I would agree with those who have stated that the term "atheist" is a rather neutral one which, while declaring that the individual does not believe in God or gods, does not make any statement of belief or values outside that declaration. There are certainly many people walking around who do not believe in God, who also do not believe in any other moral or ethical guideline, with the possible exception of legal constraints. In the same way, there are people who have evolved their own moral and ethical belief system outside of any god-based religion, but I think that Existentialism is probably the most accurate term for this self-imposed and self-evolved ethical system. This term expresses a life philosophy in action, and no church membership is required.

To the person who alluded to AC Clarke in terms of no absolute good or bad because "what is good for one group of people is bound to be bad for another". I see no logic to the argument. To give food to the starving from our own larder does no one ill, while certainly doing good. To murder a fellow human being out of jealousy or anger does evil with no resultant good. From such in-born moral and ethical intuition, a rational belief system takes root.

I would also like to respectfully disagree with the person who stated that, because the existence of God is logically un-proveable, that all thinking individuals are thus obliged to practice Agnosticism. To attempt to explain all existance through Logic is like dissecting a flower to ascertain why it blooms. The non-believer sees God nowhere, the believer sees God manifested in everything.

As far as an anthem for Existentialists, I believe that Lennon's Imagine works as well as any -

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

LEJ