"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you. -- Genesis 9:3" Plus all that "slaughter 'em for ceremony" stuff, and the passage about taking dominion over ever animal. I'd hate to be animal in the Bible.

Or in the Dalai Lama's palace. The scumbag eats meat, not sure how he justifies it, but he does.

But come on Michael. I am on record as saying that I don't think religion changes behavior much because people merely interpret its rules as rubber stamping their self-interested behaviors. So, no, I do not think that but for Christianity we'd all be vegetarian hippies living in a commune (though that would be nice, and better for the world.)

I like your point, if a nice person becomes a Christian they'll be a nice Christian, if a nice person becomes an atheist they'll be a nice atheist. I was a nice Christian and became a nice atheist. Christianity did not make me nicer, neither did atheism. I will say, however, atheism causes me to view my fellow sentient beings as having ONE SHOT at happiness, and therefore to feel compassion when I see them fail. Although I suppose I could also, fully consistent with atheism, just say "Hey, screw them, it won't matter in the long run, and besides, they'll be dead soon anyway."

Ted, I am sorry not to get your hint at humor. My computer screen (an old dinosaur that belongs in the 'puter museum) contains only black print and it did not pick up the twinkle in your eye, and when I held my ear to the screen I heard no snicker or knee slapping at your end. All I saw was "There is nothing about "atheism" that makes people compassionate--so how you'll manage that is beyond me--", which sounded to me like a serious comment, and one that I felt needed a serious response, especially given that as an atheist I take myself very seriously :-)

luv,
sb

:-)