So on Ash Wednesday I did not go to church with my parents and I was brought up a Catholic but i am Atheist, and since then my Dad has not spoken to me. I really dont think i did anything wrong because if i were to receive the ash i think id be really doing something wrong because id be lying. But just because im Atheist doesnt mean im an A-hole towards religion, I respect people who are religious it doesnt bug me so why does it bug my parents? I dont understand why they are trying to force me to be religious if i dont believe. Im not a bad guy ive always tried to be the best man that i can be and no im graduating from High school this year and im going to college, I dont do drugs or committ any sort of vandalism.
2007-03-21 17:57:06 · 16 answers · asked by anonymous 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
IM not rebelling or going through any phase i really dont believe in a god.
and for the person who said that if one day my kid came up to me and told me the he/she found god i wouldnt mind its up to him or her it wouldnt offend me.
2007-03-21 18:27:40 · update #1
You are what you are, you believe what yo believe.. end of StoRy,,.,
2007-03-24 15:36:28 · answer #1 · answered by lovelostboys 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry your parents are behaving that way.
Put yourself in their place for awhile. Say after you go to college - you marry your atheist sweetheart and you have a kid - and you teach them that there is no God. And then - during their senior year of high school - your kid comes home and says "I've found Jesus!" How would you feel? While I'm not condoning their behavior - I do understand why they are upset.
I was raised Catholic - and walked away from the church at about the same age as you. I'm 50 now - and quite Spiritual. I'm raising a child with my boyfriend - and we take her to our church where all religions are celebrated. We've taught her to pray (we call it Spiritual Mind Treatment) - and we're just waiting to see what she chooses as her Spiritual path. I suppose she could reject them all and choose to be an Atheist - and I have to say that would dissapoint me. We really pretty much believe that God is Love - and it works through you. So - it's not that much to believe in.
But still - I would not stop talking to her. And I would love her and celebrate all of her wonderful qualities which ARE God working through her. Hopefully your parents will come around - and realize that they can love you for who you are - no matter what your religious beliefs. My minister has a saying "You can be right or you can be happy." I hope your parents choose to be happy - and enjoy all the great things you are.
Meanwhile - hang in there - and continue with your morals and values. And most importantly - continue to be respectful of the religious beliefs of others!
2007-03-21 18:21:39 · answer #2 · answered by liddabet 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
first of all, i agree with you completely. you've done nothing wrong. i went through the same thing with my folks cept i converted to Buddhism.
secondly, look at it from your parents point of view. would you rather have a son on drugs or a son doomed to spend an eternity in hell (i know, i don't believe in hell either)? your parents being religious care about your soul and in a way, are being selfish about it. just live a good life and they'll come around. my parents finally did. FYI, i became a Buddhist at 21. i'm 31 now. sure it took a decade but better late than never right? good luck and remember, Darwin was right!
2007-03-21 18:12:15 · answer #3 · answered by WreckinShop 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They're probably in denial.
They think that if you leave the church, you'll burn in hell forever, and they don't want that to happen to you. They may also feel that they're failures as parents. Never mind that you turned out to be a fine young adult; beliefs can get in the way of the obvious.
They may think that you're just going through a phase (which is possible!), or that you're just being rebellious--anything to save themselves from thinking that their child is eternally damned. Even if they accept that you don't believe, they'll pull out all the stops to get you back. They must keep you from burning forever in their loving god's torture chamber.
Sorry, i don't have any suggestions for what to do, but these are some possibilities for why your parents feel as they do.
2007-03-21 18:22:17 · answer #4 · answered by RickySTT, EAC 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not hard to understand why. Your parents believe that you are going to a Hell for an eternity.
I am not at all saying they are correct, but take a look at things from their perspective. If you thought your mom or dad were about to make a horrible mistake would you try to prevent them from doing so? The answer will most likely be yes.
2007-03-21 18:16:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are probably hurt and devastated that as an atheist, your future is Hell while they will be in Heaven together without you forever!! I'm sure they love you enough to want to spend more than just a few yrs here with you. They want to spend eternity with you! Alot of atheists I read on this forum, including you think christians are trying to force our faith on you, and maybe some are, but most I believe know your doom and want so much for you to rid yourself of satan's cunning deceptions so that you can love and believe in Jesus. They can be accused of loving you too much, I guess. They can pray for you. Do you really want to be separated by them and the Lord forever? And oh, doesn't negate the Truth of God's Word and warnings and hope JUST because you happen not to believe it.
2007-03-21 18:43:13 · answer #6 · answered by connie 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Thats sad, your parents shouldnt push anything, thats there choice, there OWN personal choice to be Catholic, but not yours , you parents should respect that decision you have made! They need a wake up call. Dont ever feel guilty about it tho, and dont go back unless you firmly do believe it, never do it for your parents sake, they need time probably to realise that it is wrong to expect you to believe it.
2007-03-21 18:14:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Capitalize your I's not that I judge you based on that but everyone else will. I had this problem for a long time well I still do but religion is stupid. Don't let them get you down my mother and her boyfriend continuously pick on me for my atheism. And I give them all the rational arguments in the world. But of course I'm an idiot and they say it to my face that I'm just a misguided youth. Which really pisses me off they don’t even attempt to listen to me. I even try to just talk about the bible and my mother gets pissed. I'd hate to push a book on you but after I read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins it helped me feel alot better about myself.
2007-03-21 18:12:56 · answer #8 · answered by Beaverscanttalk 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Parents have high hopes for their kids to believe the same way but you cannot be born into your faith. You have to come to your own faith experience on your own. If being an atheist is the path you're chosing now they can still pray for you regardless. Just relax and be yourself and still love and respect them.
2007-03-21 18:06:12 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, that's the experience a lot of people have. It won't help with your parents, but you might be touched and feel less alone in the world if you listen to Julia Sweeney's "Letting Go of God" -- her story about her parents rejecting her atheism is classic.
Her dad said he didn't even want her at his funeral. She said, "try and stop me!"
2007-03-21 18:13:06 · answer #10 · answered by WWTSD? 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
When I got a tattoo my dad didn't talk to me for 3 days. Now he talks to me just like normal. You just have to give your parents time to accept your decision. Eventually they'll understand that you're not a bad person, and you don't hate them or their religion, you have just found a better path in life for yourself.
2007-03-21 18:33:21 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