I think religious people and atheists are playing different games. Atheists scream that there's no evidence, whilst religious individuals scream that it's not about evidence. I think these views are entirely inconsolable and it is nearly impossible to break someone from their point of view using those arguments.
I imagine that every atheist has had a point where they sat and examined thoroughly the facts and the ideas behind the concepts and then made a value judgement on how important blind faith is. To be an atheist is to find blind faith to be something negative. Whereas a religious person will likely see blind faith as a positive attribute.
I am reminded of a story about a biochemical scientist; this individual was brought up in a deeply religious household, and while training to be a biochemist and earning his PhD he picked up a large number of contradictions that bothered him deeply. One day this man sat down in his living room and proceeded to cut out everything in the bible that he know from his education was plainly not true. At the end of this task he was left with a very thin book that was nothing but here say and short stories. At this point he had a decision to make; he was too intelligent to brush this under the rug and go on like normal, he had to choose, abandon his career and all of the knowledge he has learnt as part of his PhD, or abandon religion.
He chose religion.
Now, as an person (not an atheist) I find that very depressing; the man abandoned his dream, his livelihood, and essentially, a huge portion of his education, simply because he'd been born to a religious family. I imagine a religious individual would find this a positive outcome for different reasons, although I cannot imagine them myself.
What does religion provide to people? I personally do not accept that consolation for the death of a loved one, or even fear of death, is an acceptable answer. For me to claim that as such would be like saying "Well, I don't need it, but I'm sure some people do" and that is nothing short of arrogance.
I am afraid of death. I am afraid that one day I will cease. I'm also slightly saddened by the idea that one day everything will end, the entire universe will die in a heat death that no one can prevent. However, it is a fear that I use to drive me forward, one that keeps me moving and working so that one day, many years after I shuffle off my mortal coil, some one will say my name and it will cause a smile.
And I think that idea beats anything religion has offered me so far.
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