"Excellent quote, stigweard. Do you happen to remember which of Carl Sagan's books it's in?"

Actually, I realised my post was somewhat garbled and re-reading it I gave the impression I lifted the quote from Carl Sagan when I actually only lifted the idea, the words were mine (although how much is my original thought remains to be seen).

I'm pretty sure it came from his book Cosmos, but I have misplaced my copy so can't give you a reference.

In some ways this was the single most powerful ideas I have ever read in print. It actually allows us to construct a moral code that doesn't rely on religion at all, but hard scientific evidence. In my opinion the very idea we are the universe made conscious is far more awe-inspiring than anything man could dream up alone. It confirms the value of every life on the planet (or anywhere else), affirms it's sanctity and shows us we are all equal and don't need someone telling us we're at the behest of some omnipotent phantom.

Here is the true nature of God revealed in all 'his' glory - the living universe itself and everything in it, all it's laws and theorems. A big idea to get your head around! Sagan was a genius.