My religious upbringing wasn't big on religion as a means of self restraint. It was more, everyone sins all the time (and if you define fleeting thoughts as sin, we all do) and therefore without god to forgive you you'll be racked by guilt during life and end up in hell. I didn't believe, but like all kids felt guilty (sometimes deservedly so) a fair amount. I decided in my teens though that guilt over thoughts was silly.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.