History Main / FlatEarthAtheist

** In fact Christianity and even faith in God are largely unimportant for being a Knight of the Cross, it seems. Of the three original Knights Michael was Christian, Shiro only converted on accident due to a language misunderstanding (although he did try to be a good Christian after converting) and as mentioned Sanya is an agnostic. Later Knight [[spoiler: Waldo Butters]] was actually [[spoiler:Jewish]], not Chrisitan, and Uriel specifically notes that it's his faith in good winning over evil that helped him become a Knight.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Eugenesis}}'' Nightbeat angrily decries the existence of Primus, despite having [[ComicBook/TheTransformers seen him and been teleported across the universe by him]], before taking part in a battle against Unicron, his religion's devil. Of course, he did watch Primus get killed a short time later as well. And as later events in the story prove, he might have a reason to doubt Primus after all...

* On ''Series/{{Bones}}'' Dr. Temperance Brennan repeatedly denies the existence of God. She is repeatedly undermined by episodes that implicitly support the existence of supernatural forces, including ghosts, "faith" as a supernatural concept, and God himself. To remain skeptical at that point is not scientific, but she persists. Not to mention that the series has crossed over with ''Series/SleepyHollow'', where the supernatural unquestionably exists (although the canon status of this is somewhat muddled by a prior episode referencing ''Sleepy Hollow'' as a TV show). In the crossover, Brennan accepts the explanation that Ichabod Crane has somehow genetically inherited [[MyGrandsonMyself his ancestor's]] handwriting, even though that's patently nonsense.

* On ''Series/{{Bones}}'' Dr. Temperance Brennan repeatedly denies the existence of God. She is repeatedly undermined by episodes that implicitly support the existence of supernatural forces, including ghosts, "faith" as a supernatural concept, and God himself. To remain skeptical at that point is not scientific, but she persists.

* The show ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' is much like ''The X-Files'' in how it features Flat Earth Atheism. Dean is the primary example. While he very easily believes in the supernatural (hence the name of the show) and Hell, he simply flat-out refuses to believe in things like angels, Heaven, and God. "Gods" are simply very powerful monsters, but you can still "gank" them. Dean is forced to face his lack of belief after he returns from Hell when faced with the angel Castiel. Cas becomes a regular on the show, as does their "prophet" Chuck Shurley [[spoiler: who is later revealed to actually be ''God''.]]. Even the demons (re Lucifer, who is actually a FallenAngel) end up stressing the fact that God exists--[[HaveYouSeenMyGod He might not be there]], but He does exist.

** The Yuuzhan Vong follow a ReligionOfEvil and truly believe the gods that they worship exist. They think The Force isn't real and that the Jedi and Sith are just charlatans. Their unbelief in The Force is helped by the fact that the Yuuzhan Vong are immune to most Force abilities. Later, after seeing some Jedi's extraordinary powers, some Yuuzhan Vong [[GodInHumanForm come to see the Jedi as the avatars of their gods]].

* ''Series/TheShannaraChronicles'': Prince Arion doesn't believe in magic or demons and thinks the problems the Elves are facing is the work of Gnome assassins and that Allanon is a charlatan, despite the good evidence otherwise. He finally accepts they're real when it becomes just too strong.

* Both Cavil and Adama present themselves as atheists in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', long after it seems that either souls, gods, or super-human / super-Cylon beings almost have to exist. Eventually, after revelations and character development, the trope applies to neither man: Adama's point of view shifts from "The gods don't exist" to [[NayTheist "Screw you! Where were you when we needed you?"]] Cavil is revealed to be [[spoiler: a Cylon who hates his creator gods]].

** In particular, the Q Continuum are [[TheOmnipotent literally omnipotent]], but they normally don't claim to be gods. The Q who usually interacts with Starfleet characters once claimed to be {{God}} in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', but only to {{troll}} Picard. He later admits to having lied in that cases, though he also claims to be personally acquainted with the Judeo-Christian God and never renounced that particular claim. And Captain Picard averts this trope. Though he never comes off as religious, his rejection of Q's claims to godhood never involve claims that God doesn't exist. He simply rejects the idea that '''Q''' could be God, because despite being omnipotent, Q is ultimately just an [[ImmortalImmaturity immature]] [[GreatGazoo trickster]]. Picard might well have believed him if he claimed to be [[TricksterGod Loki, Coyote or Puck]]. Picard seemed open to some kind of creator existing, but justifiably felt it would have to be a far more wise being than Q.

