Can I pray to God from hell?

Recently, while speaking in a class on the topic of the authenticity of the biblical account of Jesus, a class member, an older, African American woman, stood up and left the room. I continued on discussing the similarities between the Christian leader and the ancient Egyptian god Horus, and answering questions after. The woman then returned, and during the discussion, interrupted, announced that she could not, in good conscience, keep quiet, and proceeded to give her account of God speaking to her in a dream and whatnot, and concluded by, in no uncertain terms, announcing I was, in fact, going to hell. My reply was an explanation that while she walked out on my speech, I had in turn listened intently to every word she had spoken (including the much appreciated fortune telling sequence). From that point she remained silent, and class resumed.
Following the class, she approached and actually apologized for her condemnation of me, and explained why she had actually left the room. It seems that her religion orders her to leave when the topic turns to religion, and she willingly obliged. She was very kind in this discussion, and I give her credit for her ability to calm down and actually approach me.
But a question must be asked. Why would any human subject themselves to a rule that did not allow them to think for themselves? Is ones’ self respect so low that they no longer have this ability? And if it is believed, as it is in every major Christian religion, that God has given us free will, why would one disrespect God by refusing to use it? Does free will end after one selects a denomination?
No amount of logic could convince a reasonable person that there was a talking snake, or a man walked on water, or any human came to life after being dead for three days. If, however, at some moment of weakness or need, when ones’ ability to think logically were somehow altered, they were convinced of these things, to then submit to an inane rule that you must not speak with or listen to an opposing opinion, or anything that may cause you to question your faith in such beliefs, is nothing short of a shocking level of naiveté.
And how could any religion, working in the name of God, enforce this? It must be an extraordinary experience for a pastor, looking out every Sunday to a sea of drones, lacking the ability and even desire to think for themselves, as they spew idiotic, illogical babble to the starving masses. If it were just one man, alone, telling us of these supposed miracles, these fanciful stories, and he led his life by them, we would lock him away in a padded room. A few million believing the same insanities however, and we give them a city in Italy.