There are a growing number of atheist activists and having been to many conferences I have met and gotten to know a great many of them.
But be it Activist or Scientist or Podcaster or YouTuber... is there anyone you particularly admire or would like to meet?
He doesn't really identify as an Atheist but Neil deGrasse Tyson is pretty cool...
He identifies as an atheist but does not label himself an atheist because the question of if there is a god is irrelevant to him. He is my hero in that regard.
There'll never be another Hitch. But of the ones still kicking I think Ricky Gervais or Stephen Fry or Sam Harris would be fun to hang out with.
Stephen Fry.
Yup.
Absolutely!
I like funny atheists, especially since the whole topic of religious faith is so full of targets for humor. Suspension of disbelief can be truly absurd. Seth MacFarlane, Ricky Gervais.
It would be a long list, but probably my all time favorite is Carl Sagan. We need him today worse than ever.
I have been super fortunate in the amazing people I've met and often more than met. We became good friends of the JREF and James Randi personally. This opened so many doors it is embarrassing to say. For years, because of our role in helping organize the TAMs, we met (at least) nearly every speaker each year. That is a big list of amazing people.
This, of course, cascaded into many more opportunities away from the events.
I will say to anyone that wants to get to know their heroes, they are more accessible than you think. (well, not the dead ones) Attend events, join organizations, consistently look for opportunities to volunteer, amazing things will happen.
Yes, I to miss Carl Sagan, mostly because I didn't appreciate his influence while he was around. But Neil Tyson is doing a great job of carrying the torch. Feynman is another one I only became a fan after he was gone but I consider Lawrence Krauss a good torch bearer for him. I've gotten to meet both, Krauss a few times, as well as James Randi and a slew of other prominent speakers from events I've attended. just went to one where I got to hang out with Krauss again and Sam Harris as well as spent the afternoon with Matt Dillahunty.
I see Stephen Fry a few times here but no 'House'. Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry have worked together for years and Hugh will be speaking at the American Atheist convention this year.
Anton lavey
Oh, he's a good one, don't see his name much.
Madeline Murry Ohare
Finally a woman for the list. I created a poll with just women speakers but no one seems to have responded to it yet.
Who would you like to see as a speaker
Ron Reagan.
Ricky Gervais
George Carlin
Neil DeGrasse Tyson - agnostic which is actually how I self-identify.
Richard Dawkins book "The God Delusion" was the straw that caused me to shed all conviction of belief in a god. I picked it up at a Christian Used book store lol...
Steven Fry, the most erudite of all British atheists. I have watched him cut Catholic leader to ribbons using the most beautiful language.
Greta Christina.
She used to be on the (more navigable) Freethought Blogs, before moving with several other progressive secularists to the Orbit (per [patheos.com] ).
Way before then,
You are one of the few who have mentioned a woman, and I have met Greta a few times. But I created a Poll of some other well known women but it doesn't seem to have attracted any attention yet.
Who would you like to see as a speaker
Hm. I actually don't know of any of those in the poll by name except Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Her book "Infidel" was groundbreaking (I have many extra copies of that and "Nomad" that I plan to offer to US-mailable members this spring). But her support of right-wing groups (Hoover Institution, American Enterprise Institute) make me less than a fan.