Madalyn Murray O'Hair

[kiki5711]

Have you guys ever heard of her? I just watched one episode of ID regarding her kidnapping and murder, but never knew she was such outspoken atheist.
Too bad that creep she hired turned out to be her murderer. It didn't even have anything to do with atheism. He was just a god damn psycho greedy bastard.


Madalyn Murray O'Hair (April 13, 1919 – September 29, 1995) was an American atheist activist. She was the founder of the organization American Atheists and served as its president from 1963 to 1986. One of her sons, Jon Garth Murray, was the president of the organization from 1986 to 1995, while she remained de facto president during these nine years. She is best known for the Murray v. Curlett lawsuit, which led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling ending official Bible-reading in American public schools in 1963. This came one year after the Supreme Court prohibited officially sponsored prayer in schools in Engel v. Vitale. O'Hair later founded American Atheists and became so controversial that in 1964 Life magazine referred to her as "the most hated woman in America."[1][2]

In 1995 she was kidnapped and murdered, along with her son Jon Murray and granddaughter Robin Murray O'Hair, by former American Atheist office manager David Roland Waters.

[Tero]

I just remember the story where "valuable atheist documents" disappeared. They might even have proof on Jesus. Maybe videotape of Randi exposing Jesus and his miracles?

[HomerJay]

She stopped Buzz Adrin getting all god bothery on the moon.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I've been aware of her for a couple of decades, but didn't know much about her.

[Tyrannical]

Her surviving son is some kind of preacher too, how odd is that.

[Coito ergo sum]

Have you guys ever heard of her?

Err... yeah... the founder of American Atheists and the plaintiff in one of the most famous atheist activists in history, and the Plaintiff in a landmark US Supreme Court case regarding separation of church and state? Sure.

[kiki5711]

Her surviving son is some kind of preacher too, how odd is that.

He is? gotta look that up..

[rasetsu]

There's an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent which is (loosely) based on the Madalyn Murray O'Hair story. (Though for some reason, 1954 is coming up in memory wrt her court case. I'm tired. I'll investigate later.)