Culbert L. Olson
From Philosopedia
Olson, Culbert L. [Governor] (7 November 1876 - 13 April 1962)
Olson, a lawyer, politician, and Democrat, was active in Utah and California politics. From 1939 to 1943 he was the 29th Governor of California.
He was born in Fillmore, Utah, to Delilah and Daniel Olson. His mother was a suffragette, the first female elected official in Utah. Both his mother and father belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, Culbert was unconvinced of the existence of God, becoming an atheist at the age of ten, much to his parents' dismay.
A spokesperson for atheists. He wrote My Views on Religion (1950?), which included the following:
- • The thousands of gods that man has worshiped are myths born of his fears and his imagination.
- • I wouldn’t say that religion has promoted the social progress of mankind. I say that it has been a detriment to the progress of civilization, and I would also say this: that the emancipation of the mind from religious superstition is as essential to the progress of civilization as is emancipation from physical slavery.
- • I don’t see how anybody can read the Bible and believe it’s the word of God, or believe that it is anything but a barbarous story of a barbaric people.
