Freethought of the Day

Would you like to start your day on a freethought note? "Freethought of the Day" is a daily freethought calendar brought to you courtesy of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, highlighting birthdates, quotes, and other historic tidbits.

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April 22

There are 3 entries for this date: Jack Nicholson , "Mme. de Stael" and Robert Patterson

Jack Nicholson

On this date in 1937, actor Jack Nicholson was born in New Jersey. He appeared in his first movie in 1958. "Five Easy Pieces" (1970) was a breakthrough role. His many notable movies include: "Easy Rider" (1969); "Carnal Knowledge" (1971); "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975), for which he won a Best Actor Oscar; "The Shining" (1980); "Terms of Endearment" (1983), for which he won Best Supporting Actor Oscar; "Prizzi's Honor" (1985); "Heartburn" (1986); "The Witches of Eastwick" (1987), in which he played "the devil;" "Batman" (1989); "A Few Good Men" (1992) and "As Good as It Gets" (1997), which won him a second Best Actor Oscar.

“I don't believe in God now.”

"Mme. de Stael"

On this date in 1766, Germaine Necker, later known as "Mme. de Stael," was born in France. Her mother was pious but her father, who was French Minister of Finance, was more liberal. Germaine started writing political essays at 15. She married the Swedish Ambassador, the Baron de Stael, in 1786. They separated after a few years. Mme. de Stael wrote "Sophie," a drama, in 1786, studied Rousseau, and left Paris beginning in 1792 for long periods of both self-imposed and Napolean-imposed exiles. During her travels she wrote a four-volume novel, Delphine, published in 1802. Although the Revolution cooled some of her Voltairean views, she continued to reject Christianity. D. 1817.

“She spoke much about the preservation of religion, in which, she gave me to understand, she did not herself believe.”

Robert Patterson

On this date in 1934, Robert Patterson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended church with a neighbor until the age of 17, when he began to question the existence of a god. He has rejected religion ever since. A successful businessman, his accomplishments include the development of a police radar gun, which is also the most easily-serviced gun used. He is an avid aviator and the owner of several airplanes. He didn't discover the joy of parrots until later in life and is the proud owner of two blue and gold macaws. He is a longtime member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and treasurer of the Kansas City Community of Reason. (Today's entry is a birthday surprise arranged by Mary Slusarski, Alaska.)