When I weed the mythology out of the Sermon on the Mount, it has some very good ethical teachings.

I was a member of the Presbyterian church as a teenage youth. Religion did nothing for me but the youth group at the church was a wonderful experience that I will remember the rest of my life. I can not recall religion being pushed on us during youth activities, other than just a prayer, and it was 100% fun.

When I was about 5 or 6, I really enjoyed making a tiny "Garden of Eden" in a tinfoil pie plate in Vacation Bible School. Beyond that, nah... I got nothing.

Hi. Actually yes, I was told we went to Ceremonies to give Thanks for all that we have and so I learned to Respect everything and I still do today. I am an Agnostic ( a new one LOL) but I still respect everything.

I thought so at the time.
With the benefit of hind sight I know that is not true.
All religion ever offered me was delusion and fear, madness and denial, pain and mental regression.

Though I never truly believed BUT was forced to attend Sunday Schools, note the PLURAL btw, by my 'mother' the only really good thing I ever gained from every one of them was the 'Expulsion notes' I received every time I asked questions and the rewards I got each and every time from my Dad, usually a trip to the Corner Shop, an ice cream and a bottle of soft drink accompanied by a pat on the back and the words " Well done son, I'm proud of you."

There was never one time that I believed in any god. I don't believe in heaven, hell, god, angels, ghosts, or zombies. Happy?

Strange assumption, there, that everyone once believed.

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Nothing positive that I can remember.

I don't know if I appreciate it now but back then I did. An annulment from my first wife!

No. I was never a believer.

Learning to love people where they are at, at the time I wanted them to be more because God wanted them to be more but now I love people for who they are and I love when they become better at being themselves

No, and no.

I never got anything useful out of religion.

Ignorance is bliss!!!

I mean, I guess I like that the two people in my mom's generation that I still talk to are big into Italian food preparation on Christian holidays. They know I don't give a fuck about Jesus, but we like to visit and eat like crazy.

To give religion a break is like to give the person who torturing you and your families and the world a break by hurting ourselves. It is very naive to ask such thing.

One thing that i am very appreciate from religion is that I should not do as it does if I want to be an honest and a better and smarter person that would care for everyone instead of the belief.

I miss good choral singing. I never liked gospel music, and the feel good 7-11 songs (7 words long, and you sing them 11 times) wear on my ears. I appreciate great music that has been rehearsed until it is damned near perfect. It doesn’t have to be 300 years old, either. There were some great 20th century composers, and I’m sure there are some now. That’s what religion offered me.

Yes.....One Sunday when I was a kid a down syndrome boy tried to rob the collection plate while it was being passed around. There was quite a commotion during the incident with the plate going up in the air and parishioners scrambling to grab him...all I remember thinking was that he was an absolute rebel and I remember my father laughing joyously when we returned and I relayed the story to him (he never went to mass)....great memories

I loved the pot-lucks the church ladies had when I was a kid. As far as the strictly religious stuff, not so much.

Ummm ..... NOPE!!

Art and music

I was never religious, but I remember being very entertained and frightened by the film The Excorcist. Pretty sure that would not have been made without religion.

I don't think I ever really believed to be honest. I mean I did the Sunday school... Did the girl's religious groups, bible study, the whole nine... just seems people who believed whole heartedly still had their troubles. Meanwhile people who believed differently or in nothing at all didn't seem to be able to get anywhere either. And then I'd see those who just tackled their issues and troubles be so much more happy than others, in better places. The mix of belief or lack their of didn't seem to make a difference. To me between that and there simply being nothing that proves an existence as well as a clear understanding where that cannon came from anyway... I honestly don't think it's religion that does anything for anyone but how one decides to apply honest change to their lives, regardless of belief.

I think if I were to say I got anything at all it was a realization that some people tend to use it as a sword and shield to attack or block out anyone who believes differently, and that you won't know for sure if you are dealing with that type or not until they fall into the topic.