I hear ya Piobare... but I don't take Pascal's wager at face value... in other words, I don't believe that the "everything to gain" means you'll be taken care of when you're dead. If there is a G-d, then the goal of life is to be happy and to serve Him in such a way that you are taken care of in the world to come. If there is none, then the goal of life is simply to be happy. For many people, Religion serves that purpose as an end to itself. In that case, why not?.. or at least why belittle them as long as they keep it to themselves (I don't support ANY attempt to govern based on religious doctrine). When I say "dogmatic atheist", that's who I'm talking about.. the Bill Mahers of the world that insist I am somehow unintelligent because I cling to a belief in a higher power. But as someone who was indoctrinated as a child, even though I can easily reject some elements (eating pork, for example), I cannot resist the pull of fasting and observing Yom Kippur or even some of the less grand holidays. I would feel very disconnected from myself if I missed that part of every year.
