My impression was always that normal religious people, though maybe more naive and less rational, are more compassionate than non-religious people. And the impression was based on my life experiences obviously, that although I'd definitely feel more comfortable around non-religious people, I somehow liked religious people for their faith, compassion, sympathy, kindness etc. Even on the issue of abortion, I could understand where the religious people were coming from (though i disagreed with), that an unborn child deserves more sympathy than a selfish irresponsible grown-up woman. Recent events have made me realize, again, how when compassion is removed from religion what remains is monstrous.