I maintain that an atheist can have morals.

I've never bought the "only the religious have morals", which in my experience means those whose religion is closest to the speaker's.

I think all humans have morals (just step on somebody's toe or reach into another person's shopping cart at a store and remove an item for yourself).

And, what one's ethical system is a mishmash of the traditional plus the idiosyncratic.

As to its origins, like many things, it comes from the individuals who make up the societal group.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.