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→Prominent historical figures, parental loss and atheism
Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] wrote a book entitled ''Faith of the Fatherless'' in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists he found that a large majority of them had a father who was present but weak, present but abusive, or absent.<ref>Vitz, Paul, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt The Psychology of Atheism], September 24, 1997 (lecture notes taken by an audience member).</ref><ref>Anders, Kerby, [http://www.probe.org/content/view/36/91/ Atheists and Their Fathers] (Probe Ministries)</ref> Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the leading atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>
Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] wrote a book entitled ''Faith of the Fatherless'' in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists he found that a large majority of them had a father who was present but weak, present but abusive, or absent.<ref>Vitz, Paul, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt The Psychology of Atheism], September 24, 1997 (lecture notes taken by an audience member).</ref><ref>Anders, Kerby, [http://www.probe.org/content/view/36/91/ Atheists and Their Fathers] (Probe Ministries)</ref> Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the leading atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>
Vitz argues that the defective/absent father theory as a cause of atheism best fits cases where people are militant/intense atheists and that his theory applies in at least 50% of the cases (Vitz does believe in free will and therefore a person with a defective father is not necessarily going to become an atheist).<ref>[https://cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-extras/worldview-curriculum/faith-of-the-fatherless-the-psychology-of-atheism Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism]</ref><ref>[http://www.veritas.org/psychology-atheism/ Psychology of Atheism] by Paul Vitz (lecture at Veritas Forum)</ref><ref>[http://www.ccu.edu/centennial/2014/06/this-fathers-day-hug-an-atheist/ This Father’s Day, hug an atheist!] by Joy Overbeck, Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University</ref>
The book ''Atheist Persona: Causes and Consequences'' by John J. Pasquini, Th.D. indicates that many of the prominent atheists (and prominent [[practical atheism|practical atheists]]) who had dysfunctional/absent fathers that he lists in his book also had dysfunctional/absent mothers.<ref>Atheist Persona: Causes and Consequences by John J. Pasquini, 2014, University Press of America, page 3</ref> See also: [[Atheism and poor relationships with parents]] and [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]
The book ''Atheist Persona: Causes and Consequences'' by John J. Pasquini, Th.D. indicates that many of the prominent atheists (and prominent [[practical atheism|practical atheists]]) who had dysfunctional/absent fathers that he lists in his book also had dysfunctional/absent mothers.<ref>Atheist Persona: Causes and Consequences by John J. Pasquini, 2014, University Press of America, page 3</ref> See also: [[Atheism and poor relationships with parents]] and [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]