And Pascal’s Wager works both ways, right?” I nodded, returning his smile. “Yup. If you’re wrong, you won’t have the opportunity to regret it. - Dennis E. Taylor

I believe that it is only possible to acquire true morality without input from a deity. It is only when you do something because you believe it is the right thing to do, instead of because of any moral desserts, that you are acting morally. Likewise, it is only when you refuse to do something because of the Golden Rule, rather than because of a threat of punishment, that you are behaving in a moral manner.

People's capacity for turning dogmatic stupidity into political movements never ceased to amaze me. We've knocked off 99.9% of the human race and somehow the crazies still manage to survive. It just defies the odds.

How are you supposed to feel if you are forced to do what you would have done anyway?