"If you examine the atrocities perpetrated by atheists, you find that they have killed more people in the last century than all of the crimes of 2000 years of "church" history combined. Joseph Stalin killed 20 million Soviet citizens between 1929 and 1939 because they were not politically correct. Mao Tse-tung killed 34 to 62 million Chinese during the Chinese civil war of the 1930s and 1940s. Pol Pot, the leader of the Marxist regime in Cambodia, Kampuchea, in the 1970's killed 1.7 million of his own people. In fact, the Pol Pot regime specifically preached atheism and sought to exterminate all religious expression in Cambodia. This last example of atheist-led atrocities by itself resulted in the deaths of more people than those who were killed by 2000 years of "Christian" atrocities."

"Should atheism be blamed for the atrocities of a few prominent atheists?"

- No, of course not. But despite the fact that there are presently about 2 billion Christians, most of whom quietly go about their business trying to live a good life, you seem to think you can paint us as insane, blood-thirsty savages. Sorry, but it doesn't stack up. Despite the periods you point to where the Church has disgraced itself, Christianity is overwhelmingly peaceful and positive.

Sorry that you have more than your fair share of ignorant religious nutters in America, but don't let that blind you to the real picture.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt and agreeing that the religious are more likely to commit atrocities - do you really think that if there was no religion people wouldn't find other excuses to war with each other? Land, resources, ideology, race - take your pick.

Blacknad.