No, it's not extraordinary. One, we've trained billions of animals to perform all types of tricks for us. Your opinion that one has more value over the other is irrelevant, esp. considering the history of the Christian church in particular. Billions of people believing this stuff is largely due to the fact that a few rich, powerful emperors and kings decided that everyone should believe this religion, and it wasn't until modern times (I was under the impression that Galileo almost died for even attempting to say that the earth was the one revolving around the sun, back in the 15th century...modern?) that you could be murdered for speaking out, or not sharing these beliefs. Again, atheism has always existed, but it was extremely dangerous to claim atheism. Not to mention, there are older faiths practiced today than Christianity, does that give them more weight, or more likely to be true in your eyes?
Well I find it extraordinary for various reasons, it's a strange religion that emphasized "good" well enough for the atheists ten commandments to be so similar to the originals. Golden rule and all that jazz. But I understand...that's just my opinion. I confess I have a thing for that which mesmerizes people (things like music, religion, literature, etc).
As for the underlined: excuse me, but that wasn't my opinion. In fact, I'd really rather you completely take it out of your mind that this is a conversation about what's valuable or what's not valuable. So this:
Not to mention, there are older faiths practiced today than Christianity, does that give them more weight, or more likely to be true in your eyes? It shouldn't. Neither the age, nor the number of believers can confirm whether or not the belief is a true one.
Is a really silly question because you and I are also NOT arguing about what's true and what's not, instead we're trying to see what are the moral shaping of atheism. Or at least I was under the impression that that's what my curiosity was conveying: a desire to see how atheists belief relate to the individual contrasted with how christian beliefs relate to the individual. I am familiar with one (the latter), but not the other (the former). So I sought out for a discussion with a person who appears to be one (you). But alas

, I can see how my
praising christianity may have prompted you to show me there's nothing worthy of praise, except I was actually praising the creators for well...creating something (albeit with the aid of other previous religious beliefs) that would stick so well for a couple of thousand years.
You really need to read up on the history of Christianity -- most people don't know why they believe what they do.

I really do, but there's a lot to read and my time is short. Unless you can narrow down what it is I need to read and how it contributes to our discussion. It'd be much appreciated.
I don't know what you mean here. The universe is chaotic so... heaven exists? I'm missing the connection here.
The universe is chaotic so heaven and hell are a good way to
motivate people. Since – as you've pretty much noticed by now I'm sure – fear of the unknown is a very strong motivator for humans at least where
maintaining order is concerned.
For better or worse the atheist perspective (as I understand it) rejects the above notion, and I'd like to know how that measures up. Can humans be motivated to do good if they've got nothing to fear except for a probability of facing the consequences for their actions? I wonder.
You seem to have a pretty good answer to that:
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Easy. Because good actions generally do breed positive benefit... even if that benefit is simply feeling good about doing good. Sure, people don't always suffer direct negative consequences for bad acts, but it's more likely that they would. But if I do something good for you, it's more likely that you will reciprocate ... it's the same if I harmed you.
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Maybe you're right, analyzing reality as a probability game seems to be sufficient enough. But these probabilities you make an appeal to are so fluctuating that I don't think it'll stop people from hoping for better when faced with a reality they feel they have no control over...thus the basis for the desire of a better life in the after-death (heaven). And the desire for a worse life in the after-death to all those who've hurt you and got away with it (hell).
^ That's the biggest + for Christianity, as I see it at least. Karma fails OR eludes us all the time, most people realize that and pray for something more
reliable and Christianity/Islam/Judaism/Bhuddism gives them that something...what does Atheism give where that area is concerned?