How come there were no open atheists during Salem witch trials?

Question

How come there were no open atheists during Salem witch trials?

Answer 1

Because religions are evil.

Believe their god, or die.

Answer 2

This question can't be for real.  

Answer 3

Because the idea of being hanged is not all that appealing.  

Answer 4

Because back then the Christian churches were allowed to burn heretics and others who annoyed them. Today, in a secular and civilized democracy, this is no longer permitted.

Answer 5

There probably were, and they were probably killed. Or, they didn't tell anybody so that they wouldn't be killed.

Answer 6

Maybe for the same reason why there are no open Barry Mannilow fans in the mosh pits at Slayer concerts.

Answer 7

Because Christianity is tantamount to terrorism.

Answer 8

They didn't dare to come out of the closet yet!

Answer 9

Why are there no open Christians hanging out with insurgents in Afghanistan or Iraq trying to convert them?

Answer 10

If you weren't Puritan, you were against everything that the Puritans stood for, and thus a target to be tried as a witch!

Answer 11

Same reason there were no open witches during the Salem witch trials.

Answer 12

another case of American rationality( like the invasion of Iraq)...these poor bas tards  were murdered by thier officials/protectors for ergot poisoning...mold in their rye bread.

Answer 13

Because they didn't want to be hanged.

And actually no one was burned during the Salem witch trials.

And hanged is an actual word.

And I enjoy incorrect grammar on the occasion.

Answer 14

This is a pointless question, it should be obvious as to why they were not open! Would YOU want to be burned to a stake or whatever? No? Then you would probably lie just to save your own life!  

Answer 15

We are Atheists not to be confused with Complete Retards, death comes to those in Salem who call God out.

Answer 16

Because most of us aren't stupid enough to be martyrs.

Answer 17

If you wanted to live in those days, you had to at least pretend you stood with the status quo - otherwise, you suffered the same fate as the poor unfortunates who were torchured, drowned or set alight by the one and only major power of its time.

Answer 18

BECAUSE THEY WERE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY.

Answer 19

How about because they didn't want to be tortured then murdered by ignorant fanatics?

Is your next question 'Why is water wet?' or 'Why is fire hot?'

Answer 20

The same reason we g**s have a hard time being open in the present environment - christians will kill us.

Answer 21

The same reason nobody in china has more than two siblings.

Answer 22

Probably because they were smart enough to not have a DEATH WISH!

Answer 23

Because atheists would have been tortured and killed alongside the "witches."

Answer 24

Because they would have been burned and beaten as well. Although it was a "free" America at the time and the reason this country was started was because of religious persecution in Europe......people were still not free. There is no such thing as free. Always remember that.

Answer 25

Well, the sad thing is that there probably were none but the over-zealous, paranoid, brutal Christians took it upon themselves to accuse anything that moved of witchcraft.  BTW, have you done a little research into the incident?  It really had nothing to do with religion but with people who were very sick and, to boot, falsely accused by their greedy Christian neighbors of bering possessed by the devil, mostly because they wanted their land and posessions.  Again, anything that you people don't understand, you set a match to it.  And, I bet you're still proud of that...

Answer 26

The religion was so extreme that atheism didn't seem like a reasonable thought.

There was only witches who were thought to just be anti-christian but still not atheist.

Answer 27

If you voiced against religion you would be deemed a witch.  

Like many unfortunate events in history...this occured largely due to fear.

For example...in Hitler Germany...very few people would voice their opinion against Hitler...because they were afraid of him and his power.

Answer 28

They'd be next on the rope.  

Answer 29

Same reason there weren't any in the better part of the Dark Ages.  

"What do we burn apart from witches?"  "More witches!"

Answer 30

They didn't like to hang around.