So you have a need to believe in something even if you have to invent it yourself? Sadly a lot of people have been killed in the name of this "invention" and I really can't see beauty in this religion.

The majority thinks the evidence is all around us, though. They seem to have all the proof without proving it. Atheists, on the other hand, don't pretend to know all the answers. We rely on science and our own brains.

A child can grow up to be a productive member of society without a religious upbringing. Culture is pretty much ingrained due to his/her surroundings and education but one can still choose to disregard certain cultural aspects. Believe me, I have. By the way, tradition and culture aren't the same. Even culture is rather a generalization.