List of atheists (surnames T to Z)

Atheists with surnames starting T, U, V, W, X, Y or Z, sortable by the field for which they are mainly known and nationality.

NameDatesKnown as / forWhoReference–Atheist activistAmerican lawyer, atheist activist and debater."It is long overdue for Atheistic arguments to be given a seat at the table of the marketplace of ideas in today's world. I have established this website in the hope of providing a platform for the dissemination of these arguments."Website of Eddie Tabash (Accessed 14 April 2008)1970–JournalistAmerican journalist and political writer."Matt Taibbi, interviewed by 'Friendly Atheist' Hemant Mehta: "HM: What role should religion play in the political arena? MT: Well, I'm an atheist/agnostic, so I would say none. People should stick to solving the problems they have the tools to solve."'Interview with Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi' , friendlyatheist.com, 29 April 2008 (accessed 10 May 2008).1946–ScientistBritish gerontologist, philosopher, poet, novelist and cultural critic."He is a passionate atheist who hates materialistic interpretations of our minds."The ardent atheist, Guardian Review, 29 April 2006 (accessed 14 April 2008).1952–ActivistAustralian born British human rights activist, who gained international notoriety for his attempted citizen's arrest of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in 1999 and 2001, on charges of torture and other human rights abuses."They happily work with me, despite my atheism and gayness. This is the kind, gentle face of Islam that never seems to be newsworthy."Peter Tatchell: Islamists Betray Palestine and Human Rights1887–1956SportspersonPolish/French chess Grandmaster."Practically all chess-players are born optimists Those who believe in God count on divine help; the agnostics know that somehow or other it will turn out all right; whilst the atheists, who are of course the most superstitious, believe in luck. If this last statement seems a trifle high pitched then let me submit as evidence the case of Dr. Tartakower. An atheist if ever there was one, he fervently believed in luck, touched wood at appropriate moments and never, never walked under ladders."–JournalistAmerican born author and journalist resident in Russia since 1993."But despite his own atheism and his distaste at his companion's relentless evangelising, he comes to understand the appeal of religion to desert dwellers. "Nowhere for me had words Qur'anic or biblical taken on as much life as they had here in the Sahara, where, apart from the Word, there was nothing but rock, sky and sun."Matthew Collin reviewing Tayler's Valley of the Casbahs: A Journey Across the Moroccan Sahara, The Guardian (London), 12 April 2003, Guardian Saturday Pages, Pg. 14.1936–Social scientistBritish sociologist and radio presenter."He was educated at St Mary's College, Liverpool until the Christian Brothers who ran it cast him out like Lucifer, for what he judges to be his "general atheism". He started work in a mail-order warehouse. "Then I realised I needed a proper career."Jonathan Sale interviewing Taylor, The Independent (London), 2 March 2006, Features, Pg. 11.1930–2018ChoreographerAmerican choreographer."Two works created during the last year complete the bill. In the Beginning is a joke that doesn't come off. The story, filtered through Taylor's profound atheism, is that of the book of Genesis."Luke Jennings, 'Sure touch of an old master', The Daily Telegraph, 1 May 2003, Pg. 21.1948–IllusionistAmerican illusionist, comedian and writer best known as the silent half of the comedy magic duo known as Penn & Teller, along with Penn Jillette."Never shy about their [Penn and Teller] atheism (Penn's got the Nevada license plates ATHEIST and GODLESS), the two have been raising their voices – even the oft-silent Teller – to decry the muddying line between church and state. 'Atheists are saying, 'All right, we've had enough,'" Teller says."Faces of the New Atheism: The Illusionists 1923–1984AuthorRussian short story writer and novelist.Commenting on Tendryakov's obituary in the Times, Professor Geoffrey A. Hosking wrote: "Perhaps because of his concern for the human personality, Tendryakov was the first writer in the post-Stalin period to raise religious questions seriously in fiction. Though an atheist himself, he understood the intrinsic importance of religion, and did not treat it merely satirically or condescendingly."'Vladimir Tendryakov', The Times, 17 August 1984; pg. 10; Issue 61912; col G.1902–1959Author and actorAmerican actor, author and founder of the Fortean Society."Characterizing himself as an atheist, an anarchist, and a skeptic, he enjoyed his image of impudent prurience, though he revealed little to the public of his personal life."Dennis Wepman: "Thayer, Tiffany", American National Biography Online, Feb. 2000 (accessed 28 April 2008) .–PhilosopherGreek philosopher of the Cyrenaic school who taught that the goal of life was to obtain joy and avoid grief."Theodorus, the atheistic philosopher of Cyrene, appears in Athens during the Phalerean regime."Athenian Impiety Trials in the Late Fourth Century B. C., L. L. O'Sullivan, The Classical Quarterly, New Series, Vol. 47, No. 1 (1997), pp. 136–152 (p. 142), published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Classical Association1970-British documentary filmmaker and broadcaster He is best known for his documentary series, including Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends, When Louis Met..., and his BBC Two specials.Whilst filming for his BBC show America's Most Hated Family in Crisis, he was asked, "Whypose a difference between religion and ethics?" He responded, "Because I don't believe in God". In his documentary "The Ultra Zionists", he