Appreciation for atheists

There are atheists who are similar to some people of religious faith: they are unwilling to genuinely consider opinions different from their own, they’ve become ego attached to their belief system and are, essentially, zealots. But on the whole atheists play an important role I believe — they have a reasonable skepticism about God and do not defer to the opinions of others, particularly those who refer to themselves as Godly authority figures. We would be well served, I think, to listen to the points atheists make because some of these points are based on sound reasoning. There’s a loving and just God somewhere? Then why all the injustice and suffering throughout the history of the world? God favors some over others? Then God is biased. God punishes the wicked and rewards the just? There are plenty of nasty people who lived comfortable lives, and plenty of decent people who struggled and died. God is real? God is nowhere that I can see. Some people of faith may not like to hear this b…