About Leviticus, etc. The laws of the OT had a specific purpose for the time. That purpose was fulfilled by the work of Christ on the cross. In other words, it’s a green light on that stroganoff. Bon appetit.

As to morality, you are familiar with the commandments I’m sure and of course welcome to your belief that you arrived at a similar moral framework (or not?) by some other route based in expediency. (Love the Treebeard reference!) Personally it isn’t a fear of fire and brimstone that deters me from sin (that’s closer to legalism), it is the Holy Spirit (God’s grace working in me, i.e Christianity). I still mess up, I just recognize it now and grieve it, and correct. I don’t feel scared at all in that; I feel loved. I feel amazed.

You mention evil and murder but what do you define those by? Why is murder evil? Because it kills another human? So? What makes another human so special? This is constantly debated in our culture, don’t you think? Do you eat animals? What separates us from the barnyard? Learning to cook?

I could be wrong but I think what is meant by referencing little g gods is that when we deny the one and only God, we transfer our obedience to other masters and we serve those; self, science, knowledge, worldly success, alcoholism, fitness, whatever, just a few examples. When those don’t suffice, we despair or we continue seeking. That is our nature because we were designed that way on purpose ... you see where I’m going there. Anyway, atheism is bs. I get that you don’t worship God or *insert alternative fake deity* and that’s your choice of course. But everyone serves something, or seeks to, imo. The question what is your source of truth is I think a fair one, that you didn’t answer. But I’d love to hear your thoughts on that. Atheism is not a source of anything, it’s a response to something, no?