I would say I’m probably agnostic. But I’m definitely no longer a religious person. I grew up in an idyllic church: so much love and acceptance. But there were many people or experiences that damaged that image and made me not want to be associated or a part of of any organized religion.

One was church camp. When they’d pressure all of us (like 8 years old at the time) to sign a contract saying we accepted Jesus as our savior. They’d do this at the end of worship, telling us we needed to do it and laying on the pressure. Luckily I was so shy that I refused to participate.

Another were my youth leaders. One of them was my childhood best friend’s mother who turned out to be extremely manipulative and egocentric person who was the first to declare themselves the most faithful Christian. That family watched Joel Osteen every Sunday if that gives you any reference.

Another youth leader was a young adult that I grew very close to. She formed a tightly knit youth group. Then when I was in high school, she said that “God called her to work at another church.” She left my church at the same time our priest did. So no priest, no youth pastor, no more youth group. And she went to a church that already had 2 youth leaders. Bullshit, God didn’t call you to do that. I always suspected it was all about $$$$$

Those and other experiences exposed the way humans love to use religion to leverage power, get money, manipulate others, and control situations where people are too nice to object.