John,

Since you seem to be politely asking for clarification, I am happy to provide it.

I think the path from Religion to Atrocity is obvious and plain from history. I thought that was implied in my approach, but to clarify, I now positively state that religion sometimes allows atrocity.

I just don't agree with Dawkin's claim that that there is NO path, NO PATH, NO PATH AT ALL, from Atheism to atrocity.

I saw Dawkins on Real Time with Bill Maher a couple of weeks ago, where the two of them made the point that Maoism, Stalinism and NAZIism were all religions and thus should NOT negate his argument. To that I thought "COME ON???? WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?"

"Even more interesting, can an Atheist have a concept of good and evil?"

When I was an Atheist, I didn't think in terms of Good and Evil, I thought then and still do that those are not rational, evidence based concepts. If we are morally the same as animals as many have argued here, then Good and Evil are not relevant. It is not evil for an orca to kill a seal. It is not even evil for it to toss that seal into the air and play with it like a kitten plays with a ball of yarn.

Like wise if we are just another animal, there is no good and evil, there are only things that are more or less optimal for passing on our genes.

I put the word "moral" in quotes because, again, I was allowing for the possibility that self described Atheists, might have difficulty applying the word "moral" to themselves because the definition I had posted had included "concern with the distinction between good and evil"

If I have not communicated that to your satisfaction I am sorry that I have failed you. But I only intended to ask a fairly simple question, not to write a long involved, boring essay on my feelings which most would not have read anyway.

I've been discussing things on this forum for nearly 10 years, I have a basic idea of how things work and what to ask to get the answer I want. I know that most people like Willie did here, insert their comments without reading and the more one explains the question, the less likely it is to get a considered answer.

So John,

Are YOU and Atheist? Do YOU believe in Good and Evil? If not how do YOU define "Moral?" How do YOU decide what is "moral?" Do you have commandments or at least guidelines that you follow or is it all seat of the pants?

BTW I would be interested in reading any considered answer to these questions by anyone who wants to give them.