I have spent the last three years in a pointed effort to root out the latent unconscious beliefs that I may hold as a result of religion. It is very difficult. About two weeks ago I was in the emergency room passing a kidney stone. I said "OH God" many times that night while writhing in pain. Was I actually calling out to God? Not at all, it is part of the language ingrained in me since childhood and I was in to much pain to worry about semantics. It nonetheless was there whether i liked it or not.

Definitely. I've rarely found a person whose ideas aren't affected by religion or a cultural idea shaped by religion, and it's kinda frustrating to see some deny it so adamantly. (I didn't read the article, I'm just responding to your comments). I don't have any illusions that I'll ever be void of religious ideas or morals in my life, but I'm doing what I can to ensure that more and more of my thoughts/actions are based on reality and logic, and I know most people here are, as well. I'm learning a lot from everyone here and I'm so glad to have found this site.

I have said many times here tht I've run into people on this site that despite beign a nonbeliever still carry dogmas which were based in religious thoughts and/or beliefs.

That does not mean they are bad people, it just means they have not realized just how much religion has infiltrated their culture. It took me many years to excise all of that... and I am not ever sure I have managed to rid myself of all of it.

FUCK religion. The past 2 years, 1 with trump running for president and the 2nd with him as president has been mind altering. Jesus fucking christ. ahh there that feels better.

Ya, I can see this... the phrase "There are no atheists in foxholes" likely fits this. Doesn't mean god exists, but you get my drift... Indoctrination and the existence of implicit and explicit beliefs are worthy of much study.