Recovering From Religion is a non-profit dedicated to helping those who are questioning their views about religion, and those who are leaving religion.  They offer support, live chats and a hotline for those who need someone to talk to, and Scott Smith joins me to talk about RFR.  Given that people are typically decent, and thus religious folk are pretty likely to be decent by extension, it can seem odd that religion can be harmful for some, and the experience of leaving extremely difficult.  Typically the goals of mainstream faiths involve some concern with goodness and ethical living, but this isn’t always the case.  There are those fearful of losing close relationships if disclosing doubts, to say nothing of the poor souls who remain in religious leadership who stop believing and have.

Of those who do lose their faith, many struggle through the process.  For a long time I personally had to struggle with cognitive dissonance and doubts that I used to really think would bring me eternal harm.  RFR is for those who simply want someone to talk to.  Whether one wants to stay in their faith or not doesn’t matter, the aim is to create a supportive community, not simply to encourage folks to abandon religion.