If you have converted to a different religion then your family, how did they take it?

Answer 1

I was baptized Episcopalian, but brought up as an agnostic/atheist. Right now, I am a Christian with no formal church affiliation, have been lots of places: Anglican, evangelical, Quaker, Lutheran.

My mother is the most positively disposed of the lot. Her take on my conversion: 'Well, at least it's not narcotics you're into.'

As far as my father and stepmother are concerned, well, she didn't come to my confirmation ceremony - 'It would be a different matter if it were your bat mitzvah!' So I definitely gave up any chance of a big celebration by not converting to Judaism.

Indeed, the first thing they said when I announced my intention to start attending church regularly was 'You're not going to try to convert us, are you?' At that point, it had not even crossed my mind to do so. So far so good.

But then again, I always had to get there myself - even for Christmas Eve (11 PM). So it was either get a ride from someone at church, and thank God I was able to get one, because the alternative was to walk nearly a mile down a poorly lit road with LOTS of trees, in a community with disturbingly high rape statistics...

Then I went off to college and ended up in the evangelical crowd. I began to see a need to convert people, and my family got REALLY annoyed when I told them I was no longer able to keep the promise I made to them before.

At a certain point, I got a job. Before senior year, I was praying about whether to keep that job for next year, and I found out that my stepmother expected me to be able to document if need be that none of my allowance had gone to church. Obviously I kept my job...

Years later, I found out that she had attempted to dock my allowance when I got that job, but my dad prevented her because he suspected (rightly) that I was giving some of it to the church. And he wasn't any more interested than she was in having money they gave me going to support missionary activity...

To this day it's a problem whenever they give me money. At one point I recall having a conversation with my father (which to this day my stepmother doesn't know about), in which I told him point-blank: 'I don't see why you want to give me money, given my aim in life is to do things you don't want to support.' (In those days I had company for dinner frequently - and what do you think we talked about over dinner?) He replied, 'Oh, but you're my daughter - that's different.' The difference was still lost on me, but I figured, 'OK, praise God, that means I can study at conservatory in Poland next year.'

At this point, I have come to believe that doing anything more than sharing your faith (i.e. aggressively trying to convince people) is a form of idolatry, of encroaching on a part of that person's life which only God has the right to influence in any direct way. So my folks aren't annoyed at me for trying to convert them anymore.

What still bugs my family, though, is my belief that all of the Bible is true. So, yeah, I really do believe that God created the heavens and the earth. I've been a Christian for about 27 years now, and my father and stepmother still occasionally accuse me of being intellectually defective because I don't believe in evolution.

This despite the fact that they know where I went to school (I shall let you judge from my command of the English language what sort of place it could have been), and more importantly, that it was basically that evangelical fellowship I was part of during that time which taught me to think - by teaching me how to study the Bible! Even my father had to admit that...

So, yeah: it can be a problem to choose your own religion rather than the beliefs of your family, and the lack of celebration is the least of it. You can be unjustly slandered, you can be at risk for your livelihood and even your personal safety.

On the other hand, it can be a great chance to witness by your life. I think my family are probably less hostile towards my faith after watching me sleep peacefully through those two weeks before my cancer operation a few years back, when I had a new tumor in my lymph nodes every two days and all I could do was wait. The secret? I did what I could, and then believed God to take care of the rest. And He did not disappoint me...

God determined the times set for people and the exact places where they should live, so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us... (see Acts 17:26-27)

Answer 2

First of all I don't think there is a real need to convert from one faith to another. According to me most religions have good and bad. I cannot believe that God has revealed himself to only a sect of people. I think God has revealed himself to every race... each one of them saw him different since human cannot comprehend him. It is like the story of 4 blind people feeling an elephant. So I think it is better to take the things that are good from each religion and practice it yourself. I wouldn't be converting to any other religion -- the only religion which seem acceptable to my ideas is Bahai (and I am not a Bahai and I don't intend to become one).

Now if I have changed religion -- it depends on which religion I choose... My parents may get freaked out (even more if I get converted to Islam) but I guess my wife and children may accept my decision.

Answer 3

I became Catholic. I lost every single one of my friends down to the last one. It put a stress on my family.

I have had it easier than some of my other friends that I have since made. I tell you one thing, don't be an African American Baptist married to the preacher's daughter and convert. Those were some ugly stories.

Answer 4

it depend person to person ,that wt type of family u hv ..more chances , ur family will not be happy to allow it, coz till date we treating as custom to inherit our religion same as family holding.
in 21st century ,we say we respect everyone privacy,thinking,
likes,ideas, but its not true in every way..in India, u only able to vote in election if u over 18 years, coz government feel then only u r able to take right decision to whom u like to vote, but abt religion there is no rule to choose, why we dont give rights to our kids to choose their religion ,why we neglect voice of our sole,nature.. ??
everybody has his own chemistry,different from each other, there should be right to choose religion which match to our nature and ideas
but unfortunately, this idea not acceptable yet by our society..so sad, but u respect yr decision n try to explain things to ur family as best as u can.

Answer 5

I converted from Christianity to Wicca and my family took it fairly well. Blessed be.

Answer 6

My mom were Catholic in the previous she grew to develop right into a JW. Her Catholic relations nevertheless talked to her yet at the same time as her father died and he or she refused to attend the funeral in the Catholic Church, it brought a pair of rift because a number of her Italian aunts were appauled at her determination. yet all my mom kept putting forward replaced into, "you understand what the WT teaches: if i'm stuck in yet another church at the same time as Armageddon comes, Jehovah gained't save me." So, she stuck to her guns and does no longer bypass into the church, inspite of the actual undeniable truth that she did attend the grave aspect service later on, which to me replaced into stupid because the priest officiates both facilities. no matter if she replaced into in the church, she replaced into nevertheless listening to what she seen "pretend faith" because she replaced into listening to the priest at grave aspect. on a similar time as a baby i realized that did not make sense.

Answer 7

I do not care what they think or feel. I have choosen to be Atheist and it doesn't matter what anyone thinks

Answer 8

It depends on their personality.

Answer 9

They didn't care.