Too often people believe religious acts without faith have the power to make God happy. Too many people never understand religious acts lose their power and meaning if there is no faith. To me, the agnostic's request for baptism powerfully illustrates a major problem in our society. When a person misses the point of an act, the act itself can become horribly destructive. Let me illustrate my point.
Abuse believes the point of discipline is control.
The true point of discipline is loving guidance. Anorexia believes the point of self-control is to destroy the body. The true point of self-control is to increase health. Many drug abusers think the point of life is evasion of responsibility. Life's true point is to find highest level of responsibility and live there.