Why are there no atheists on death row?

Question

this question was actually as a test of the "No atheists in foxholes" statement.
I am surprised that it got so many answers!
It will certainly be going to voting.

Oh, and for the one asking if any surveys have been done on it, the answer is yes and there are very few. But that is not from last minute conversions. Thanks.

skimdads answer was before I added these details by the way.

Answer 1

Because we atheists are pretty durn moral... and too sane to be murderous psychos.

Answer 2

The same reason there are no atheists in foxholes. When faced with death, most people turn to God who was created by man for just that purpose ... to give us life everlasting or immortality.

Who would be a better citizen or soldier, someone who expects prayer to a non-existent "god" to absolve them of any heinous act, or an atheist who takes responsibility for his own actions? ~

Answer 3

What proof do you have of this statement? I think none. But I suspect it's a low number since we are only 3% of the population, but it may be lower still for the following reasons:
1. 39% of atheists have college degrees. The well educated are a small part of the prison population.
2. Since we do not believe in life after death we may be less quick to take it, knowing we take everything when we take a person's life.
4. Atheists think things through rationally instead of operating on our feelings like theists, so impulse killing is probably less likely.

Answer 4

I don't know for certain that there aren't atheists on death row, however a plausible thought is that they discovered God after their long sentencing. Alot of these people never took the time to listen before and after being trapped in a box, all you have is time to listen...listen to your heart, listen to God's call, listen to the silence... You know, even the guy on the cross next to Jesus still had time to believe and repent before he died and then wasn't considered an atheist or a sinner anymore. Jesus took him to heaven with him.

Answer 5

That's a really interesting question. Did someone do a study asking for the religious affiliations of people on death row?

Answer 6

You are God's new champion. You have caused us all to see the errors of our ways. Go to church on Sunday and put up a gold sticker. You are the smartest man alive. You have put such a subtle yet revealing spin on the foxhole question. Genius!!!!!!

Answer 7

They converted. You see, on Death Row it's put up or shut up. Fish or cut bait time. Christianity in many cases is the only way out of the prison we all live in. The prison that they live in has a notable time that will expire. Often it's on a calender in the Warden's office.

We on the outside don't know what time we will expire. So the motivation may be different. But there you have it, when it comes to the time that someone might know the day of their death, God becomes a serious issue. A very, very, serious issue.

No one feels threatened enough unless they know that they are going to end.

Answer 8

Anyone on DEATH ROW that says they are INNOCENT yet has WITNESSES and EVIDENCE Agaisnt them is an ATHEIST not a THEIST.

Only THOSE who FEAR God wouldn't lie.

A true THEIST would ADMIT TO IT.

Only ATHEISTS think there are NO RULES, NO LAWS, NO TRUTHS only WHAT THEY VIEW AS RIGHT AND WRONG.

Answer 9

I don't know where you got your information from, but there must be some...

I remember a Jewish student telling me once that ALL Christians are bad because (pop star) was a very bad person.

I guess it all depends on your perspective

Answer 10

Assuming...and its a big assumption, that what you say is true, Id venture to guess that since a specified time frame has been but on the remainder of their lives on this earth, they fear whats coming. Just a guess based on assumption.

Answer 11

I would say because there hasn't been an atheist that was convicted of anything to get them there....but I'm sure there has been so I'm sure there are Atheists on death row.