A few years ago, I did a wedding for a couple where she was raised Lutheran and his family was a blend of Jewish and Catholic, but he was an athiest (who'd moved from the Hitchens camp to a more accepting stance of religion in general).

For him, religion was similar to what Alain DeBotton describes below. While rejecting the tenets of faith, he saw social and cultural value to the religious community ... and argued that he'd received the same benefits from other sources.

I'm curious, how would you respond both to the gentleman I described (who today I'd also call a friend) and Alain DeBotton?