Atheists in foxholes
The first use of the statement "There are no atheists in foxholes" has been traced to Lieutanant-Colonel William J. Clear in a story of Bataan's final weeks, delivered during the "Army Hour" program over the WWII because atheism could not be specified as a religious preference in official documentation. Some atheists apparently listed "Buddhist" as the best alternative.
- That atheists at risk of dying are inclined to assume belief in a god and pray to it in the hopes that it might save them from their plight (see Pascal's Wager); that their atheism is insincere and they will acknowledge a god when it suits their purposes. The concept that atheists become religious under fire has also been debunked by atheist veterans of combat.
