TheHotlineProject

Off the top of my head...

1. Reading the Bible or one's relevant holy text in its entirety
2. Going to college and being confronted with new ideas
3. The growing body of scientific knowledge and discovery

Which can really be summarized as: information.

Really?

Yes

Information?

Yes

Can you tell me what lies beyond the expanding universe?

Not yet

Can you tell me how anything exists?

Some things, yes. Some things, no.

Can you tell me if there are other dimensions out there and can they be "harnessed" one day?

Not yet, but I'm also not a physicist.

Can you tell me where time, space, matter and anything came from?

Time, no, although our entire conception of time (i.e. time measurement) was defined by man. Space was presumably always in existence, but we can't be sure. Matter, no. Anything? Again, some things, yes. Some things, no.

What is our origin and why do we exist?

The origin of humans is undeniably evolution. The origins of life are still unknown, though there are many credible explanations that don't involve supernatural deities. As for why we exist, I don't know. I don't really know of any reason that we need to have a reason to exist. We need not have a preordained purpose in order to create purpose in our own lives.

Do you really think everything just happened to happen?

Yes, but it's okay with me if you don't.

Yes! I recommend the various exreligious subreddits quite often to callers, especially callers who are unable to attend local meetups. When people are closeted and living in situations where it is unsafe to go to secular events and gatherings, online communities can be an excellent alternative.

I hadn't heard of The Great Project, but I'm going to share my own story there now that I know about it. What an awesome idea!

I have lurked in the various debate subs off and on, but I haven't really engaged. I think it's great that they exist though. When I was in the midst of my own deconversion, I watched a ton of debate videos on YouTube. It was really helpful to hear people rationally debate religious ideas.

Fear of hell is a common concern for both theists and atheists, especially recent deconverts. One of the best ways to combat lingering fear or anxiety stemming from religion is information. For example, this is a great YouTube video about the history of the devil. When you know about the origins of a given idea, it often helps to demystify it. If you continue to struggle with the idea of hell, something that can of course cause a lot of anxiety, therapy can also be very helpful. Check out the Secular Therapist Project for help finding a therapist who will not offer religious advice.

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Among Christians, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses have an extremely hard time extricating themselves from religion, especially because leaving often comes with substantial personal costs (e.g., being disfellowshipped, losing family relationships, divorce).

Muslims also have a very hard time leaving religion. From the conversations I've had with ex-Muslims, one's family is a big factor. Like any religion, Muslims fall on a broad spectrum. It's presumably much easier for a mainstream Muslim from a relatively liberal family to deconvert than a Muslim from a deeply devout and conservative family.

In all cases, location is a big factor as well. Leaving religion in the South is a different animal than leaving religion in Seattle. Obviously, I'm generalizing here, but those are the trends I've seen.

edit: typos