The religious are in a win win/lose lose position... if they are right they will be a bunch of smug gits living under the rule of despotic tyrant, if they are wrong they will never know that they wasted their lives.

Atheists on the other hand if they are right will only get the oblivion they expect and if they are wrong will be with all the more interesting people anyway.

On the other hand they have had a lifetime of fear and guilt. Seems a worthwhile trade-off, although I don't consider it a trade at all. I am quite aware of my mortality but do not fear death nor feel angry about it. I would rather it not come any time soon because there is yet so much more to learn and experience, but I'm certainly not angry about it. It is, after all, still a part of the process over which I have no control.