That, IMVHO, is why humans need religion.

At this point in my life, I am going to respectfully disagree with this. And remember I was raised Roman Catholic and have been for most of my life an observant, and sometimes almost devout Catholic. But as an adult, I have always looked at my religion with an evaluative eye. And this used to drive some people in my family crazy (except for my uncle who was a priest, actually).

One of my early conclusions was that I am Catholic because my parents were Catholic and they decided to raise me Catholic and there is no other reason. I believe what I believe because of early indoctrination. Every human is born atheist. If I had been adopted by a family who practiced a different religion, I would be a different religion. I think the people who are perhaps the most truly religious are those who convert or change religions because they are making a choice as an educated adult.

And one of the things my priest uncle said was "If you are only coming to church out of a sense of duty, don't bother. And if you are only doing the right thing because you are afraid of hell, that does not make you a "good person" because you need a threat to keep you in line." And I know this shocked or offended some people because they had been taught that following your religious practice even when you didn't want to was because of your sense of duty, and not doing something for fear of punishment was a valid reason for not doing it: perhaps not as pure as being a good person inherently, but valid nonetheless.

And finally I met some people who were atheist, and actually I have spent half my life with my Quaker-raised, atheist partner, who is one of the kindest people without any ulterior motives who you would ever want to meet. Just a good human being who is not restrained into it by any fear of a bad afterlife.

There are plenty of people out there who need no fear of retribution to just do the right thing.

And that made me realize that atheists don't really have an agenda to make other people change their believe systems, at least not enough to wage holy wars, or have inquisitions, or kill people over it. Yes communism and atheism are linked in communist countries, but it's not the non-believe in God that Drives it, it is the Communism that expects you to devote everything to that cause without the interference of a god to get in the way.

And finally, since 2016 (do the math), I have come to the realization that a lot of Christians (I am not excluding other religions, I am just speaking for my own and my own experience...let someone else speak for those religions) --I have come to the realization that a lot of contemporary Christians are really mean, angry and unhappy horrible people who support terrible things and terrible people and terrible policies because bits and pieces of those people and policies support parts of their own earthly agendas. Contemporary American Christianity has become completely bastardized and is about as far away from it's origins as it can get. And also narcissistic: why do you think that God particularly interested in America? Why do you think that God is going to help you get a mortgage if they are content to let people live out their entire lives on a garbage dump in Brazil, or allow genocide, or allow people to be tortured by serial Killers? I just think that god must be essentially a non-interventionalist--and that's fine.

And I am not saying that these "Christians" are not happy and kind among themselves. They just hate and sneer at everyone else and what they believe in. . Don't believe me? Well, I think some of you must be able to think of a few individuals right here in this forum.

No explanation needed.

I like the original shade as well. And I'd suggest removing the book. The table is small, the items don't need a base to group them. Removing the book will give the objects a little room to breathe and be noticed.

Looking again... I see that the book helps the lamp height relate to the art work. I'd still try removing the book.