As did the author of “The Weapon Shops of Isher”, A. E. Van Vogt
“The Weapons Shops of Isher”
The shops’ motto was,
FINE WEAPONS. THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE.
Still true to this day, isn’t it? On the subject, Arthur C. Clarke’s “Childhood’s End” had for me a really creepy ending. So did James Blish’ “Cities in Flight”. Isaac Asimov was an outspoken atheist, IIRC. A denial of the immortality of the human spirit seemed to be a common thread.
Of course, I read speculative fiction only while I was in college and still ferociously intellectual. That was four decades ago. My mental pretensions have sinced evolved:
“A man’s got to believe in something. Believe I’ll have another drink.”