on board, as there would be for a US Navy ship of similar size, you’d think he or she would be there. Who’s Blish? I remembered her as kneeling when Kirk walks in, and I thought they used the word “chapel”, but I’m probably just remembering it wrong. I still don’t think they were atheists, though. In another episode, Kirk says that their crew represents “many beliefs”. Again, I can’t remember which episode; perhaps you know. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/53 "2004-12-18T06:46:19Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Well, that’s closer. I interpreted it as a reaction to the parallel world discovery. Or perhaps she’s still recovering from having her mind wiped by Nomad. 🙂 When she refers to the Roman announcer in the broadcast, she says, “He tried to ridicule their (the Christians) beliefs, but he couldn’t.” I she were an atheist, why would she take sides like that? Both beliefs would have seemed equally ridiculous to her. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/54 "2004-12-18T06:47:31Z")
That should read: “IF she were an atheist…” ---
**Author:** ![Pigs\_in\_Space](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@Pigs\_in\_Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pigs_in_Space)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/55 "2004-12-18T07:01:14Z")
I don’t think they used the word, but Hawk Girl was atheist on Justice League. The funny thing is, she was arguing against Wonder Woman, the only really religious team member. WW believes in the old Greek Gods, which kind of makes sense in that universe. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/56 "2004-12-18T07:05:15Z")
_Great_ episode. Never fails to break me up either. Especially at the end, where she comes out to the dinner table and leads the prayer, listing all the people and things she wants to pray for, along with all the absurdly detailed histories. Which is how we know Edith is OK again. I’ve been an atheist for thirty years, and that episode has really stayed with me. The message I got from it: _Whatever you believe, it’s OK. Worry more about what you do._ > [@Zsofia](#): > > Meathead on _All in the Family_ was an atheist - it’s hardly “current”, but there is a beautiful Christmas episode where Edith is mad at God because her drag queen friend was murdered, and Mike talks her into going back to church even though he dosen’t personally believe. I’ll admit, it makes me cry every time. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/57 "2004-12-18T07:34:44Z")
> [@Mr. Kobayashi](#): > > In _Red Dwarf_ Lister was an atheist. He was actually a pantheist; believing God was in all things. Well, except kitchen utensils. He wasn’t a _frying_ pantheist. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2004, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/58 "2004-12-18T08:15:20Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Tom Skerrit’s character (the Sherrif) on “Picket Fences” was an atheist. That’s one of the few shows I can think of that took religion serously, and had religious figures that actually belonged to churches. I seem to remember an ep. where his daughter asks if he believes in God and he says, “Yes…I believe there is a God…but I don’t _know_ it.” In another ep. he blurts out Jesus was a fake. One Roseanne, the mother Beverly is an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/59 "2004-12-18T09:44:03Z")
Have I caught C.S.I.'s Grisolm making a few atheist-type scientific realist remarks? I’ve never taped the show, so that sort of thing may have flown by me, but I’m pretty sure he’s come across that way up to now (we’re on season 2 or 3, I think - just had episode with dead supermodel - with the rat, you know?) I’m pretty sure Judge Amy Gray was a hardcore atheist - at least she was when she had that religous friend with cancer. Has this softened? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416/60 "2004-12-18T13:33:05Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I found a web page that describes Fox Mulder of the X-Files as a atheist, but I don’t know on what grounds that’s based. If Mulder was an athiest, he’s a perfect illustration of the aphorism: **When people stop believing in God, the problem isn’t that they don’t believe anything, it’s that they will believe EVERYTHING.** I’m not sure who said that… was it G. K. Chesterton? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/openly-atheist-characters-on-tv/280416.md?page=4)