what are we supposed to say again when christians ask us where we get our morality?

[Mister Agenda]

Well I am happy you have lived a sheltered life thus far.

But let's say someone does murder someone or something close to you, or does significantly steal from you and the law cannot help you.

Would you seek revenge or forgiveness?

Perhaps as a 7/7 atheist I seek revenge, yet as a devout Christian/Muslim/Hindu etc. I seek forgiveness.

There is no observable correlation between being Christian/Muslim/Hindu etc. and seeking forgiveness instead of revenge. There IS an observable correlation between Christian/Muslim and the death penalty. There IS an observable correlation between being a humanist and being against the death penalty, which is state-sanctioned revenge.

I can't see the motivation as an atheist to take a moral high ground, assuming there was no potential earthly punishment beyond my control and nothing existed after earth.

Empathy, sense of fairness, desire to live in a society that is relatively fair, just, and safe....yeah, what's the attraction of those things if evildoers don't get punished in the afterlife, eh?

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I know a victim of rape whose rapist has told her God already forgave him, and it's time she "got over it" because he got over it years ago.

So what prevents one from seeking revenge against said rapist?

Ethical considerations come to mind. Well, they come to my mind, but they seem to consistently fail to come to yours.