I gave up religion on 12/25/1966 and never looked back. The moment is a story in itself.
Confused as so many here raise thoughts that make me feel they need reinforcement of our belief. I think it is simply our intelligence vis a vis fear of going to hell. I believe we may be in hell here on earth.
Technically, we don't have a "belief." Beliefs are like apps on a computer. Belief in God is just an app installed on some (most) hard drives that we don't have on ours.
I don't think anyone here is afraid of hell, I think they're just working what is really going on. There's a certain dogma among non-theists that says it's somehow wrong and/or superstitious to consider life's mystery. But many of the posts I read are people doing just that... considering the mystery. And it's mysterious. And it means doing some exploring, checking out the landscape, and considering that "There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
In the words of the poet: "Life is a mystery / Everyone must stand alone / I hear you call my name / And it feels like home"
Love that song. Always a Madonna fan and quite correct. Christianity never felt right to me even as a child in Sunday School. The stories told seemed ridiculous and I was always in trouble for asking questions they could not logically answer.
That you gave up religion on X-mas day & state that it is "a story in itself" makes me want to hear the story.
Hell only exists in the mind. Not unreal but the pain experienced doesn't require external factors to feel like you're in hell. The mind can generate heaven or hell regardless of the physical surrounding us.
This trump administration sure has been hell for many of us.
Well said Sassy Lady!