"The death of God, Nietzsche argued, means that all the Christian values that have shaped the West rest on a mythical foundation. One may, out of habit, continue to live according to these values for a while [my italics]." Which is why atheists can, as we all know, be perfectly good people. "Over time, however, the values will decay, and if they are not replaced by new values, man will truly have to face the prospect of nihilism, what Nietzsche termed 'the abyss'."

The philosopher Peter Singer is at the forefront of atheist thinking, and he is "uncompromisingly working out the implications of living in a truly secular society, one completely purged of Christian and transcendental foundations". And those implications, according to Singer, include "removing traditional protections for unwanted children, people with mental disabilities, and the noncontributing elderly".

The above quotes are from: http://www.catholiceducation.org/article...me0132.htm

This is why I think we need, more than ever, the Pope, the Catholics and the whole Christian Church. This is why I think the money spent on the Pope's visit was worth every penny - for all of us.