Interesting that so many people are quoting definitions of words and terms in a strict narrow sense, usually from dictionaries, assuming definitions of words furthers their point. I reckon we sometimes use words as approximations of what we mean, so defining words isn't actually helpful. The word "atheism" means something different to me as to someone else. This is clear by how everybody is getting hung up over it.

We adopted an ex racing greyhound last weekend. he is 4 years old and up till Sunday had never been in a house, let alone been domesticated. Over a very short period of four days, he has learned not to soil the floor, not to beg when we are eating and to ignore food preparing in the kitchen, (at least at this stage, whilst we are around.) You could say he is learning a new moral code. off the lead in the garden, he stops when I call him and looks nervous but has not connected it with coming back just yet. but he knows by my voice he has done something wrong by not coming back.

In short, he is adopting a moral code.

and we didn't have to give him a copy of Watchtower to read, we haven't put a bible in his beanbag and there is no copy of the Q'ran alongside his lead.

Seems he can get a moral code without religion.

So can I.