""That is exactly my point! The DON'T pledge their lives to Dawkins then go into the community and help people for no reward other than food and shelter.""

And you presume to know, from your place on that high horse of self proclaimed morality, that Atheists do not go out to perform good works, do not do so out of altruism and are not just as capable of acts of selflessness as the religious, and more capable than many (think Phelps family)?

In fact, it would probably have been better all round if the first to come into contact with primitive tribes had been Atheists.

The influence of nineteenth century missionaries upon those tribes was seldom very positive, when looked at from the point of view of the tribes.

But it did boost the number of "Christians" quite nicely, even though few of them had any idea of what it meant, and it did wonders for the supply of well controlled and obedient house servants.

Don T.