That's more relying on authority. That's a necessary function of living, but the difference is that you can expect that if you follow the trail long enough, you'll get to the evidence. I've been trying to find the evidence for God and it's been found lacking.

The religious would likely say that their theologians are authorities, and upon them they rely. To the religious evidence for God's existence is not always empirical and external but comes in visions, or intuitive understanding of conditions. To the religious this is evidence, and is repeatable (which is why there are orders that spring up around the teachings of this mystic or that mystic). What it boils down to is this--the religious have their authorities who speak authoritatively, just as scientists do. Everyone relies on the authorities of their chosen worldview. My point, tho, is that we, as humans, can't know everything, so we need to accept certain things--like particle physics. But if we lack the ability to assess the claims of such physicists ourselves then we're accepting the word of someone on something without being able to verify it ourselves. We accept that others (peer reviewers, etc) are able to do their jobs and understand the field. So while your point on authority is well taken, ultimately the religious can make the same claim.

You've looked for evidence of God; have you looked for it as the religious have recommended? A course of meditation with Buddhists or Hindus, for example?

That's just playing the odds and working with a safety net. Not only do those case represent a vast minority of visits to the doctor, but you're also compensated if you become a victim of malpractive.

Ya'd think so. I work in health care and I can tell you that doctors screw up all the time...they're really good at covering things up. But I'd like to point out that you're not compensated as a victim. You're only compensated as a winner in court and the two are not bedfellows.

But, enough rambling. My point is that we, as humans, have to accept information from other sources just to get along in life. Information that we can't always verify ourselves. This, to me, is faith, just non-religious in nature. And I've found that this faith in humans is often as trustworthy as faith in God(s)!