An argument can be made that if Newton approached his craft as an atheist he would have been more vigorously opposed than he was. The same can be said about Einstein.
One would need to consider the time line and the power of organized religion when these great thinkers were promoting their ideas. My question would be, how many people were never heard from as a result of their anti religious positions?
How much further would we have advanced if the opponents of the Prime Mover weren't reprimanded, jailed, tortured or killed?
