You! Get into the closet! Quick!

[Autumnlicious]

So are you saying that in an attempt to make sure you portray yourself to a customer as "honest", you lie to them? You don't see a problem with that?

The fact is, if you came to my house to give me an estimate for work and I asked you if you were a Christian, if you told me you were an atheist (because you are) I would be more likely to believe that your estimate was honest. My reasoning would be that if you are honest enough to tell me the truth when you know the truth might cost you the job, it is likely that you are also giving me an honest estimate. (I want to noted that I am not so naive as to think that just because someone says they are Christian, that they are automatically and honest business person.)

My advice to you is that if you want people to think you are an honest businessman, tell the truth regardless of the cost.

Bullshit. And you know it. There is a bias against people who are, so to speak, 'godless'. There are numerous studies on this, like this one for example, that show that people will trust those who are perceived as religious.