Parents still make me go to church?

Question

I am 16 years old and i have been going to catholic church every week of the year for my entire life. I never have liked going to church and it is starting to interefere with my social life. How can i convince my parents that i can make my own descisions about my religious practices? (they say i have to be eighteen to make these descisions)

they wont take no for an answer...what can i do?

Answer 1

convincing your parents that you can make your own decisions is like your parents convincing you that you need to go to church.
it is had to convince someone that you can make adult decisions when you still live in their house, eat their food, and spend their money.
when my children were 16, we let them decide whether they wanted to go the church or not, because they made other decisions, that we responsible and mature.
P.S. they both decided that they wanted to go to church and my son is not a youth pastor in his church.

Answer 2

Depends on your overall relationship with your parents. I opted out of religion totally at 12 but my parents allowed me to make my own decision.
If you are not allowed to make your own decisions at 16, it is debatable whether this is a good thing or a bad thing - again, it depends on you as a mature individual, which at 16 is improbable BUT I (we) don't know you or your parents.
You have some options:
1: Con them. Tell them you are off to church and slope off somewhere else for the appropriate amount of time. Use that time wisely, though. You may need to build up an alibi!
2: Suffer it for a couple of years. This is the same as conning them if you think about it, as, after all, you are deceiving them.
3: Tell them that you have converted to Islam. See what their reaction is!!!!! Then admit that it was a joke BUT that you DO wish to convert to Realism. To do this, you will have to display an acceptable level of maturity and logical reasoning before they will accept this deviation. Hey - confess your wishes to your local priest-guy and have HIM talk to your parents. That'd be a novel approach! I'd love to be a fly on the wall when THAT conversation takes place.
4: Leave home. Run away. Flee the stupidity.

I guess that you have to display your grasp of adulthood and then make clear your demands. Be a man (or a woman, as you don't say what you are) and suffer the wrath of the closed-minded parents. Explain to them that it is hypocrasy to attend religious meetings PRETENDING to believe in their imaginary friend and all the nonsense that goes with it.

Good luck

Answer 3

Jesus suffered for you on the cross and Gave his life you give but one hour a week each week and I am sure that isn't ruining your social life you just don't like it. Two more years won't kill you and if when your 18 you don't want to go anymore then don't . You could go to other churches where you spend hours to almost an entire day in church or several nights and days a week in church. Suck it up a little blessing never hurts anyone and one day this God you worship at church may need to be called upon and if you ignore him now he may choose to ignore you then.

Answer 4

Actually, if you live in their house and they are providing for you, they can make you go. Whether it is right or wrong, it is within their power.

Why don't you try to reach a compromise with them. Perhaps you could go to a different service so that you would be able to do what you want to do at the other time.

As a parent, they just want what they feel is best for you. I'm sure that is the case here. Try to meet them half way.

Answer 5

Their hoping you'll change your mind and become a good Catholic or meet a good Catholic girl that will change your mind for you.
Yes about that age social life sems more important than the intangable religious life. try a compromise you will at least read the bible once a week if they do not force you to go to Church.
I stopped going when I was 13 . but started studing other religions .

Answer 6

Your parents are right and if they wanted to they could extend it beyond being 18 if you are still living in their house. As long as they are providing you with room and board you have to follow their rules.

As a Christian who has heard stories about all of the ritualistic practices that go on in many of the Catholic assemblies as opposed to the good teaching of how God's Word can be applied to our lives in the 21st century in a meaningful way, you have my sympathy. It's too bad your parents don't go to a church like the one I attend. My Pastor is a great teacher with a great sense of humor and the whole church is busting up at some of the examples he uses when he is preaching.

We have fun at the church I attend as we grow in love for Jesus and one another. If you want to see a little of the difference then take about 20 minutes and listen to one of the sermons that my Pastor has given at church. http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/enduring_truth

Answer 7

At sixteen you probably think you have all the answers, when you haven't even seen all the questions yet.

God is the most important thing in life.

If you had the slightest idea what was going on at Mass you'd be there every morning, and go on your own, not just when your parents drag you on Sundays.

If your question is really serious, you better straighten your act out pronto, or you're going to find yourself in big, big trouble.

Your parents obviously know what they're doing.

Listen to them.

Answer 8

They can't make you go to church. Talk to your minister or who ever is in charge at your church and let them know how you feel and see if they will offer their guidance to your parents. Or wait till you are in church right next to your parents and stand up in front of everyone and announce you don't wish to be there but your parents force you to be there. I'm sure they will be embarrassed that they will not want to take you to church no more.
Other then that you can tell them that a church is just a place to worship and you feel more comfortable doing that on your own outside of a church. No where in the bible does it say you have to go to church. Or if you don't believe in god tell them that and you wish they would respect your wishes cause religion is a personal matter that each person haves to decide and parents have no right to force beliefs on their children. If they tell you that you still have to go tell them you are contacting children services cause that is a form of abuse.

Answer 9

Your parents are right. You are not old enough to make ANY decisions until you are of legal age 18. You live under their roof, and they provide you with everything you need, until you are of age. Currently, you have no rights! If you are of legal age and still live in their home. You still have no rights. As for your social life? Too bad! You don't live with the socialites, you live with your parents. You are 16? Probably with near a year and ahalf to go maybe, give or take? What is the hurry? Nothing that can't wait, I am sure.

Answer 10

So long as you are living with them, they may require you to attend. They can't command your belief, but they can expect your compliance. Wait until you can move out to forget the church.

And what do you mean it interferes with your social life? What is it that would keep you away from church on sunday morning? If it's the need to sleep off saturday night revelries, you're too young to party that hard. If it's because the "cool" people sneer at you and call you "churchboy", you should realize they are not cool at all. and if it's just happening that the one, best and only time for you to see your friends is sunday morning, just around mass time... that's just strange, and if you can't find a way around it with your friends, maybe you should check the schedule of masses at your church, and negotiate with your parents to attend at some other time.

Answer 11

Don't know if you will be able to jump ship on that one. Instead you should really listen to the message of the mass and ask your parents what does it mean. Make it interesting...If you are questioning your faith in Catholicism then you need to find where you will go...Whatever you do tie a rope around you waist so you can find your way back if need be.