confirms that he is an atheist.unknown; livingActivistFounder and president of Black Nonbelievers Inc, which she founded in 2011"I am atheist -- and I am black."1963–ComedianBritish (English) comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter"I've been an atheist since the age of eight. A visiting pastor at church performed a magic trick that ended with him tapping a chalice and it filling with coins. I asked him how he did it and he said, 'All you need is faith,' When I got home I rushed down to the cellar and found an old Half Corona tin and a stick from my dad's wood box (he was a self-employed builder). I sat there for an hour and left an atheist."The world of Mark Thomas, comedian, Daily Telegraph, 1 December 2007 (accessed 10 April 2008).1964–MusicianBritish musician, writer, and comedy actor, best known for composing and scoring the award-winning Jerry Springer - The Opera."Thomas flatly denies the work is being shocking for its own sake. The gay, atheist fan of Judge Judy and Wife Swap is pleasant, polite and 44"1960–JournalistBritish (English) technology writer, best known for his weekly column in the Technology section of BBC News Online and his appearances on Digital Planet, a radio show on the BBC World Service."Facebook knows I'm an atheist, and if Facebook knows it then the CIA probably knows it too, which could be a problem if I tried to stand for election in South Carolina, Mississippi or any of the other seven US States which require candidates to believe in a supreme being."Facebook knows I'm an atheist, New Humanist (web exclusive article), January 2008 (accessed 17 April 2008).1959–ActorEnglish Academy Award-, Emmy Award-, BAFTA Award- and Golden Globe-winning actress, comedian, and screenwriter."Thompson is equally vociferous on matters of faith."I'm an atheist; I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion. It's not enough to say that I don't believe in God. I actually regard the system as distressing: I am offended by some of the things said in the Bible and the Koran, and I refute them." She knows she's being controversial, but she believes passionately in what she says, and passionately believes it needs saying. "I think that the Bible as a system of moral guidance in the 21st century is insufficient, to put it mildly," she continues, frowning a little. "I feel quite strongly that we need a new moral lodestone if we can't rely on what is inside our own selves. Which I think, actually, is pretty reliable."1775–1833PhilosopherIrish political and philosophical writer and social reformer, developing from utilitarianism into an early critic of capitalist exploitation whose ideas influenced the Cooperative, Trade Union and Chartist movements as well as Karl Marx."Such actions established among the Catholic population of the area a long-lived reputation for kindness and fair dealing which persisted despite his professed atheism."Noel Thompson, 'Thompson, William (1775–1833)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 (accessed 6 May 2008).1834–1882AuthorBritish (Scottish) Victorian-era poet famous primarily for the long poem The City of Dreadful Night."His beliefs moved from pantheism to an atheism which causes less of a frisson now than it did in his own day, and his apocalyptic vision of the megalopolis in 'The City of Dreadful Night' continues to have resonance."Ann Margaret Ridler, 'Thomson, James (1834–1882)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 (accessed 6 May 2008).1962–MusicianBritish (English) pop singer and songwriter. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl."I've always been an atheist. We grew up in a village and I was like 'I'm not joining the Christian Youth Club'. Believing something that's unprovable is not how my mind works."Tracey Thorn, 'G2: Pieces of me: Tracey Thorn, Singer', The Guardian, 23 July 2007, Features pages, Pg. 14.1953–PoliticianChinese political leader, the 6th paramount leader of China"Xi Jinping, an atheist and hard-line communist"1912–1985PoliticianVietnamese political figure, foreign minister for North Vietnam 1963–65, official leader of the delegation to the secret talks with Henry Kissinger, and the main negotiator at the earliest meetings with Kissinger."It has just been revealed that Thuy used to earn a living as a sorcerer [...] he travelled around the country selling magical charms, spells and cures, and spreading Communist propaganda at the same time. This information was volunteered by a Vietcong colonel who recently came over to the South Vietnam Government side. He said they Thuy, being an atheist, clearly did not believe in his own magical powers, but had used sorcery purely as a cover for his political work."'Party Tricks', 'The Times Diary', The Times, 7 June 1968; pg. 8; Issue 57271; col F.1976–2004Athlete, U.S. Army RangerAmerican football player, died in combat in Afghanistan in 2004, subject of the documentary The Tillman StoryTillman's purported last words were uttered to a fellow soldier who was praying aloud, "Would you shut your (expletive) mouth?" yelled Tillman. "God's not going to help you. You need to do something for yourself, you sniveling..." Various news reports after his death attest to his atheism.Holden, Stephen. "When Heroism Means Finding Truth", The New York Times, August 19, 2010.Ordoňa, Michael. "Shadowy Truth", The Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2010, p.D-6]Smith, Kyle Smith. "The complex, tragic life and death of Pat Tillman", The New York Post, August 15, 2010.Mondello, Bob. "'The Tillman Story': One Family's Quest For The Truth", NPR, August 20, 2010.1947–ScientistAmerican mathematical physicist and professor at Tulane University.Although an atheist, Tipler believes 'God' will eventually exist in the last moments of the universe: