I joined the forum after lurking for a while. I'm probably too late for the original question about can an atheist be moral. I am an atheist, and yes, an atheist can be moral. In fact, I believe that atheism has lead me to become even more moral than I was as a child of religion.
As an atheist, I believe this life is the end. When I die, I cease to exist, just like before I was born. As does everyone. I will not meet my dead parents and grandparents. I will not meet up with my old pets. I will not see my wife and kids again. When I die, I'm just gone, and it is totally over.
That is