I was born into a family deeply involved with a church that honestly believes only those who are members have any hope whatsoever of going to Heaven. You cannot believe what years and years and years of regularly hearing what a total loser you are can do to a person unless you've been there. Years upon years of guilt and fear - growing up knowing only a desperate fear of God, never understanding the love of God. When I got old enough to realize how wrong all this was, it took every ounce of courage I had to leave...and it left me ostracized by not only dozens of "church friends" I'd known my entire life but also disowned by my family.

In my own humble opinion, that "religion" nearly destroyed my life. But, eventually, the experience led me to a church I genuinely love - one that teaches God's love for everyone. Interestingly, a huge number of the members who attend the church I attend today have backgrounds in a variety of religions and faiths.

I like where I am today. My religious experiences are very much spiritual, I believe that God loves me for who I am. I'll always have a lot of mental and emotional scars but I guess we're all the products of what our life experiences make us.

In all sincerity, I do believe that so much harm has been done to so many innocent people in the name of "religion".