This Inspirational Story About a Doubting Mormon is Horrific

[SCantiGOP]

8. My Mom and I fought for a year or so

She was a devout Catholic and I had attended Catholic school till 7th grade ("training grounds for future ex-Catholics" - George Carlin) but became disenchanted by the time I was about 15/16, which coincided with my interest in politics, ethics and philosophy.
Finally, to make peace, we agreed that I would attend Mass every Sunday until I graduated from High School. The last time I stepped into a church other than for a wedding or funeral was the Sunday before I graduated in 1969.

One thing that seems trivial but might have been a tipping point was a nun in 5th or 6th grade giving what was probably a lesson in good posture by admonishing the class for not standing attentive and erect and pointing our clasped hands upward in prayer. She explained that the hands pointing up was to direct our prayers to heaven. She told a quick story about a boy who was so disinterested that his hands pointed downward. When he died, he was sent to hell because, to his surprise, that is where his prayers had been going!
I remember thinking, if God would use an unimportant gimmick like this to condemn someone to eternal damnation, he either is not good and merciful, or...........something is seriously wrong with the whole framework.