I spent most of my life believing the all-knowing, all-loving creator of the universe would send me to burn for eternity because of my sexuality/gender identity. and that this was somehow acceptable and good. i’d be much happier without that psychological trauma.

Difficult to say, the process of abandon religion gave me a solid conviction, was not by anger or frustration, but a slow process of learning and leaving the emotional connection. I think if I was not religious at some time, my agnosticism would be weaker or to naive today.

Interesting question. - - I kind of believed some religious (faith based on baseless assertions not supported by facts) nonsense before I hit upper elementary school (4th grade?) when I noticed the church was trying to teach us things that did not agree with reality. I figured church was nothing more then old people trying to scare kids into being afraid of their make believe super dictator. During those early years I didn't waste much time thinking about the invisible all powerful sky-daddy as I had more interesting things to learn so religion had a minimal price for me.

I do however know a few atheists (that I helped see the light of reality over fiction) that burned many years in the faith (Catholic) and are very angry about the lost years and resources wasted on religious nonsense. They have told me how they wished they had not burned so many opportunities because of their indoctrination.

Being a believer was not a negative experience for me and gave my childhood some very enjoyable, fun and happy activities in the youth groups I was associated with in the Presbyterian church. I would not take anything for that.

I wouldn't change a thing because now I have more data and experience. My experience with the Christian dogma is what drew me to agnosticism. I had many questions about the Bible as it contradicts itself multiple times and how exactly the devil giving Eve access to information made him evil.

Our experiences make us what we are today but I would erase my past religious experience if I could. This has one danger. If I never had my time with religion in the first place I might be easily drawn back into it. As it is now that will never happen.

None of the above. Religion was good for me until I was 18. It gave me a lot of public speaking and networking opportunities as a child. However once i turned 18 I should have abandoned any and all religions.

Oh that i was raised in an even a "average christain" home. Extreme religion was the main factor that wrecked my childhood and caused irreversible psychological harm. Granted not the only factor, i now know of.

I don't have any particular regrets about the social experience of my religion of origin. My malfunction with it is that it did such a terrible job of preparing me for reality and setting my expectations for life that it was a total disaster. I married young and badly, and had children with that person that I shouldn't have. My entire orientation on mate selection was "marry a good Christian girl", in other words, someone who professed to be a Christian and had no overt bad conduct. Problem was, she was mentally ill, incapable of being in a relationship or being a mother, so I ended up trying to parent two screwed up kids even when I eventually came to my senses and got out of the relationship. One of those developed mental health issues of his own and died at age 30.

So knowing what I know now, I would definitely make better life decisions on a "do over". I would probably put up with church to humor my parents (and not to alarm them) but would quickly "drift away" once out of the nest. I would marry about 10 years later in life if at all, and I would not have kids.

The reality of course is we don't get do-overs and whatever pain I've had up to this point is a sunk cost so the real issue is enjoying the life I actually have right now.

I love going to church! It’s guarantee breakfast and a nap! Win win!

I'd have vacated the blissful ignorance prior to even entering the race and never questioned nor regretted it a single time.

I have a lot of good memories of friends I had in the church, but I have to think that I would have new fun memories without religion hanging over my head. Ultimately I don't want to be living a lie.

I am not sure if I grew up religious but I grew up with a belief in God. I did do Confirmation and I was an altar boy for a few years, so I guess I grew up religious. However, I don't think I grew up religious to the point that it hugely affected my life. With that said, I still would want to be what I am now from birth because just as with religion someone would have had to teach me. This coupled with my natural curiousity would have enable me to be farer ahead on this journey of finding out what to do now that "God is Dead"

I really don't know. I'm still questioning everything I've ever been taught tbh.

I was not raised religious and never was. My parents tried a little but it never caught on. It was mostly a non issue. I have read most of the bible and tried to educate my self on other religions and beliefs.Not that I agree with them,but it is interesting to see how many different view points there are. And they all think that their way is the only way.

If I were raised religious and finally saw the light and turned Agnostic or Atheist I think I would be a different person now from being raised that way. disgruntled to say the least from being raised to believe the fairy tales were true.

Most religions teach some good rules to live by like don't steal and not lie,and respect your neighbor etc, but we should live that way anyway.Without being made to believe in Noah's Ark, and the dude that waved his staff and parted the sea,and the devil will get us if we don't behave. We can't blame the ones that raised us because they were raised to believe that way too.

I was really bummed when I found out there was no Santa. I'm still trying to get over that.

I don't see the value of any religious instruction that I've been given so I don't see a reason to go through what I went through because of religion. I don't know if I'd be any different, but the idea doesn't disturb me in any way.

This is an excellent question. I voted that I would not change a thing. The decision is not an easy one for me. I became agnostic at the age of about 62. Up until then I had lived as a Christian (or tried to). I am now 68. I had lot's of doubts after studying Physics and Astronomy in college. However, religion did seem to help me grow up, especially in the Bible Belt. I was probably one of those people that felt like God kinda gave me the edge to see through a crisis. I don't know if growing up agnostic would have given me a better life, but maybe. I have been able to see both sides of the coin. However, I do not see how any new agnostic could ever go back to religion.

Knowing why religious folk think what they do helps me have empathy for them and makes me immune to their arguments. I became atheist relatively young so most of my life has been as a non-believer. So, that’s why I don't mind the way it started. Just happy I was able to free myself.

I don't ever speculate on unreal ilogical scenarios.

I never grew up with religion but more so spiritual. We prayed over every meal and occasionally attended churches, but my family wasn’t big on labels or the traditional aspects. It’s what made it so easy to look outside the box and be accepted. So I wouldn’t change it at all