Is life more satisfying as an atheist or religionist?

[Belacqua]

If we follow Bel's line, could we argue that being religious for a large part of one's life and then being atheist for a large portion, would grant one the best possible appreciation of art?

Interesting.  Lol

It might. Though sad to say simply being religious doesn't mean that a person has access to the kind of Christian thought that Dante requires of us. Or Michelangelo, or Bach. 

I would say that the deeper our understanding and appreciation for Christian thought is, the more deeply we are able to see into Christian art. This wouldn't necessarily require that a person be a believer himself. Though it would require that one not recoil in disgust from anything non-atheist.