Julian Assange’s faith and religious beliefs have been the subject of curiosity amid his ongoing legal battles and time in the spotlight. Despite the swirling speculation, the WikiLeaks founder is a self-proclaimed atheist and has expressed skepticism about organized religion, calling out monotheistic views as potentially oppressive.
The Australian citizen, born Julian Paul Hawkins on July 3, 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, has been the subject of multiple headlines for his role in disseminating classified information through WikiLeaks. His activities have led to his current imprisonment in the UK pending the outcome of his extradition case to the US on espionage and hacking charges.
Assange has faced questions about his religious views, particularly after a scathing interview with Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. During the conversation, Assange questioned the concept of God as a superpower and suggested that freedom fighters should strive to free people from the idea of a monotheistic deity.
In response to claims of his Jewish ancestry, Assange clarified in an interview with The New Statesman that he is not Jewish and has no Jewish ancestry. His family background is predominantly European with a hint of Aboriginal Australian roots from his maternal grandmother. Assange identifies exclusively as Australian, although he briefly held Ecuadorian citizenship before it was revoked in 2021.
Raised by his mother, Christine Ann Hawkins, and his stepfather, Brett Assange, Julian moved around frequently during his childhood, experiencing a mix of school environments, including home schooling. His early fascination with computers eventually led to hacking activities and a subsequent conviction in 1996, for which he received a light sentence.
Assange’s personal life includes four children from different relationships. He got married for the first time at the age of 18 and had a son, Daniel, with his then-wife Teresa. After the divorce, he had another son with Sarah Harrison, a former associate of WikiLeaks. He also has two children with Stella Morris-Smith Robertson, the lawyer who represents him and whom he married while in prison.
Despite his complex personal and legal situation, Assange’s position on religion remains clear: he does not belong to any faith and has no religious affiliation.