Atheism Stack Exchange Archive

There is a Wikipedia <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Atheism_in_popular_culture>Category dedicated to atheism in popular culture</a>. It’s an interesting collection of noteworthy fictional atheists, comic books, references to billboards and bus campaigns, as well as a few select episodes of the television shows South Park and Family Guy. The only movie mentioned is The Invention of Lying. Music and books are completely unrepresented in this category.

I am therefore asking, what is missing from this category? I would think that the first and foremost missing entry is the song “Imagine,” by John Lennon. But what else?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Atheism_in_popular_culture

Answer 2303

TV

Comedy - There are lots of atheist comedians, but here are a few I like.

Music - There are also tons of atheists in music. Of course they’re all over the place in heavy metal and punk, but also in less confrontational genres. Wikipedia also already has a page listing atheist musicians. But here are a couple of fairly mainstream or mainstream sounding songs:

Answer 2278

I think comedy is often a source of atheism. Comedy is often about challenging authority or establishment. With that in mind two things struck me:

I am sure there are many more that aren’t expressly atheist, but only thinly veiled.

Answer 2377

One of the best examples of atheist comedians would probably be Tim Minchin.

Answer 2276

Billy Joel, “River of Dreams”: “Not sure about life after this/God knows I’ve never been a spiritual man.”

Answer 2312

The new show “Parenthood” just had an episode where a bird died and the parents struggled with what to say to their kid. They are not religious, but the mother broke down and said the bird went to heaven because she couldn’t figure out what else to say. The father bit his lip. That was the end of the episode last Tuesday. I haven’t been watching the show, but I might tune in just for that.

Answer 2368

Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth from Futurama !

Farnsworth

Just watch a very positive and funny episode "A Clockwork Origin", where he finds himself arguing against anti-evolution protesters at Cubert's school. The latter hold belief in "Creaturism".

Answer 2371

Luke, one of the characters in “Player One” by Douglas Coupland is a recalcitrant atheist. He is an ex-priest who lost his faith, and the whole story in the book is quite related to the notion of losing one’s faith.

Very cool as most of Coupland’s work.

(Note. I have deleted my previous answers because, as a few people mentioned, Dr. Gregory House is already in the list. My apologies)

Answer 2376

I read a really clever Wall Street Journal blog entry titled A Holiday Message from Ricky Gervais: Why I'm An Atheist appropriately just before Christmas last year. There was an even better follow-up Q&A to it titled Does God Exist? Ricky Gervais Takes Your Questions -- check them out!

Answer 3044

TV tropes has examples of atheists. It also has the page Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions for post-theistic societies, and Flat Earth Atheist for atheists in worlds where gods obviously exist.

Answer 3074

Many movies of Ingmar Bergman deal with atheism.

Answer 3088

Janis Joplin’s song Mercedes Benz

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz. My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends; Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends. So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV. Dealing for dollars is trying to find me. I wait for delivery each day until three. Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV.

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town. I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down. Prove that you love me and buy the next round. Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town.

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz. My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends; Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends. So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.

Answer 3114

Bill Maher's movie Religulous

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