Religion and pleasure

[genkaus]

It all stems from this:

http://atheistforums.org/thread-20055-page-4.html

After some discussion, someone pointed out:

atheists are people who rather dwell on the simple pleasures of life. They are not bothered with anything else, and they disregard any other notions around them.

But, it is also true that

[to] other atheists, examining those "other notions" happen to be a part of those pleasures that we enjoy. Intellectual pleasure is still pleasure.

Now, after reading this, a question came into my mind: what is the point for religions in negating earthly pleasure?
I think one reason is that earthly pleasure means simple distraction from intellectual activities (like, say, going out with your girlfriend instead of studying). Another reason might be birth control (ironic, uh?), seeing how sex is the biggest taboo of our society and seeing how it is demonized by (especially abrahamic) religions.

Still, those reasons do not completely fulfill my original question. There must be something deeper beyond negation of physical pleasure, let's discuss this here together!

"For centuries, the mystics of spirit had existed by running a protection racket - by making life on earth unbearable, then charging you for consolation and relief, by forbidding all the virtues that make existence possible, then riding on the shoulders of your guilt, by declaring production and joy to be sins, then collecting blackmail from the sinners." - Ayn Rand

That pretty much says it all.