** Garibaldi doesn't believe in souls, but the Soul Hunters routinely trap them. Dr. Franklin suggests that it may be possible to [[BrainUploading encode a personality matrix and create a clone of a human mind]], though, and the Soul Hunters themselves do not believe in an afterlife, hence their obsession with gathering up souls that would otherwise be lost.
** His friend Lyta Alexander tells him that when a telepath is scanning the mind of a person who dies, he or she can see the person's soul going through a portal to the beyond, although she acknowledges that it may just be the only way the brain can interpret what is happening. The Minbari broke off the war with the Earth Alliance because they found "undeniable proof" of Minbari souls being reincarnated in humans, namely Sinclair and other pilots they captured. Apparently they have technology that can scan and identify souls. [[spoiler:Except it's later revealed that it didn't detect souls, but Sinclair/Valen's DNA.]]

** Despite the existence of bonafide ''holy relics'' in the form of the Orbs of the Prophets and the sworn statements of several high-ranking Starfleet officers, the Federation still treats the Bajoran Religion as little more than fairy tales. Prophecies and visions of the future are almost always dismissed as hallucinations and wild speculation, despite the ''well-known fact'' that the incredibly powerful beings known as "the Prophets" exist in a state outside of time and are perfectly capable of giving visions and inspiring prophecies. A few officers at least come around to the idea that the "wormhole aliens" are definitely powerful beings that have a relationship with Bajor, but worshipping them is exclusively the province of Bajorans themselves.

** In particular, the Q Continuum are [[TheOmnipotent literally omnipotent]], but they normally don't claim to be gods. The Q who usually interacts with Starfleet characters claimed to be {{God}} a couple of times in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', but only to {{troll}} the heroes. He later admits to having lied in those cases, though he also claims to be personally acquainted with the Judeo-Christian God and never renounced that particular claim. And in both of those cases, Captain Picard averts this trope. Though he never comes off as religious, his rejection of Q's claims to godhood never involve claims that God doesn't exist. He simply rejects the idea that '''Q''' could be God, because despite being omnipotent, Q is ultimately just an [[ImmortalImmaturity immature]] [[GreatGazoo trickster]]. Picard might well have believed him if he claimed to be [[TricksterGod Loki, Coyote, or Puck]]. Picard seemed open to some kind of creator existing, but justifiably felt it would have to be a far more wise being than Q.

** In the ComicBook/{{New 52}} ''ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger'' title, he's been reinvented as a "scientific occultist" in the mould of [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} Egon Spengler]]. His ancestor, the ''[[RetroactiveLegacy original]]'' Terrence Thirteen in ''[[ComicBook/JonahHex All-Star Western]]'', on the other hand, is the ultimate Flat-Earth Atheist: at one point his ''ghost'' chides the modern-day Terry for believing in the supernatural.

* In an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'', The Drummer uses almost the exact same explanation to HandWave magic into the realm of his infomancer powers.
* In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, {{Science Hero}}es like ComicBook/IronMan and [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]] acknowledge that [[Characters/TheMightyThorThorOdinson Thor]] ''might'' be an actual god (though they tend to think of him and all other mythological beings as closer to {{sufficiently advanced alien}}s; Thor was actually {{retcon}}ned to be this by Creator/WarrenEllis, but who knows if it stuck) and that characters like ComicBook/DoctorStrange, The Beyonder, and the Characters/ScarletWitch are doing ''something'' beyond their comprehension. That doesn't mean they're comfortable with not understanding what's going on, don't stop looking for ways to explain it, or that they're specifically religious. The closest we ever get is one or two incidents of straight-up desperation praying after all viable options have been exhausted. The only science hero that has no problem accepting all of this is [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]]. Though this is a relatively recent development and there are several older stories where these guys have little problem accepting magic and gods or at least being convinced of it rather quickly. {{Flanderization}} in action.
* This is true for most of the characters in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, where magic and mysticism are far less common. For instance, ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} refuses to believe that ComicBook/GhostRider is an actual servant of hell, despite the fact that he ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome personally witnessed Thor leading an army of Asgardians into battle against]] Loki's demonic hordes''. Even if the reader knows better, a lot of the magical characters like Ghost Rider and Comicbook/DoctorStrange are just assumed to be mutants or {{Reality Warper}}s by the rest of the cast.

