Dragan,
>>At that time I understood this as special mention of his atheism, contrary to the normal attitude expected from an atheist. As if morality, selflessness and decency were somehow incongruous with not believing.
Don't forget that I referred to his sudden desire to be *remembered* for those attributes, not whether he ever exhibited any of them. I can immediately understand why somebody of faith might come to such a realization, but still cannot see why an atheist would suddenly care more for a legacy of basic morality than a glittering lifetime career. I'd ask you to explain, except this has gone on a while now ;-)
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
