I have found out that I have a terminal illness, but it may take years to kill me unless science catches up with the disease. I am also among the multitude of those who were systematically brainwashed as a child.  To my mother's despair I finally broke free of christianity. As you say it is not something easy to overcome and has taken me about ten years to completely recover from it's poison.  I am 39 yrs old now and I am bitter because I can't help to think how much further in life I might have progressed, and medical science would have progressed without the yoke of religion.  RSS did not directly deconvert me, but has given me new insight and has armed me with knowledge to "rationally respond" to those who view me as "a lost soul".  My illness took me from a hard-working, prosperous business owner to a poor broken down man.  After a long, hard battle I have finally been awarded my social security disability.  Out of my 1st check I will be making a donation to RSS.  It may not be alot, but I intend to keep donating what I can to this worthy cause. Thank you!

                 Welcome to the forums, Your story is very similer to a well respected member here called TGBaker.  He lost his battle with cancer back on Nov 25,2011. I personally spoke to him on the phone during his long fight through chemo and bone marrow transplant. He was brave and erudite to the end, his post here are well worth the read.  Try this one for example  http://www.rationalresponders.com/forum/29639   if you click on his name you will go  to his profile page, then click on track for more of his writings.  You can also find his writings at DeBunkingchristianity.blogspot.com 

Thanks Jeffrick, I'll check him out.  I haven't even come close to covering this site.  Any suggested reads are appreciated.

               any post with my name attached. Try the video at Jeffrick vs. a YEC. There are a few idiots on site, I wont name them but reading through the posts you can figure out who they are. Most everyone else is worth reading  or you can start you own  'create content' with any question on your mind. 

I put my first post on this site in this forum, but it was really my introduction. So I thought it would be proper to tell a short story of my overcoming

religion here where it belongs. Apologies to other members for any repetitions from my other posts.

I was raised by decent, hospitable folks that came from the South. My mother started me in Sunday school and church right away at the local church

of Nazarene. It's basically a medley of other denominations except for catholic. I was the typical victim of christianity.

The first step to overcoming religion is a simple act of being brave enough to face one's self and overcoming the denial of your own doubts. You cannot

progress at all in this world without questioning everything, especially your faith which is the result of just blindly believing what was taught to you.

Religion is not inherent in you. It is taught by those with faith that have their own doubts. If someone operating on faith truly has no doubts, that

person's mind is not equipped to have rational thoughts and is mentally incapable of progressing to enlightenment.

If you are a person of faith reading this, it's ok to doubt. Embrace those feelings. Those feelings are the only thing standing between you and a

complete state of delusion.

My doubts were clarified when I finally took the time look into other religions. And then the realization that maybe not only the other religions were

a fantasy, but my own might be as well. How arrogant I was to think that only christians were right. The truth is none of us were.

I finally came to the conclusion that everyone teaching faith is either a hypocrite unable to face their own doubts, or they lack basic mental capabilities.

Don't trust anyone who doesn't take their own advice.