** What's interesting is in the episode "If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'" Brian ([[CharacterizationMarchesOn not yet established as an atheist]]) is the one who points out the plagues to Peter, and then slaps him while declaring "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis God...is...pissed!"

* PlayedForLaughs when Dave of ''WebAnimation/{{Satina}}'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HbhQYDBPKU explains to his daughter that]] he's [[UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}} Jewish]] in a Christmas comic. His daughter, an AntiAntichrist, reminds him that he's ''[[TheCuckooLanderWasRight literally been to Hell]]'' on several occasions which proves his religion wrong. He then doubles down and forces her to watch ''WesternAnimation/EightCrazyNights'' with him.

** The Foundation has a PhysicalGod known as [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-343 SCP-343]]. [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/the-things-dr-bright-is-not-allowed-to-do-at-the-foundation Apparently]], Dr. Bright has tried to disprove its omnipotence... to SCP-343 itself. The result was a paperweight so heavy not even SCP-343 could lift it.

* PlayedForLaughs when Dave of ''WebAnimation/{{Satina}}'' [[https://twitter.com/heydaigle/status/1209489865148112896 explains to his daughter that]] he's [[UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}} Jewish]] in a Christmas comic. His daughter, an AntiAntichrist, reminds him that he's ''[[TheCuckooLanderWasRight literally been to Hell]]'' on several occasions which proves his religion wrong. He then doubles down and forces her to watch ''WesternAnimation/EightCrazyNights'' with him.

* Pick ''any'' Christmas movie or ChristmasSpecial in which SantaClaus [[SantasExistenceClause is real]] and actively delivers presents to a large fraction of the world's children, yet the vast majority of adults do not believe in him. Review the situation: mysterious packages show up under Christmas trees that Mom and Dad certainly don't remember buying. Little Sally in the hovel next door ends up with an expensive doll in her stocking despite her parents barely being able to afford necessities and keeping the doors locked for fear of burglars. Yet despite these otherwise inexplicable occurrences, people dismiss Santa as a fairy tale or "stuff for babies."

** What's interesting is in the episode "If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'" Brian is the one who points out the plagues to Peter and then slaps him declaring that the reason things are happening is "God...is...pissed!"

** This reached its height of ridiculousness in "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS8E2FamilyGoy Family Goy]]" when Jesus showed up at the Griffin house again just to tell them that all religions are crap. Brian then gloated that he'd been proven right... [[HypocriticalHumor because Jesus said so]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Revenant", an invisible force is terrorizing the school, which Terry's friends think is a ghost.

-->'''Bruce:''' Of course I do: I've SeenItAll. [[ComicBook/{{Etrigan}} Demons]], [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries witch boys]], [[Characters/DCComicsVandalSavage immortals]], [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague zombies]]. But this thing... I don't know. It just feels so...high school.
** Turns out that [[spoiler:as usual, Bruce is right. It's actually Willie Watt, who gained psychic powers and was using them from juvie.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' claims not to believe in God and the supernatural in the fourth season episode "Groped by an Angel". This despite the fact that in the previous season she met the {{Anthropomorphic Personification}}s of various holidays (though they did at least have the excuse of coming from a PocketDimension a la ''Comicbook/TheMightyThor''). There's also the fact that according to the ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' episode "[[ItsAWonderfulPlot It's a Miserable Life]]" God and guardian angels really ''do'' exist, but Daria herself wouldn't have any way of knowing this. That's assuming that the holiday episode was even canon. Every other episode (well, aside from the [[MusicalEpisode musical one]]) takes place in a normal world, so the holiday one is very out of place and it's presumably non-canon, similar to the WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MiloMurphysLaw,'' [[OnlySaneMan Zack]]'s father is the only person who has ever doubted the existence of [[HereditaryCurse Murphy's Law]]; every other character, no matter how rational, pretty much accepts it instantly. Though admittedly, even Mr. Underwood's skepticism couldn't survive a whole afternoon of being around [[TheJinx Milo and Martin]].

* ''Series/TheShannaraChronicles'': Prince Arion doesn't believe in magic or demons and thinks the problems the Elves are facing is the work of Gnome assassins and that Allanon is a charlatan, despite the goodd evidence otherwise. He finally accepts they're real when it becomes just too strong.

