Then you have missed my point. If I am right you get to decide exactly what your life means. Neither atheism nor skepticism necessitates nihilism.
That is not true though is it? You cannot decide to be an animal. You cannot decide to be the opposite sex. You cannot decide to be taller or shorter. you cannot decide to be smarter or not. You cannot decide which country you were born into or when you will die.
You can only subjectively for the moment you live decide whether or not you want to make it meaningful or not. And this does not make it meaningful - not really. After all, in 100 years no one is going to know who you are and what you have done - unless you are a super important person. And no one will care either. Unless there is meaning to history - there is no point in attempting to improve it - or try and not repeat mistakes. What would be the point of saving the planet for future generations? Some altruistic meaning for you is not going to hit it with others. And why should people not just do whatever they want - not regarding laws if they can get away with it?
If there is no God and we are all but specks in a moment - then I have nothing to live for but myself. My children - I might love - but to be honest - if I have no purpose other than what I decide myself - then morality is a nonsense. This would mean being a narcissist, a pycho-path, a pedophile is ok so far as I don't get caught and end up in prison.
There would be no need to help others or to restrain myself. And no one could say otherwise - if I decide for myself what my purpose is. The restraints of society would have no holds over me. I would obey the laws so far as they help me - but I would break them if I could get away with it. I would not need a conscious. Whatever for? If I die and everyone hates me - so what? If I live a life in the way that I want and find enjoyment and pleasure in - then this would be my path.
To say that my belief in God restrains me - is true. Yet it also provides purpose and meaning and a pleasure to live, plus hope in an otherwise ordinary world. And yet, if I were today to throw of the yoke of oppression of religion and belief - I would find no desire to do what others want me to do. I would be for want of a better word - my own god. I would make my own rules and live anyway I please- without any regard for anyone else. This would be consistent with that position. After all I would have a few short years - and then I would be gone - blotted out forever - having a name after you are dead is meaningless. Having children is meaningless. Who will care? If I get canceled by this generation or all future generations - who cares? What about children and their futures? What about them? Do I want them to have a good life? I do now because of my beliefs -and the fact that I have hope to see them again in the future. But if there is no god - then honestly, they become a burden to stop me from pursuing my own happiness.
Psycho-path - narcisist - nut job - selfish, greedy, mental - pervert - extremist - yes- and all of the above.
You see you might think that neither atheism or skepticism necessitates nihilism. But it certainly does not prevent it - and it certainly encourages the thinking - of "there is no wrong - there is no right - and so far as I don't get caught - who cares? It does not provide a basis for looking after a world. OR for the future. When it says it does - it has to borrow from other worldviews because atheism is DEVOID of beliefs. Isn't? You keep saying "Atheism is a non-system of non-beliefs". But what you never go on to address is the implications of it. But if you have no- beliefs - you have nothing. An eclectic mix of every other worldviews' beliefs and doctrines is a fraudulent way of living life.