Are there any Atheists in the WH40k Universe?

Just wondering, it's a thought that popped into my head.

The Emperor said there were no gods, then he died and they started calling him a god. Imperial truth vs imperial creed. Maybe tau? The necron used to worship gods, I don't think they still do at all. Some minority human and eldar groups are likely atheist. Not exactly claiming there are no gods, but not following them at least. 40k gods can actual show up in person, so proof is possible and taking things on faith less necessarily to followers.

Ah ok, it was just a question I had in my mind.

Wait, ain't DE athesists? Muses aren't "gods", more like our buddy Buddha.

I'm pretty sure Buddhists aren't atheists though.

Well I was mainly talking about humans who didn't believe in the Emperor. What wouldbe their treatment if it was found out?

Healthy dose of Promethium/Bolter rounds/Imperial Guard body parts (GUARDSMEN, DROWN THEM IN BLOOD!). The usual "burnkillmaimtheheretics".



@Thor
Well... I'm not buddhist, nor expert but from what I know they don't quite believe in God. Hindu - they do.
Hmm... actually, some of Hindu believe.
But IMHO Buddism is closest to what DE have.

Or would You like comparision to Lenin ? Hey, he was "Dark Muse" .

I think the muses would be minor gods. Not sure how many dark eldar don't follow khaine or any muse, but the highest atheist population would probably be among the dark eldar. The number of human atheists was very high before Horus heresy, now few remain.

Whilst I'm not going to get into the Buddishm debate as I think it's fairly unstable ground, I wouldn't define them as athethists.

Back in 40k world, yes during the Great Crusade the Emperor was spreading the Imperial Truth which was a rather scientific look at the universe, and the idea that there are no gods. This can be debated easily depending on your definition of a god. The Emperor didn't see himself as a god, and possibly didnt view the chaos gods as "gods" just powerful pan-dimensional sentient beings. But then that argument just comes back round to define "god".

After his death the Imperial Truth (even during the Great Crusade to an extent), was replaced with the Imperial Creed. The Imperial Truth finally dying out completly probably around the time of the Nova Terra Interregnum between M34 and M35.

So beyond isolated pockets of humanity which have lost contact with the Imperium and the few Space Marine chapters who haven't fully adopted the Creed, man is probably now a fairly thesit state. Again depending on your definition of a god.

Dark Eldar I would say are not Athesists. They no longer follow or worship the gods, but they still acknowledge that they existed as they were too weak to rule. So they do not follow or worship said gods, but they still "believe" in them.

The Necrons are probably athethist, as they have may believed in gods at some point but are now fairly beyond that idea. (Not sure how the new background relates but the C'tan were the Necrotyr's gods, but they are now acknolwedged as just powerful beings who the Necrons cast down).

The only truely Athethist race I can think of would be the Tau.

Yeah the Tau are kinda obvious Atheists, due to the fact they barely have any signature in the Warp.
But I imagine there's got to be at least a few odd humans or so that don't believe.