* The show ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' is much like ''The X-Files'' in how it features Flat Earth Atheism. Dean is the primary example. While he very easily believes in the supernatural (hence the name of the show) and Hell, he simply flat-out refuses to believe in things like angels, Heaven, and God. "Gods" are simply very powerful monsters, but you can still "gank" them. Dean is forced to face his lack of belief after he returns from Hell when faced with the angel Castiel. Cas becomes a regular on the show, as does their "prophet" Chuck [[spoiler: who is later implied to actually be ''God''.]]. Even the demons (re Lucifer, who is actually a FallenAngel) end up stressing the fact that God exists--[[HaveYouSeenMyGod He might not be there]], but He does exist.

* While the whole gang may count depending on continuity, Velma from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' is usually adamant that magic and ghosts don't exist, though some installments make this a more defining trait than others. Television series such as ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'' or ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' will either have her actually lament about real monsters not existing or slowly come to accept them existing once she has evidence of it. Meanwhile, movies such as ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheCurseOfThe13thGhost'' will have her continue to deny the existence of the supernatural despite having irrefutable proof in front of her.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' Steve, [[CharacterizationMarchesOn who in previous seasons was shown to be fairly religious]], refuses to believe in Biblical stories that he finds illogical, like Noah's Ark. This despite the fact that a) he once met God and temporarily gained enlightenment, b) his mother's repressed sexuality once manifested as a ghost and attacked the house, c) his family has a long-running feud with [[BadSanta Santa]], d) his grandfather is TheKrampus, and e) his sister once adopted the baby AntiChrist, who proceeded to MindControl Steve for most of the episode. Given all that, his VERY SUDDEN lack of belief is rather odd. (An argument ''could'' be made that the {{Christmas Episode}}s are LooseCanon, but that doesn't explain the first two.)

** The Emperor of Mankind wanted to eliminate all religious beliefs from the Imperium and make mankind trust in science and logic. However, it's heavily implied that the Emperor was more than aware that ''actual'' daemons existed, but was [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly trying to starve them]], essentially. All was going swimmingly until some of his sons sided with the aforementioned, very real, Chaos Gods and started a galactic-wide rebellion. The cosmic irony is that after these events the Emperor became the official divinity of the Imperium, and it seems he is now forced to work by his faithful people to save mankind from extinction...

*** Turns out the Ethereals know damn well that Chaos is real but hide this knowledge from the rest of the Tau. The main reason Commander Farsight formed his own breakaway colony away from the Ethereals is that he figured this out. He believes that denying the existence of the supernatural is a mistake and that the Tau cannot prevail with their technology alone. They need magic of their own. Farsight puts this philosophy into practice on the battlefield, wielding a Warp-based sword called the Dawn Blade.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' Steve, [[CharacterizationMarchesOn who in previous seasons was shown to be fairly religious]], refuses to believe in Biblical stories that he finds irrational, like Noah's Ark. This despite the fact that a) he once met God and temporarily gained enlightenment, b) his mother's repressed sexuality once manifested as a ghost and attacked the house, c) his family has a long-running feud with [[BadSanta Santa]], d) his grandfather is TheKrampus, and e) his sister once adopted the baby AntiChrist, who proceeded to MindControl Steve for most of the episode. Given all that, his VERY SUDDEN lack of belief is rather odd. (An argument ''could'' be made that the {{Christmas Episode}}s are LooseCanon, but that doesn't explain the first two.)

** Not as much as Doma, but Muzan in his tremendous egocentrism has rebuked Kagaya's notion that someday karma will catch up to his evil deeds by gloating about his very long life, he lived for more than a thousand years without ever seeing God or Buddah thus Muzan rationalizes there's either no such thing as divinity or that his actions are actually ''supported by higher powers'', somehow.

