(based on chat w/ [[Kira McLean]])
ex-religious people (ex. ex-catholics) struggle b/c they have the baggage of the desires/values/ethics of their religion/culture ... but without access to the religion's "answer/solution" to having to deal with that baggage (ex. confession, unconditional-love and forgiveness in christianity)
due to the major religions heavy historical penetration, the value/ethics/desires of those philosophies are imbued in the culture of the regions they were/are in, even in countries that think they are secular (ex. Canada; with laws still being heavily christian influenced, re: marriage, criminal punishment, drugs etc.; laws being very 'obvious', but a lot of other things being more subtle in culture such as 'work ethic' , or 'desire for living to your full potential')