When I had a new mattress delivered today, I asked the nice young man who was the talker of the delivery team what happens to old mattresses that they cart off for the customer. He said, "They get shredded if they're in bad shape, but if they're in pretty good shape we give them to Christian charities."

How nice--maybe. Here is my take on it. Charities that operate under the banner of a church group do good; I will grudgingly admit that. But what I don't like is that many people seem to believe that charity and/or good works more generally only would get done by churches. Of course I believe that we don't need churches or religion to do good. But I haven't heard of any atheist charities—I hope someone can correct me if I am wrong--nor, for that matter, atheist music. The religious have all the good tunes! Carols, hymns, great masses and oratorios by the greatest composers. Where are our anthems, etc.? But I'll admit that's a whole 'nother subject.