* In the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, {{Science Hero}}es like ComicBook/IronMan and [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]] acknowledge that ComicBook/TheMightyThor ''might'' be an actual god (though they tend to think of him and all other mythological beings as closer to {{sufficiently advanced alien}}s; Thor was actually {{retcon}}ned to be this by Creator/WarrenEllis, but who knows if it stuck) and that characters like ComicBook/DoctorStrange, The Beyonder, and the [[Characters/MarvelComicsScarletWitch Scarlet Witch]] are doing ''something'' beyond their comprehension. That doesn't mean they're comfortable with not understanding what's going on, don't stop looking for ways to explain it, or that they're specifically religious. The closest we ever get is one or two incidents of straight-up desperation praying after all viable options have been exhausted. The only science hero that has no problem accepting all of this is [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]]. Though this is a relatively recent development and there are several older stories where these guys have little problem accepting magic and gods or at least being convinced of it rather quickly. {{Flanderization}} in action.

* In the ''ComicBook/AgeOfUltron'' tie-in for ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', ComicBook/MisterFantastic tells his views on afterlife thus: "I am a man of science. There is no God. There is no Heaven. There is no Hell." Just to put this in perspective, not only does he personally know Thor and [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] (and incidentally was established as believing in a God many times in the past), but ''he's actually been to Heaven and met God''[[note]]Well, Jack Kirby[[/note]] as well.
** Heck, just a page or so earlier ''in that very issue'' with the above quote, [[ComicBook/TheThing Ben]] talks about [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]]'s machine for contacting the afterlife, which everyone present knows about.

* [[Characters/MarvelComicsBetaRayBill Beta Ray Bill]] is an atheist who ''hangs out'' with the Norse gods. He also met The One Above All once.

* The ''ComicBook/XMen'' were once sent to a world shaped according to Dante's ''[[Literature/TheDivineComedy Inferno]]''. ComicBook/{{Colossus}} claimed he was proud to be an atheist when he saw how cruel God was. Nobody pointed this out.

* Both Cavil and Adama present themselves as atheists in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', long after it seems that either souls, gods, or super-human / super-Cylon beings almost have to exist. Eventually, after revelations and character development, the trope applies to neither man: Adama's point of view shifts from "The gods don't exist" to [[NayTheist "Screw you! Where were you when we needed you?"]] Cavil is revealed to be [[spoiler: A Cylon who hates his creator gods]].

* Klaus of ''Series/TheUmbrellaAcademy'' calls himself an atheist, and he's somewhat justified in doing so: none of the ghosts he summons ever mention Heaven, so why should he believe in it? [[spoiler:He keeps up this belief even when talking to God Herself in Heaven after being temporarily killed at a rave however.]]

* In the fourth season of ''Series/{{Lucifer}}'', formerly devout Catholic Ella loses her faith following a friend's death and how unfair it is. She even rants about how "there is no God"...to a man who just happens to be the Devil himself, his cop partner who knows he's the Devil, his brother who's an angel, another friend who's a demon as well, a shrink [[spoiler: who's carrying the angel's baby]] and, oh yes, has her "imaginary friend" from childhood is [[spoiler: ''the Angel of Death''.]]
** This is, however, [[JustifiedTrope justified]] with Ella, as she was one of the only main characters (and now is the only one, as of the end of season 5) who '''doesn't know''' anything about this. If anything, other characters have [[LockedOutOfTheLoop deliberately withheld this information from her and/or lied to her face about it.]] There's a SureLetsGoWithThat RunningGag with Ella, but her rationalization of Lucifer's stories and behavior as LA's weird subculture is honestly the more plausible explanation for anyone in her position. Especially given some of the cases solved during the show's run.

-->'''Bruce:''' Of course I do: I've SeenItAll. [[ComicBook/{{Etrigan}} Demons]], [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries witch boys]], [[ComicBook/VandalSavage immortals]], [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague zombies]]. But this thing... I don't know. It just feels so...high school.

* Kid Flash in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''. He's perfectly okay with pocket dimensions and MindControl existing, he just thinks everything has to have a scientific explanation behind it. Partly justified in that one of the Flash's enemies, (Abracadabra for those curious) was a Time Traveller posing as an EvilSorceror (and actually served as TheDragon in the episode in question) and because this skepticism seemed to only last a single episode - on every other occasion magic shows up, Kid Flash is (to all appearances, at least) a lot more accepting of the reality of it all. Also, by the end of that first episode where he denies the existence of magic, it's pretty clear that Wally knows better and just doesn't want to admit being wrong.

-->'''Mr. Cat''': [[OutOfCharacterMoment Who said our planet had to be round?]][[note]]The characters live on Planet Smileyland, not Planet Earth[[/note]]