I think that the answer a “true” atheist would make to these questions would be yes, it would be better. Of course C.S. Lewis says that whenever a judgment of better or worse or compassionate verses cruel is made there is an acknowledgement that there is a higher good. Once an atheist admits that there is a higher good he/she has to explain how that is known and whether there isn’t a God who decrees that higher good. The Muslim who beheads a Christian girl who will not convert is simply saying that he is doing the will of allah. So would the atheist say that this is simply a cultural difference?
“I think that the answer a “true” atheist would make to these questions would be yes, it would be better. Of course C.S. Lewis says that whenever a judgment of better or worse or compassionate verses cruel is made there is an acknowledgement that there is a higher good.”
The higher good for a wise atheist would be self preservation. In other words he would understand that by protecting all human life he would in the final analysis be protecting his own.
It’s the slippery slope argument.
When you boil it down to its essence the fight between pro-lifers and abortionists is about when life begins. Everything thing else is just noise.