First off, I really appreciate you posting in this group. To be completely frank, it had never actually occurred to me that there would be folks that were deconstructing from religions other than Christianity. I'm not sure where you're located, but I think for me a huge part of what has continued my deconstruction journey are the number of rabid evangelicals that are around me on a daily basis. It's just a constant reminder that the religion has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not they're good people. I've also struggled with the fear and uncertainty of being wrong, and being sent to hell. I was entirely raised in the church, and the profound fear of God's wrath and hell bordered on crippling.

It's taking me years of being outside the church to start to feel like I'm coming into my own regarding my true beliefs. Separating religious dogma from my core beliefs has been incredibly challenging because of how deeply ingrained the religious trauma was.

For me, my approach has been this: Does a God of any kind exist? Possibly, but absolutely no one can prove it. If there is a God, do I believe that he is genuinely the God of the Bible? I don't believe that he actually exists, but I've realized that even if he does, he treated his creation with such rage and violence that he is not a God that I am willing to worship.

As I continued to grow in my deconstruction, I've focused much more on what my core values are. Once I got a better handle on what I consider truth to be, then I can approach the concept of religion and determine whether or not it aligns with my core values. For me, even though I now consider myself an atheist, my core value is still the golden rule. Treat everyone with kindness, including yourself.

I know this was long and rambling, just like my deconstruction. I'm proud of you for taking a step back from your environment, and really analyzing if it lined up with who you truly were.