Pascal's wager seems pretty silly when you consider two things: it could be applied to countless religions, and you do have something to lose: your lifetime. If you turn out to be wrong, then you have wasted precious time worshipping a nonexistent God and trying to follow the moral restrictions of a useless book.
this is an interesting statement. Now, I can understand how it would be and is perceived as "worship" but what if it isn't worship? What if it's just realization and communication?
I'm an INTJ and a Christian. That's almost a contradiction in terms, however, as an INTJ I would need unmitigated proof to validate that type of statement. And, as analytical as I am, I assure you, I didn't just write off the few experiences as this or that. I dug. I searched. I researched, and I checked.
Now, if i were to apply my experiences to the simplicity of the 66 books which make up the bible, then yup... I'd have to get myself checked, or find out if perhaps I had some form of chemical imbalance.
However, I dug deeper than those books. I discovered that there are 15,000 manuscripts alone just to validate the Qua'ran, the Torah, the bible, as well as about 5 other books read by the Jews. I also discovered that there are a slew of monotheistic religions that predate Christianity which have the same foundations, all bound on the same concepts.
So in regards to your statement. Sure. When it comes to your run of the mill Christian parrot who can squawk out verse this and chapter that, and book the other... absolutely, they're bound by their faith and follow a rigid set of rules which in truth - do not actually exist, and most of which were initiated after the council of Nicene prior to Constantine's death. Oh, he died a worshiper of Osiris and was baptized post mortum, in case you're curious.
However me? Nope. I don't have any trouble having a beer. I don't feel guilty or ashamed because I desire my girl friend, and I don't care at all if anyone else wants to get stoned, drunk or sleep around. Has nothing to do with me or my life, or my faith.
I also don't have this ridiculous Amway mentality that requires me to "win souls for the kingdom" because that isn't written anywhere in any book. It's an idea that is fully and completely man made.
So I know for me, I'm not wasting my life. I still make choices based upon the same personal convictions, without finding that I have to step on anyone's free will or ability to destroy themselves, with their own random choices.
As a matter of fact, I have fantastic debates on God (not religion, because I can't debate what I do not support), with both of my business partners.
They're enlightening, and entertaining, and neither of my business partners need to hear me say, "this book that chapter, and that verse through this verse" ever because the difference between worship, and interactive relationship is communication, and it relieves any and all of that elitist arrogance, which religion breeds.
cheers~!