hi,
happened to hear your pod cast ..simple down to earth .. and u r right in giving credits to hinduism for liberal views towards atheists .
vyasa bhagavan- established the vaithika matham- by winning the discussion with nasthikas and lokayatas
nashtika madam has tone down a lot infact periyar and company had only used a few of the discussions that were thrown on vyasa .
vaithika matham gives more importance to paramana - the vedas than to pratiyaksha -visible evidence and anumana - inference
science stresses just the opposite and is avidhya..it can change our way of life but it cannot be integrated in to vaithika matha..cannot be put to fruitful use within the context of vaithika matham
a vaithika seeks a master to clarify his doubts about the mandate of parmana but has to accept his anumana to be insufficient as to conclude on lofty concepts such as god and creation

lokayata matham- the religion most of us follow unconsciously ..the religion where followers give much importance to worldly life and aspire for a comfortable life and pray to god for such goals ( i am one ) . majority of religious people belong to this category and you are correct about views of such people about miracles and foolishness involved in praying for one.
vaithika matham is about ignoring the mundane and focussing on the higher reality..
krishna - the god says to his bhakta arjuna two things
agamo apayino anithya tam thithiskasva bharata
the first one in first chapter means that pleasure pain both are transient arjuna learn to tolerate it. this is what a vaithika does ..accept

kaunteya pratijyanihi na mi bhaktah pranasyathi
the second statement of krishna means no bhaktah of mine will perish..i will save them all.he says this late in gita after the previous one..
a vaithikan develops forbearance and tolerance and god does his bit. They are the true seekers of the divine

well . I think I should stop
cheers
amith