Charles Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was the 19th century Scientist who proposed the Theory of Evolution. Christian conservatives still get exercised about Darwin because he raised the possibility that the existence of God isn't required to explain the multitude of species that exist on Earth today. The thought that man descended from a common ancestor to the apes drives them nuts. So they come up with very odd theories such as the belief that every animal in existence today descended from animals on board Noah's Ark. Yup, they believe in fairy tales.

Darwin traveled around the world on a ship called "The Beagle", and observed phenomena that led to his formation of the Theory of Evolution. Conservatives go to church and believe that this is proof that there is a God who created the Earth and all life on it in 6 days. Go figure.

Darwin believied less in God as he came to see  that evolution explained the way life is. He finally stopped believing in God when his charming daughter Anne died. He couldn't believe that a loving God would allow that to happen. Liberals might ask how a loving God could allow children to be born in 19th Century slums with no chance of becoming charming like Anne. See Problem of Evil. He considered himself an Agnostic but he certainly didn't believe in God or worship god later in life.