Christians metaphorically believe in their mind they are aboard a luxury cruise liner in a stormy sea, if they leap off they are doomed. All life is like a choppy ocean, unless you are fortunately born with a silver spoon in your mouth. What the church offers is friendships with a group, comradship, but it comes at a price, weird thinking and bias against non believers.
I remember once when employed I used to sell equipment to a company who were all 7th Day Adventists. I was visiting their factory one day and remarked, "Where is Alex whom I used to deal with frequently on purchase orders?" The reply, "He's gone into Africa as a missionary". Whereby I instinctively let out a short laugh, forgetting these were all a bunch of bible bashas. The result, they decided no longer to buy their product from our company. That's religion, defend it to the death and seperate yourself from unbelievers.
This is the part I agree with you on. I am not defending religion. They are nuts and so are the Mormons. Seek God out yourself and don't let all the holy rollers get in your way. Don't let them make you believe that that is what you should be emulating.
Weird thinking and bias is out there for sure. But, that is not even close to being a True Christian and Follower of Jesus.
Not a myth at all. One nano second after you die Mickey you will remember this moment and realize what a mistake you have made.
I prefer not to be captured where possible by group think and being a yesman to an organization. I don't believe a real God wants humans to be chanelled into conformity, but that's what the church preaches. If you look at human nature and history, there is no conformity other than that forced by the church. The only conformity there should be, is good morals. Treat life with respect.
That is total fear-mongering and proselytizing! Here is my counter... One nanosecond after you die, and through eternity, you will not remember a thing, because there will be no more YOU!
That is what it all comes down to isn't it? When you die do you enter nothingness or do you enter a conscious eternity of your own choosing?