Hi everybody. I just joined the site today and I must say that I'm thoroughly enjoying al the posts and comments.  I was raised in a mildly catholic family but went to a catholic school most of my life.  I jumped into the catholic scripture whole heartedly and, since I love to read, had read the entire bible at least 4 times by the time I was 10.(A young teen version, translated to language i could comprehend)  I became an alter boy as soon as I was old enough. (Don't worry. Nothing happened. Thankfully!!!!) I even held aspirations of joining the seminary. Eventually I gave up thoughts of such nonsense as seminary and slowly my belief began to fade. I had been an agnostic for about 13 years merely because I was still scared of hell. Recently I have put those fears behind me and have realized that I've been an atheist all this time. It's just that now I'm not afraid to admit it. So hello everyone from a newly freed man!!!