No Quarrel With Beliefs?

Not long ago, I quarrelled with a friend on her belief and she was so infuriated by me for categorically out ruling the existence of her religious belief and the existence of such thing as God etc  she broke of our friendship and even cursed me for disturbing her pious thoughts still in her mourning period for her late mother.  While I did apologise for my untimely arguments, I still maintain my atheist stand. In fact after my explanation for my holding to my principles and the intention being not to hurt her she finally accepted and we are good friends again.                                                           It must be pointed out that I have many friends, colleagues, co-workers, neighbours and acquaintances who are devoted Christians or Buddhists etc, I also respect them for their beliefs and many of them are practising the universal love for fellow beings and many of them are really doing good for whatever reason which I do not bother to enquire into.  What I hold in my own belief is the principle that we should not be misled by hearsay and unproven tales especially the traditional fairy tales and the archaic superstitions. My principle is just simple and straight forward; I only believe the truth and truth logically and scientifically proven.  Although you may believe in all those religions without harm  yet it is a folly to think that you can get what you want from Heaven by praying piously. It is also a waste of time and resources to dig into the ancient fairy tales just to find any trace of the crossing of the Red Sea etc. Is it not better to do research into the possibility of transforming the micro-organisms in the oceans into food for the benefit of mankind?