List of fictional atheists and agnostics
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The following is a list of fictional atheists and agnostics limited to notable characters who have, either through self-admission within canon works or through admission of the character creator(s), been associated with a disbelief in a supreme deity or follow an agnostic approach toward religious matters.
Literature
| Name | Book | Author | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holden Caulfield | The Catcher in the Rye | J.D. Salinger | the 17-year-old[1] protagonist of author J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He is universally recognized for his resistance to growing older and desire to protect childhood innocence. Since the book's 1951 publication, Holden has become an icon for teenage rebellion and angst, and now stands among the most important characters of 20th-century American literature. The name Holden Caulfield, as shown below, was used in an unpublished short story written in 1942 and first appeared in print in 1945. | [2] |
| Meursault | The Stranger | Albert Camus | an Algerian ("a citizen of France domiciled in North Africa, a man of the Mediterranean, an homme du midi yet one who hardly partakes of the traditional Mediterranean culture")[3] who seemingly irrationally kills an Arab man whom he recognises in French Algiers. The story is divided into two parts: Meursault's first-person narrative view before and after the murder, respectively. | [4] |
| Mothwing | Warrior Cats | Erin Hunter | Mothwing lacked belief in StarClan ever since her brother, Hawkfrost, admitted to faking the sign which led to her becoming a medicine cat. She usually hides her lack of faith, believing that the Clans would not stand for a medicine cat who did not believe in StarClan (as communing with StarClan is normally a large part of a medicine cat's duties). | |
| Brady Hartsfield | Mr. Mercedes | Stephen King | An American 30-year-old serial mass murderer. Stopped believing in a god after the awful events involving his little brother, Frankie. | |
Comics
| Name | Debut | Creator(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anarky | Detective Comics No.608(Nov. 1989) | Alan GrantNorm Breyfogle | (a.k.a. Lonnie Machin), an ambiguous superhero/villain in publications of DC Comics.[5] |
| Beta Ray Bill | an alien superhero from Marvel Comics, who believes that if something even dwells in the heavens, it is pointless to worship that "something".[6] | ||
| Booster Gold | (a.k.a. Michael Jon Carter), a superhero in publications from DC Comics.[7] | ||
| Dr. Manhattan | from the graphic novel and Watchmen,[8] who thinks that God doesn't exist, has also said that he is nothing like God. | ||
| Johnny C | Johnny the Homicidal Maniac | Jhonen Vasquez | Serial killer in Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.[9] |
| Maggie Greene | The Walking Dead Issue 10(July 2004) | Robert Kirkman | a character who founded in The Walking Dead |
| Iron Man | (a.k.a. Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark), a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe.[10] | ||
| Eugene Porter | The Walking Dead Issue 53(October 10, 2008) | Robert Kirkman | a character who founded in The Walking Dead |
| Hank Pym | (a.k.a. "Ant Man"), a Marvel Comics character who founded in The Avengers[11] | ||
| Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara) | Peter David, Rick Leonardi | Miguel O'Hara doesn't believe in God, but still calls on Him. | |
| Mister Terrific | (a.k.a. Michael Holt), a superhero in the DC Comics Universe.[12] | ||
| Savage Dragon | superhero who stars in his eponymous series from Image Comics.[13] | ||
| Starman (Ted Knight) | superhero from DC Comics and member of the JSA.[14] | ||
| Colossus/Piotr Rasputin | Len Wein, Dave Cockrum | member of the X-Men, originating from a Communist Russia, hence, his atheism. | |
| Lex Luthor | Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster | An archenemy of Superman, Luthor is a Nietzschean atheist. |
Video games
| Name | Game | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Strayer | Fallout 3 | A non-player character living in Rivet City. When Rev. Clifford tries to convince Strayer to believe in God, he responds that there is "no way in hell". | |
| Andrew Ryan | BioShock | Half Antagonist in BioShock, created the underwater city of Rapture as a refuge from a world consumed by government, altruism and religion. "I believe in no God, no invisible man in the sky." | [15] |
| Sibrand | Assassin's Creed | In his last words to Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad after the latter dealt with the Teutonic knight with his Hidden Blade and said that he would be safe in the arms of God soon enough, Sibrand replied that there was nothing waiting for him in the end, not even God or the afterlife, that they did not even exist and that it was the one thing what he feared most. | |
