It does get easier. I can identify with what you are going through now, it was scary for me at first. What did it for me was that all the evil and suffering in the world could not exist if any kind of kind and loving god existed. If there was any kind of creator, well, he was doing an inexcusably horrible job and deserved to be ignored, not worshiped. Any religion, any one at all, is pure poison. Were it not for religion a great many things would be a lot better. No religious wars, no religious persecutions, no people believing totally baseless crap like abortion is wrong, contraception is wrong, being Gay is wrong, marrying someone of another faith is wrong. The list is endless. You mentioned in your OP that you had a couple of atheist friends. That's a good thing. Keep your chin up. You've liberated yourself, and that's a wonderful thing.
“To terrify children with the image of hell, to consider women an inferior creation—is that good for the world?”
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
