"And then they died."
You remind me of a Peanuts cartoon in which Lucy is reading a book. “A man was born, he lived and he died. The End!”, she says, and tosses the book aside. Linus picks it up reverently. “What a fascinating account”, he says. “It almost makes you wish you had known the fellow.”

And I wish I could find a visual for that one. :)

Recently, I've come across several books (especially those by Bart Ehrman) that really solidify for me all the doubts I had (from childhood) about the Bible. So many extraordinary claims; so little evidence! "You must believe, like a child," you must believe without evidence... (well, WHY) .... "Only your arrogance can account for your failure to believe" - wow, really? Not, "cognitive dissonance," not, "I read the Bible cover to cover, and it doesn't hold up under scrutiny" ...?

To be so indoctrinated, yet so unable to embrace the doctrine - to be the odd man out, in conflict with the rest of the community (the believers, the heretics; the saved, and the damned).

My mom's father joined the Freemasons, and she worries for his soul. I have assured her God (if he exists) will not hold it against Charlie if he had a few incorrect beliefs. Mom's father was a good man. No hellfire waiting for him!

"Holy" wars, infidels...

I just wanna know if any part of us survives death of the body.
If we get to meet again on The Other Side... if death is not the end....

"All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses, And to die is different from what anyone supposed, and luckier. " (Walt Whitman)

Meanwhile, we who loved much will feel much pain when death parts us....
Thanks again for your post!
You can see it really hit close to home for me. :)