| Rodrigo Borgia | Assassin's Creed II | During his duel with Ezio Auditore da Firenze at the Vatican Vault, after failing to activate the Vault door because he did not have any First Civilization DNA in him, Rodrigo told to Ezio in the middle of the duel that he looked for God in the vault, shocking Ezio, which led to the latter to ask whether God was really in the Vault. Rodrigo replied that God being in the Vatican vault was a more logical answer and far more interesting than God being in the sky with angels singing cherubim all around. Ezio then asked what God would do once Rodrigo entered the vault. Rodrigo replied he was only after power, which Ezio asked whether God would give it up easily. Rodrigo then told that whatever lay beyond the Vault wall would not be able to resist the Staff and Apple and that they were made for felling gods. Ezio, being already a believer, replied that God was omniscient and omnipotent, and that mere artifacts could not harm Him, to which Rodrigo falsely accused Ezio that he took up the image of God from other men. Ezio was shocked to learn of Rodrigo's atheism and rejection of the Bible, despite his papacy. Rodrigo then scoffed that Ezio was still too naive. Rodrigo then replied: "I became Pope because it gave me ACCESS. It gave me POWER. Do you think I believe a single god-damned word of that ridiculous book? It's all lies and superstition. Just like every OTHER religious tract written over the past ten thousand years." | |
| Al Mualim/Rashid ad-Din-Sinan | Assassin's Creed (2007 video game) | During his final fight with Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in Masyaf and brief talks about the Apple of Eden while the latter was bound by the Apple's powers, Al Mualim confirmed that Altaïr was immune to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, to which Altaïr asked what illusion it was. Al Mualim said: "That's all it's ever done, this Templar treasure, this Piece of Eden, this word of God. Do you understand now? The Red Sea was never parted, water never turned to wine. It was not the machinations of Eris that spawned the Trojan War, but this! Illusions, all of them!" Altaïr argued that what Al Mualim had planned was no less than an illusion, to force men to work for him against their will. Al Mualim then denies the existence of any God whatsoever, by saying: "Is it any less real than the phantoms the Saracens and Crusaders follow now? Those craven Gods, who retreat from this world that men might slaughter one another in their names? They live amongst an illusion already. I'm simply giving them another, one that demands less blood." Altaïr then said that they were safer choosing these "phantoms", confirming that it was better to believe in some higher entity than believing in nothing at all. Al Mualim was disappointed, claiming that logic had left Altaïr's mind and was replaced with emotion. Still unconvinced, Altaïr was released from being bound to the Apple's power, after which he swiftly defeated Al Mualim in combat with some difficulty, finally ending his Mentor's life by plunging his Hidden Blade into his throat. During Al Mualim's final moments, he tells Altaïr to take the Apple, to which Altaïr replied to his Mentor that he held fire in his hand, which should have been destroyed. Al Mualim was not convinced even then, believing that the Apple could end the Crusades and create true peace and that he would never destroy it. Altaïr then promised him that he would destroy it, with the latter dying after challenging his student to truly destroy it. | |
| Mario Auditore | Assassin's Creed II | When speaking of the Auditore Villa Pastor to Ezio, Mario says "The prete (priest) seems a nice enough fellow, but I've never been much of a believer.". | |
| Niko Belic | GTA IV | This main character often muses that he does not care whether or not God exists, saying that any faith he had died after the numerous atrocities that he witnessed and took part in during the war, however, in reality, he does not agree to this point and constantly shouts out to God to bless Liberty City. He states that because of his firsthand experience of seeing what human beings are capable of, he does not believe humans have souls. However, he did say that only barbaric creatures did not have any souls and that he did not know whether God is complicated or not. | |
| John Marston | Red Dead Redemption | When rancher Bonnie MacFarlane asks Marston if he is a religious man, he responds, "Not in any real sense", he goes on to say "Believing in some kind of divine purpose ain't gonna get me my wife and child back". When finding treasure however, Marston may exclaim "Perhaps there is a god!" | |
| Terrence Sweetwater | Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | During an idle conversation with Haggard, Sweetwater reveals that he rejects the concept of sin and a god, referring to them as "superstition", as well as just stating that he does not believe in a god. | |
| Dr. Isiah Friedlander | GTA V | During a therapy session, when one of the main protagonists Michael de Santa asks whether Dr. Friedlander believes in evil, Dr. Friedlander simply replies that he is a man of science and that religion is used to relieve others' tensions. |
Animation
| Name | Work | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holo | Spice and Wolf | Holo initially scoffs at the notion that one god created the entire world and everything in it; later on in the series, she states that there cannot possibly be a god given how much pain and sorrow there is in the world. However, she should be considered an agnostic as she herself is a wolf deity; she knows that gods like herself exist but expresses disbelief in a monotheistic God. | |
