Atheists who changed the world

[cratehorus]

Thomas Edison (I believe he was more agnostic, but further research is needed)

1. My mind is incapable of conceiving such a thing as a soul. I may be in error, and man may have a soul; but I simply do not believe it.

2. All Bibles are man-made.

3. So far as religion of the day is concerned, it is a damned fake... Religion is all bunk.

4. I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious theories of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a personal God.

5. I do not believe that any type of religion should ever be introduced into the public schools of the United States.

6. To those seaching for truth - not the truth of dogma and darkness but the truth brought by reason, search, examination, and inquiry, discipline is required. For faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction - faith in fiction is a damnable false hope.

7. I cannot believe in the immortality of the soul... No, all this talk of an existence beyond the grave is wrong. It is born of our tenacity of life - our desire to go on living - our dread of coming to an end.

Quotes from Thomas Edison

[Shell B]

Sources for those quotes, por favor? Also, disapproving of religion, souls and dogma does not mean you are an atheist. What do you think a deist is?

[Jackalope]

I hereby nominate myself. What have I done to change the world, you ask? Why, plenty! I'm just far too modest to toot my own horn. You'll just have to take it on faith.

[cratehorus]

[Shell B]

An original source? Anyway, freemason =/= deist and you can't determine if a person believes in god by how they feel about souls and religion.

[Minimalist]

What do you think a deist is?

An atheist who is afraid to let go with the other hand.

[cratehorus]

An original source?

sorry I have no other source..... but thomas edison is atheist...one of my favorites actually. You have to understand............ he was an inventor not a philosopher no sense getting his eyes burned out by the pope, like Galileo.... but if you could find any form of a "pro" religous statement from edison I would be totally shocked......... shocked.

Anyway, freemason =/= deist

what does =/= mean???

and you can't determine if a person believes in god by how they feel about souls and religion.

what?

[Shell B]

Okay, I'll start from the top. Him not saying anything about not being religious would mean we have neither proof that he was nor proof that he wasn't. Just because he could have got in trouble does not mean he was an atheist. Now, the pope would have had nothing to do with it. Thomas Edison did not fall under the jurisdiction of the pope. The two are incomparable situations.

=/= means not equal to or not the same. A freemason does not have to be deist and a deist does not have to be freemason.

Lastly, you can believe in god without believing in souls. You can also hate religious and still believe in a deity. I know several people who do, in fact. Therefore, Edison's comments cannot be assumed to mean he was atheists. Nothing short of a statement saying he was an atheist would suffice.

[cratehorus]

[twocompulsive]

Was not Socrates an atheist? Darwin became one after the death of his daughter. Is that acceptable or do they have to be a life long one? What about Zappa? He was definitely one, though being Italian American, maybe was not born as such. Himmler was an atheist but also a pagan.