You can also take that logic and reverse it. If there is a God and I don't believe in Him, He has no reason to prove Himself to me. So it's all a moot point. Believe whatever you're inclined to believe. A fellow sentient being cannot be harmed by your absence of belief.

But I think it is grossly unfair that I am potentially harmed by my abscence of belief in a society run on it! Look at what the Catholic church has done to the medical community! They merge with PUBLIC facilities and then ban contraception, ligations, hormone therapy and more.

:o/

It seems to NOT promote devotion.. itsn't that important in a spiritual life?

A lot of people made a big deal about Anthony Flew's conversion to deism from atheism, but I am mystified as to why this is. I am an atheist, an agnostic, and a deist. I don't think there is a god, I don't know whether there is a god, and if there is a god, I am worshiping him in the best way I know how: by being honest about what I think is the most likely. Because before I can worship a god I must first find one worth worshiping, and not despair that I have to put up with cheap imitations that I have come across so far. That is a recipe for damnation, and even if I never find one, I can always be confident that someone, someday, might, and that whatever god that actually exists will see my sincerity and reward that. Wagering against what we regard as the truth seems to me to be a very risky business indeed.

There is some http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FridgeHorror"]Fridge Horror[/url] in the arguement of pascal's wager. For one, it makes atheism all the more desirable. Who wants there to exist a being who is going to punish you if you're wrong? Ironically, there is a part of me that does want some god or afterlife to exist, but if we're believing just to escape a potential horrific afterlife, than I'd rather find evidence against that god.

Second of all, it's implying that life on earth doesn't matter. Infact, that's the problem I have with religion all together. It's devoting the one life you surely have to FAITH, something that can't be proven. It's one thing to have faith, but when it takes over your life, you miss out. All for the fear of potential punishment that may or may not exist? And they say atheists have the depressing worldview?

Fantastic points everybody! I agreee with jackbauer on the horror part. It IS emotional abuse, extortion and major guilt tripping mind games that forces you to make that decision to agree with the concept of GOD...at least from a lot of the major religions out there.