| Brian Griffin | Family Guy | Originally he was a closeted atheist in earlier seasons and it is revealed in "Love, Blactually" that he is an open atheist like Seth MacFarlane himself, who claims that this character represents him most. This was revealed where he is seen at the library and he is looking for The God Delusion by atheist Richard Dawkins. His atheism comes under attack in "Not All Dogs Go To Heaven" when he comes out to the Griffins about his atheism, and Meg, in a drastic effort to convert Brian to Christianity, makes his atheism public knowledge, quickly making him a social outcast until near climax of the episode. At one point in the episode "Not all Dogs Go To Heaven", Brian says, "You’re barking up the wrong tree. I am an atheist." However, in the episode April in Quahog Brian is seen praying as a response to the news report about a black hole that was discovered near the solar system and was about to suck the Earth inside (the black hole turned out to be an April Fool's joke plotted by Channel News 5). Stewie then teases Brian for it. | |
| Malloy | Brickleberry | In "Two Weeks Notice", Malloy tries to convince the show's main protagonist Steve Williams that God cannot exist because of hunger, suffering and war particularly using Africa as an example. Malloy also dismisses that Heaven and Hell after life connections exist. | |
| Pope Francis | Brickleberry | In Brickleberry, Pope Francis is parodied as a homicidal trash-talking con artist who is only interested in making money off of high church attendance having claimed that religion is just a "made up fairy tale". Because Woody Johnson grew a hemorrhoid that looked like Jesus, people stopped coming to church and started rushing to see his hemorrhoid, which made Pope Francis try to kill Woody. | |
| Professor Hubert Farnsworth | Futurama | In the Simpsons/Futurama crossover, Simpsorama, it is revealed that Professor Farnsworth is an atheist, and he goes even as far as to make an atheist prayer. | [16] |
| Mr. and Mrs. Weatherhead | The Poor Kid (South Park) | Both them are militant agnostics who oppose any statements of certainty in the episode "The Poor Kid". | |
| Rick Sanchez | Rick and Morty | ||
Film
| Name | Film | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Angel | Hot Fuzz | played by Simon Pegg[17] | |
| Eleanor Ann Arroway | Contact | played by Jodie Foster[18] | |
| Darrin "Doughboy" Baker | Boyz n the Hood | played by Ice Cube[19] | |
| Dr. Norman Goodman | Sphere | Dr. Goodman refers to himself as an atheist, but is "flexible". | |
| Paul | Paul | An alien who deconverts a fundamentalist Christian | |
| Bill Williamson | Rampage and Rampage: Capital Punishment | He has stated "You still think god exists because they want you to spend your hard earned money on stupid churches? I’m gonna tell you something: there is no god, and there’s never a god, and there will be no fucking god ever." He is played by Brendan Fletcher | |
| Sandy Bates | Stardust Memories | played by Woody Allen[20] | |
| Laine Billings Hanson | The Contender | played by Joan Allen[21] | |
| Harry Block | Deconstructing Harry | played by Woody Allen[22] | |
| Henry Drummond | Inherit the Wind | played by Spencer Tracy[23] | |
| Charlie Holloway | Prometheus | played by Logan Marshall-Green | |
| David Labraccio | Flatliners | played by Kevin Bacon | |
| Ra.One | Ra.One | played by Arjun Rampal, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tom Wu | |
Television
- Captain Malcolm Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion), from the space opera series Firefly and the film Serenity.[24]
- Ken Barlow (played by William Roache), from the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street[25]
- Temperance Brennan (played by Emily Deschanel), from the American drama television series Bones[26]
- Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie) and Allison Cameron (played by Jennifer Morrison), from the Emmy and Peabody-winning American medical drama House[27][28]
- Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall), from the American thriller television series Dexter.[29]
- Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny), from the American sci-fi show The X-Files.[30]
- Ryan Hardy (played by Kevin Bacon) and Joe Carroll (played by James Purefoy), respectively the main character and the antagonist of the psychological thriller The Following[31]
- Charlie Eppes (played by David Krumholtz), one of the main characters in Numb3rs[32]
- Brenda Chenowith (played by Rachel Griffiths), from the drama television series Six Feet Under[33]
- Sheldon Cooper (played by Jim Parsons), from the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory[34][35][36]
- Mark Corrigan (played by David Mitchell), protagonist of the British sitcom Peep Show[37]
- Perry Cox (played by John C. McGinley), from the comedy-drama television series Scrubs[38] In one episode of Scrubs, titled, “My No Good Reason” the episode revolves around a philosophical debate between Nurse Laverne and Dr. Cox. Dr. Cox tries to prove Laverne wrong about the existence of God. At one point Laverne says, “Well, everything happens for a reason.” Dr. Cox looking disgusted, angrily spouts, “Are you really trying to tell me that things like New Orleans, aids, sugar free ice cream, crack babies, Hugh Jackman, and cancer all happen for a reason? Because I’m sorry I am just not buying that.” In another episode of Scrubs, Dr. Cox fights with his born-again Christian sister at the hospital. She tells a patient “There’s always prayer. You know, with God by your side, anything is possible.” Right away Dr. Cox pulls his sister out of the patient’s room and immediately scolds her for giving his patient false hope. He says, “We have protocol here. First we shake our magic 8 ball, then we explore all witch craft related options.”
