That being said, I really think you should reconsider. Sure, there may not be a Deity. As you noted, that's a given. Still, what if there is? That's a question worth wrestling with. And if there is a Deity, what is that Deity like? Is she kind and loving and nurturing? Is he angry and condescending and punishing? When some innocent on earth is hurt, is it the fault of the Deity or not? I would say it is the Deity's fault if he claims to be sovereign over everything that happens on this planet we share. But what if the Deity is not sovereign? What if she is just as surprised as we are when terrible things happen? What if she says, "I wish I would have seen that coming. I would have broken my own natural laws and stopped it from happening." But maybe the Deity cannot break the natural laws that govern the universe. Why not? Because those natural laws might just be the Deity. Yes, you heard me right. The natural laws of cause and effect might be the essence of the Deity. In this way there is good and evil, right and wrong, up and down. Natural law is a dividing line that clearly delineates the boundaries. Anyone who crosses those boundaries is outside of what was intended by natural law. Anyone who crosses those boundaries is an outlaw, but those who stay within the boundaries even if they suffer are sanctified by their recognition of and obedience to the law, which is the Deity. I know. I'm probably all wet. There is probably a completely different explanation that makes more sense. I just don't know what it is.
