If Jon Stewart hasn't "come out" as an atheist or agnostic it's because he either isn't one or doesn't think his private religious beliefs a public matter. I SERIOUSLY doubt he fears persecution like the phrase "come out" connotes or he wouldn't shout out to would be persecutors. Religious people more often abandon religion to avoid condescension like this that's similar in kind if not degree to persecution than to fit in with the cool atheist kids, but that's two sides of the same coin. Both are common in academia, where religion and education are typically viewed as mutually exclusive. My impression of that tone in your comments is why my last response was so contentious; you seemed to divide the world into the ignorant, the mentally ill and the atheist, which was, frankly, insulting. Since Stewart's silent on his religion or lack thereof, why presume to claims an atheism for him that he won't? That's reminiscent of the comment that begins the Daily Show forums "Is Jon Stewart an atheist?" thread: "Oh please please let him be an atheist, my fantasy depends on it! " Guess we all need our little faith based beliefs.