Hai how are you nice to meet you here

Richard Dawkins—without question. I marvel not only at his intellect and education but also his patience in explaining to the pseudo intellectual religious folks why they should give up their baby blankets.

Allen Wats opened my mind.

Robert Green Ingersoll, who 'channeled' Thomas Paine in many of his lectures.

Thomas Paine. Isaac Asimov. Mark Twain.

Clarence Darrow, Christopher Hitchens, Mark Twain...

I still like this Twain quote: "If there is a God, he is a malign thug."

Got none to come to mind.

I've always loved Hitchens, from the days 30 years ago when I discovered him in Rolling Stone. He was more "liberal" then...Saw him 6 months before he died, doing a public "discussion" with a Christy dude who I can't remember. It was a theological location with about 2000 people there. Awesome. He was so eloquent that even a group of Baptist students who were there were clapping for him. As far as living authors, probably Sam Harris.