Anonymous

From Philosopedia

Anonymous (Died 1539)

An English chronicler has described one of the 16th century French atheists:

• 1539. This yeare, in October, died in the Universitie of Parris, in France, a great doctor, which said their was no God, and had bene of that opinion synce he was twentie yeares old, and was above fouerscore yeares olde when he died. And all that tyme had kept his error secrett, and was esteamed for one of the greatest clarkes in all the Universitie of Parris, and his sentence was taken and holden among the said students as firme as scripture, which shewed, when he was asked why he had not shewed his opinion till his death, he answered that for feare of death he durst not, but when he knew that he should die he said their was no lief to come after this lief, and so died miserably to his great damnation.

{JMR}

ANONYMOUS: For books written by anonymous authors, consult Gordon Stein’s God Pro and Con (1990). Many freethinkers have feared writing under their own names, afraid that they would be charged with blasphemy or attacked by righteous religionists.