Atheism and sadism

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade in prison, 18th century line engraving.

The atheist Marquis de Sade (1740-1814) was an infamous French aristocrat and author of heavily philosophical pornography, as well as more traditional essays on philosophy. Sadism, a paraphilia in which pleasure is derived from inflicting pain or seeing pain being inflicted on others, is named after him. The debauched lifestyle of the Marquis de Sade caused him to have periods of imprisonment.

His books featured murder, torture, blasphemy and grotesque, violent, and ritualistic sex. His more major works remain banned in many countries to the present day, even though some of them have been highly influential; Juliet, a book released early in his career, has been imitated right up until the present, most recently by radical feminist Andrea Dworkin.

Atheists hypocritically claiming God is sadistic

See also: Atheist hypocrisy

Despite the strong historical connection between atheism and sadism, atheists/agnostics claim God is sadistic. See also: Atheist hypocrisy

For example, the new atheist and agnostic Richard Dawkins claimed that the God of the Old Testament is "sadomasochistic" in his book The God Delusion.

The American Atheists organization accused God of being sadistic via a billboard.

Marquis de Sade quote

"Imperious, choleric, irascible, extreme in everything, with a dissolute imagination the like of which has never been seen, atheistic to the point of fanaticism, there you have me in a nutshell, and kill me again or take me as I am, for I shall not change.” - Marquis de Sade

See also

• Atheistic communism and torture
• Atheism and sexuality
• Atheism and mass murder
• Atheism and violence
• Atheist atrocities
• Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army
• Irreligion and domestic violence
• Atheism and morality
• Atheism and rape
• Antitheism and antisocial behavior