> He was living the atheist dream.
No. He was living the *psychopath* dream. Many theists see psychopathic behavior as the result of what *they* would do if they were atheists. But the fact is, atheists are under-represented in the penal system. So, what the theists who see atheism = psychopathology are actually sayign is that *they* are psychopaths, only held in check by fear of damnation.
I've known quite a number of happy atheists who would not dream of violent behavior. i've known many theists who would commit acts of violence at the drop fo a hat if they thought God wouldn't punish them for it. So... the character was in fact livign a *theist* dream, not an atheist one.
This sort of theist is the kind of person who makes me glad that someobdy once came up with the idea of damnation. The sort of peopel who honestly believe that atheism equates to 'nothing matters" are *exactly* the sort of people who society needs to have some sort of control over.
Until, of course, someone else comes along who feels the need to restrain the sort of people who honestly believe the way you do.
Too bad for you, and that someone else, we have the Constitution to stop both of you at your words.
Which does make me wonder: Maybe we should just clam up about this? :-)
"I've known quite a number of happy atheists who would not dream of violent behavior. "
That is because they are not very bright atheists. They don't understand the ultimate meaning and end to such a belief. You see, it IS either psychopathic, or just dull thinking.
And on 9/11, we learned the hard way that there are many theists who are happy to commit acts of suicidal violence at the drop of a hat because they believe that God will reward them for it.