Thank you, 100th Monkey, for sharing all this with us! I can't personally relate to this (as my family was never into the Bible, church, or religion - seeing them only as ways to control the masses.), but I can relate in what my partner has gone through growing up in, and with, the Jehovah's Witness religion.
Growing up into something like that must be SO hard, especially when you're young and are "indoctrined", so to speak, into what your parents (or one parent, in his case.) believe. The Jehovah's Witness religion, specifically, is obviously a cult (I believe all mainstream religions are.), as it flat-out tells a follower (the "flock", they're called in the Elders' handbook!) that they are NOT TO SPEAK to those who have been ex-communicated or don't believe in Jehovah. He sometimes goes MONTHS without speaking to his mother because she's not "allowed" - and they live five minutes away from us!
Religion, as I'm sure a few people said above, was created just to control the masses and instill fear in the populace - and to rip families and units apart! (It's the school of thought that, if you can separate someone from their unit, you can pick 'em off easier, you know?) The one TRUE religion is the relationship one has with their inner self - the opening up and blossoming of who we all really are. Once we all learn (as you have, as has my partner, and as have SO MANY PEOPLE!) to look INSIDE and not rely on others' indoctrinations, THAT'S when we'll truly be free!
As a slight aside, the word "religion" itself may come from the Latin "religore", which means "to tie fast". (
http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn.htm)
Thank you for finding the Light, my friend, and don't be afraid to let it shine brightly, for all to see!
<3