Most of the great men of this world were non-religious?

Question

Most of the greatest men (and of course women) of the world, of past and present, seem to be non-religious. Just coincidental?

Answer 1

Wrong. The vast majority have been religious.

You really need to do at least a modicum of research before making claims, or you will continue looking like a complete moron; as you do now.

Answer 2

most of the great mean and women of this world are people you have never, and will never hear of. and that's no coincidence. because greatness isn't a manifestation. it's an attitude and an essence and a way of relating to people and the world. most of the people considered great by history aren't great. just great big egos.

Answer 3

Well I wouldn't say most.  But certainly a higher ratio than the general population.

Why?  Because the same traits that enable people to critically evaluate religious beliefs, if present at a sufficient level, enable people to make great strides in understanding and explaining the world as it is.

Not all atheists can be Lucretius or Einstein, but it's much easier for an atheist to be like them than a theist - especially in the last couple of centuries (Lucretius of course being much earlier than that is even more impressive).

For those wanting examples let's add people like the greatest inventor in history - Edison, and the top 3 philanthropists in the world - Gates Buffett and Soros to start with.  Lists abound on the internet - google them if by any wild chance you are merely ignorant instead of blinkered wilfully

Answer 4

I am bias but I think they were great because of their atheism. It's most clear in way of the politicians. I like the atheist works of Benjamin Franklin, Gene Roddenberry, Douglas Adams, Napoleon, and Thomas Jefferson the best. Oh yes and Nietzsche but he's less famous.

Other favorites:

Isaac Asimov

Galileo Galilei

Voltaire

Ernest Hemingway

Mark Twain

Answer 5

Correctioooooooon!

Albert Einstein was not religious!! >.<

And Galileo was!  

Answer 6

Ok if you are going to make such a claim then provide a list of who you consider great and show they are non-religious.

For America those involved in the Declaration of Independence and our break from England where almost to a man Deists. They all believed in a Diety thus where "religious".

Answer 7

Socrates was Religious

Julius Caesar was Religious (and a god)

Emperor Justinian was Religious

Guttenberg was Religious

Copernicus was Religious

Galileo was Religious

Martin Luther was Religious

Darwin was Religious (curiously, it was not his work on Evolution that led to his eventual disbelief but rather the death of his daughter)

Gandhi was Religious

Winston Churchill was Religious

Tolkien was Religious

Lincoln was Religious

Martin Luther King Jr was Religious

Malcom X was Religious

Francis Collins is Religious

Curiously, to all appearances, the opposite of your statement seems to be true.

Answer 8

you should have  given examples, i can give you the many names of most greatest people of the world who where religious.

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Albert Einstein,

Answer 9

It depends on what you mean by great.  Famous?  controversial? maybe yes, but who really touched most other people and changed this world for the better?  maybe not.  What do you make out of Siddhartha? Gandhi?  St. Francis of Assisi?  

Answer 10

That doesn't mean anything. Mickey Mouse isn't religious either...does that make him a great leader?  

Answer 11

Who?  Stalin and Mao?  Can you think of others?  It isnt conicidental, it isnt true.

Answer 12

Religions were formed around a Saint.

This saint always believed 'Nature is GOD'.

Religions were made for a particular place with its people.

So Culture + Politics + spirituality = Religion.

The people around the Saint called him King.

Saint does not require a Palace, but only public wanted it.

Always Saint can be considered the Greatest of mankind. They strive for a Long Term goal seeing all as equal.

Answer 13

And who would you be talking about?