- Alicia Florrick (Played by Julianna Margulies) from the legal-drama television series The Good Wife[39]
- Madeline "Maddie" Hayes (played by Cybill Shepherd), from the American television series Moonlighting[40]
- Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) from the British crime drama Sherlock[41]
- Billy Keikeya (played by Paul Campbell), from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica[42]
- Jen Lindley (played by Michelle Williams), from the American primetime television drama Dawson's Creek[43]
- Father Dougal McGuire (played by Ardal O'Hanlon) from the British/Irish television show Father Ted. Despite being a Catholic priest, Father McGuire often shows atheist or, at the very least, agnostic beliefs.[44]
- Andy Millman (played by Ricky Gervais), from the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning British television sitcom Extras[45]
- Britta Perry (played by Gillian Jacobs), from the American comedy-drama television series Community[46]
- The Doctor (played by many), Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) from the science fiction series Doctor Who
- Michael Stivic (played by Rob Reiner) and his wife Gloria Stivic (played by Sally Struthers) in the American television sitcom All in the Family
- Steven "Wass" Wassenfelder (played by Dylan Taylor), from the science fiction television series Defying Gravity
- Lindsay Weir (played by Linda Cardellini), from the American comedy-drama television series Freaks and Geeks[46]
- Jeff Winger (played by Joel McHale) from the American television series Community[47]
- Dr. Cristina Yang (played by Sandra Oh), from the medical drama Grey's Anatomy[48]
- Dr. Daniel Pierce (played by Eric McCormack), from the crime drama Perception[49]
- Patrick Jane (played by Simon Baker), from the crime drama The Mentalist[50]
- Kurt Hummel (played by Chris Colfer), from the musical comedy-drama Glee
- Loretta West (played by Antonia Prebble), from the New Zealand drama Outrageous Fortune[51]
- Piper Chapman (played by Taylor Schilling), from the comedy-drama Orange Is the New Black
- Skye (played by Chloe Bennet), from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comes out in the 9th episode, "Repairs"
- Rustin Spencer "Rust" Cohle (played by Matthew McConaughey), from True Detective. Discusses his beliefs in the first episode, "The Long Bright Dark"
- Carl Grimes (played by Chandler Riggs), from The Walking Dead[52]
- Patrick (played by Vincent Martella), from The Walking Dead[53]
- Rick Grimes (played by Andrew Lincoln), from The Walking Dead[54]
- Alice Pieszecki (played by Leisha Hailey), from The L Word
- Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey), from the American version of House of Cards[55]
- Michael Garibaldi (played by Jerry Doyle) from Babylon 5 is revealed to be an agnostic in the first episode of Season Two: quote; Susan Ivanova: "I'll say a prayer for him." Stephen Franklin: "He's agnostic." Ivanova: "Then I'll say half a prayer." This was earlier hinted at in the episode "Deathwalker" in Season One, when he tells Jeffrey Sinclair "You'd better pray to that God of yours you're right, Jeff."
References
- ↑ Book analysis at Cliffsnotes.com, accessed 2011-05-18
He is 17 years old when, as the book's narrator, he is referring to the main story, taking place the previous December. - ↑ Salinger, Jerome (1951). The Catcher in the Rye. p. 130.
- ↑ From the introduction to the first English edition(1946)
- ↑ Camus, Albert (1942). The Stranger. p. 80. "Il [..] me demandant si je croyais en Dieu. J'ai répondu que non." (He asked me if I believe in God. I answered 'no'.)
