I called a friend who is a believer...

[drfuzzy]

I "came out" to one of my best friends last Sunday about my non-belief.  She seemed understanding but very concerned.  We talked for about 3 hours and then parted ways.  Tonight I called her because I was concerned about how she was taking the news.  She became emotional and started preaching to me about how I was like Adam in the Garden of Eden, who didn't want to submit to God, so I've been thrown out of the Garden and now I can no longer hear God's voice.  She said that Jesus Christ is my only answer now, and that I would never have my questions answered until I submitted to Jesus Christ because he's the only way back to God.  I calmly listened and then said, "Ok well thanks for the witnessing", then politely said goodnight.  

I know she means well but it still hurts because I feel like our relationship is irrevocably broken.  I explained in depth why I began to struggle and question my beliefs, but she did not acknowledge the rationality behind this.  The idea is that I'm completely to blame for my failure to believe, that I'm unreasonable for asking God to show himself to me, and now I'm the only one who can repair my relationship with God by throwing myself at Jesus' feet.  I told her that I didn't want anything to change between us but she said that she couldn't promise it wouldn't, but she's praying for me.  

She told me that she had always looked up to me, but now I only feel the judgment.

In my experience, that's the norm.  That's what you're going to get.  I had a similar experience with a friend that I know to be a non-literalist, non-judgemental, "god loves everybody", open-minded sort of xtian, and a scientist.  I thought that a medical researcher might at least be able to understand my skepticism toward many issues that I was having with the Bible and the church.  
WRONG.  I was very, very, wrong.
By questioning, you are questioning the worldview that has governed their entire life.  AND even the xtians that don't believe in hell believe that you're asking for trouble, and condemning yourself to the "horror" of being separated from gawd.  If you challenge their beliefs any further, they will get angry.