Hello

[Johnny]

Welcome Johnny. What a story - and a moving one. I can't personally relate to you because I myself have never really had a 'religious background' of any sort...

I have heard similar stories though and I can't believe the kind of power religion can over over the mind...it's like a parasite that takes over the brain, a virus. The whole 'Hell' idea with 'Eternal Damnation' being the notion that grabs hold of people (especially if they're brought up like it of course) most of all I think...so horrible for such a notion of 'Hell' to be believed in and all the bullshit that goes with it - 'you will go to hell if you don't do or don't do 'X'', etc - and without any evidence for such a disgusting notion...at all!

Greetings Johnny. Welcome to the forums.

EvF

It's hard for people to understand how powerful the grip of religion can be. Hell is a very very good scare tactic and kept me in line for many years. My wife, who is a Christian but a very understanding tolerant one, just can't understand what I went through. She supports my atheism if it makes me happy, and doesn't really believe in hell so I guess she can't understand the grip it had on me. I tell her it's like a mental illness. Looking back I am really surprised I didn't have a full out mental breakdown because of the daily stress I would put myself through.