Welcome.
As Beccs said, fear of hell/torment is one of the ways some (though not all) theists try to keep you in line. The older you get the more you will see that such threats aren't the only means of manipulation they have. Fear of being shunned by friends and family is another. Denigration of reason and honest searching that doesn't lead to the conclusions they'd like you to reach is yet another. The Bible is stuffed with verses designed to short circuit honest inquiry and skepticism. They'll try to instill feelings of guilt (think of poor Jesus and how he must suffer to know you reject his precious gift, etc.). It can be difficult for some people to push through such manipulation to see it for what it is, but it gets easier with time.
Meanwhile, read as many good books as you can and feel free to ask as many questions as you wish. There are a lot of people here who went through the same thing you are now, and they're happy to help. Good luck.
As Beccs said, fear of hell/torment is one of the ways some (though not all) theists try to keep you in line. The older you get the more you will see that such threats aren't the only means of manipulation they have. Fear of being shunned by friends and family is another. Denigration of reason and honest searching that doesn't lead to the conclusions they'd like you to reach is yet another. The Bible is stuffed with verses designed to short circuit honest inquiry and skepticism. They'll try to instill feelings of guilt (think of poor Jesus and how he must suffer to know you reject his precious gift, etc.). It can be difficult for some people to push through such manipulation to see it for what it is, but it gets easier with time.
Meanwhile, read as many good books as you can and feel free to ask as many questions as you wish. There are a lot of people here who went through the same thing you are now, and they're happy to help. Good luck.
