Yes, the picking and choosing of the bits of the Buy Bull to suit one's own preconceptions. That strikes me as a hallmark of the cognitively challenged.

I tend to believe that most continue to go to church because of family and friends. When I see "de-conversions" of atheists I often see that a significant other is in the picture. In other words, do I miss out on the love of my life due to an invisible man? When a couple meet and one is a believer this is usually the outcome if the attraction is strong enough.

I was a Christian for 30 years so I feel like I know why Christians do things. You are brought up being told there is a hell that you will go to if you doubt anything about the Bible. This is seared into your brain and becomes reality to you. When confronted with reason you simply view it as the devil trying to tempt you. You literally stick your fingers in your ear and go Nanana I’m not listening Satan. You view the atheist as the devil trying to get you to go to hell and dive deeper into the myth. The only way to even get a Christian to listen is to convince him there is no hell first. When he believes in hell then that will shut off any reasonable thinking

@DenoPenno I tend to agree with you. Much of it is social/family/tribal ritual. My son, who found religion with his wife’s faith, used to try and convince me church was a good place to pick up women. An ex girlfriend told me I should lie to a crazy Christian woman I had the hots for just to get laid. Sorry, I have to much personal integrity to do either of those things. My disbelief is open and unshakable.

@abyers1970 many Christian groups have sort of dismissed the entire Hell thing except as used in keeping the kids in line. Certainly not the Evangelicals and wacko groups who thrive on fear based religion. My father, who I feel sure was quite Agnostic, as he approached death, was turning to religion just in case. Not out of fear of hell, but out of hope of some kind of eternal life. That I believe is the driving force for most religion. As a friend of mine once said when beliefs were being discussed “I just can’t believe this is it (life). There has to be something more!” It’s the narcissistic view of human existence. We are so special that there is no way we follow the same laws of nature that everything else on the planet is ruled by.

@Barnie2years I live in Georgia. The Evangelical Bible belt so what you say about religion dismissing hell may be true in other parts of the country it's certainly not in mine. I'm still shocked that i now do not believe my faith. I just had a traumatic experience that led me to question everything in my life including religion and i just said i'm gonna go wherever the facts lead me and here i am. The facts were pretty overwhelming

@Dyl1983 Have a t shirt of that!!