Atheist Morality

I have read a lot responses to my previous article that I and other non-believers wrote. They were the usual standard theist arguments that have been refuted for decades. This latest article, “Rebuttal to atheists” by John Simon, in the January 10, 2010 editorial of Belleville News-Democrat is no different.
This editorial, for the most part, is the standard guilt by association argument. Comparing all atheists to some of the worst figures in history and Christian morality superior in every way. But one comparison made me chuckle, it was comparing atheists to Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler was a Catholic, in his speeches and his written works he cited, on numerous occasions, Christian themes and biblical quotes to support his ideology.
Christianity has a lot of blood on its hands. The systematic torture of countless thousands of witches and heretics for one.
Other parts of this editorial he generalized that atheists don’t care about the less fortunate because we don’t believe in a god. Bill Gates is an atheist and through his philanthropic foundation has helped millions of suffering people around the world. Atheists, working alongside Christians, have helped in the rebuilding of New Orleans. Raising money for “Doctors Without Borders” and breast cancer research. We do this because it is the humane thing to do and aren’t compelled by some vague threat of a nonexistent hell. Morality existed long before religion got its grubby little hands on it.