Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Mageth · 09-02-2003, 04:48 PM

How about Carnegie-Mellon University, founded by Andrew Carnegie? Carnegie was an atheist.

Carlos · 09-02-2003, 07:39 PM

Here is an article from the University of Virginia's newspaper on Jefferson and religion. It describes how his beliefs affected the University and how they were viewed by the masses.

Jefferson was a deist, as you said, but back then those beliefs were unacceptable:

Quote:

The University was seen as an "infidel institution," just as its founder had been painted as a dangerous atheist by his political opponents.

I'm not sure why I bring this up, since arguments like these would be (or have already been) fruitless against your friend. It seems to me your friend is just trying to grate you. Once you answer this question successfully, your friend could well come up with some other "fault" of atheists. "No atheist has ever been a SuperBowl MVP" or somesuch.

Roland98 · 09-03-2003, 06:54 AM

Thanks Carlos. I don't think it will help in my current debate, but there are always Christians throwing around a few Jefferson quotes and trying to pass him off as one of their own. I'll file that article away for future reference.

Rusting Car Bumper · 09-03-2003, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roland98
Yeah, I've posted that (as well as % atheists who are members of the National Academy of Sciences, etc)--the sticking point is the university one; it's still glaringly unrefuted, which bugs me. There must be some outright atheist (or agnostic), somewhere, who's founded a university. I'm just not versed in university founders for the most part, let alone what their religious leanings may have been.

Universtities are usually formed by groups of people not single people.

I'm not sure why this distinction matters.

DC

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09-02-2003, 04:48 PM	#11
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	How about Carnegie-Mellon University, founded by Andrew Carnegie? Carnegie was an atheist.

09-03-2003, 06:54 AM	#13
Roland98 Contributor Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Gilead Posts: 11,186	Thanks Carlos. I don't think it will help in my current debate, but there are always Christians throwing around a few Jefferson quotes and trying to pass him off as one of their own. I'll file that article away for future reference.

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