Amis

In an article on Martin Amis's new book, "The Second Plane", a collection of pieces he had contributed to newspapers and magazines since 9/11, the writer quotes Amis as saying "Belief is otiose, reality is sufficiently awesome as it stands." He goes on to say that Mr Amis conceives of religion as "both irrational and joyless".
Irrational yes. Of course. It's based on faith and belief. But joyless?
I recall in my young days leaving my parents' flat near the famous Arms Park, where rugby was played, to be met with a host of people on their way to that same Arms Park, not for a rugby match, but for a great meeting of religious people belonging to some way-out sect like Second Day Adventists or Four Square Gospellers or whatever. There I was, bleary-eyed from the after effects of too much to drink the night before, miserable as Hell, feeling sorry for myself - and there they were, families of them, all cheery-faced, happy and singing as they went. Joyless! Anything but.