- ↑ Kraft, Gary S. (1997-04-08). "Holy Penis Collapsor Batman! DC Publishes The First Zonpower Comic Book!?!?!". GoComics.com. Archived from the original on 1998-02-18. Retrieved 1998-02-18. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help)Alan Grant (w), Norm Breyfogle (p), Josef Rubinstein (i). "Metamorphosis, Part One: Does a Dog Have a Buddha Nature?" Anarky 1: 20/5 (May 1, 1997), DC Comics - ↑ Secret Invasion Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill - The Green of Eden (2009), by Kieron Gillen; Bill states that when he looks at the heavens, he considers them to be empty – "and, if not empty, I find the idea of worshipping whatever dwells there, obscene."
- ↑ Justice League International Annual #2
- ↑ In Chapter IV reveals that he doesn't think there is a God
- ↑ The Religious Affiliation of Comic Book Character Johnny C. (or Nny) in Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
- ↑ Ching, Albert (2011-02-18). "Matt Fraction Takes IRON MAN From #500 to FEAR ITSELF". Newsarama. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
- ↑ TheGodlessHeathen.com: The Leading The Godless Heathen Site on the Net
- ↑ Infinite Crisis # 5, pg. 1
- ↑ Erik Larsen. The Savage Dragon #31
- ↑ JSA Returns #9 All-Star Comics
- ↑ Lahti, Evan (December 18, 2012). "Interview: Ken Levine on player movement, Disneyland, and how BioShock Infinite's villain". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ↑ In the Simpsons/Futurama crossover, Simpsorama, it is revealed that Professor Farnsworth is an atheist.
- ↑ Movie review: Hot Fuzz
- ↑ Contact (1997)
- ↑ Non-Believers of Color: Atheists and Skeptics in the Black Community - YouTube
- ↑
- ↑ The Contender (2000): FILM REVIEW; Those Strange Bedfellows Haunt a Politician
- ↑ Deconstructing Harry - Woody Allen - The Affair. Youtube. n.d. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ↑ "Analysis of Major Characters". Inherit the Wind Drama Study Guide. SparkNotes. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ↑ Episode 1 "Serenity", quote: ""You're welcome on my boat. God ain't." ―Malcolm Reynolds to Derrial Book
- ↑ "Corrie comments spark complaints". BBC News. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ↑ Bones Season 1
- ↑
- ↑ Season 1, episode 17.
- ↑
- ↑ 'X-Files' And Dana Scully v. 'Bones' And Temperance Brennan | ThinkProgress
- ↑ Episode 15 of the second season.
- ↑ "Thirteen", episode 4 of season 4, and other hints of rationalism and scepticism throughout the series.
- ↑ Brenda Chenowith#During the series
- ↑
- ↑ "The Zarnecki Incurence". The Big Bang Theory. Season 4. Episode 19. March 31, 2011. CBS.
Why hast thou forsaken me, o deity whose existence I doubt?
- ↑ "The Hawking Excitation". The Big Bang Theory. Season 5. Episode 21. April 5, 2012. CBS.
Raj, you’re our group historian. Has Sheldon ever begged before?
Raj: Three times. He begged the Fox network not to cancel Firefly. He begged the TNT network to cancel Babylon 5. And when he got food poisoning at the Rose Bowl Parade, he begged a deity he doesn’t believe in to end his life quickly. - ↑ season 2, episode 3 "Local Zero", quote: "You believe in a god, do you?! [...] There is no evidence for god [...]"
- ↑ "My No Good Reason", Scrubs, ABC, March 22, 2007
- ↑ Ostrow, Joanne (2011-07-03). "Ostrow: New shows get religion — of all stripes". Denver Post.
- ↑ TV Character Bios: Madeline Hayes
- ↑ Season 3, Episode 2 The Sign of Three
- ↑ Billy Keikeya Biography
- ↑ Dawson's Crock
- ↑ Main/Hollywood Atheist - Television Tropes & Idioms
- ↑ Background Chatter: Ricky Gervais’s hilarious Extras
- 1 2 Short Lived Series With Passion Makes For Best Possible DVD Release
- ↑ Community: "Comparative Religion"
- ↑ "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer," Grey's Anatomy, ABC, December 11, 2005
- ↑ "It's a matter of 'Perception' for Eric McCormack and Rachael Leigh Cook". Zap2it. 2012-07-09. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
- ↑ The Mentalist - The Restaurant Scene [Pilot Episode]. Youtube.com. 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ↑ Season 4, Episode 14: "Rest Her Soul"
- ↑ "The Walking Dead: Judge, Jury, Executioner (#2.11)" (2012)
- ↑ The Walking Dead Episode Scripts N/A - Infected. springfieldspringfield.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
- ↑ What Lies Ahead (2011)
- ↑ Congressional Prayer. Youtube.com. 2014-02-13. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
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