What should I do? HELP!?

Question

All my life my parents have raised me as a Catholic. In the past year or so I have looked deeply into what I truely believe. I now know that I am an Atheist. I do not believe there is a God. (However, I'm not extreme about that. I keep an open mind.) I still attend religious education and go to church with my family because I am afraid that my family will ostracize me and treat me differently (I know they would) if they knew my true beliefs. My friend's cousin, who is 11, is getting a cancerous tumor removed. I wanted to take her to the movies tomorrow to help cheer her up. Tomorrow is Good Friday in Catholicism. My mother got very angry when I asked and said that I should be embarrassed for wanting to socialize on the day that Christ died. This is what I'm talking about. I'm afraid they would say the only reason I think that is to get out of church and religious ed. and situations like the movies I just mentioned because I am fairly young. But I know what I believe. What should I do?

Thank you for your help, everyone. I'm just going to clarify a bit more. I am fourteen. I don't think telling them right now is the best decision, because as one person said, I am living under their roof. Although my beliefs shouldn't have anything to do with it, what my parents say goes. If I tell them, they're going to push religion on me harder than before. I don't think they're going to be very understanding. I have a very good relationship with my sister, and she is deeply devoted to Catholicism. If she knew that I don't believe in God, she would shun me. As soon as I was old enough to form opinions, I've been skepital about what I learned in church. I guess you could say I have a more scientific view on things. I believe there is some truth to the Bible, but I also believe there are other explanations for the not-so-realistic things. (Please do not force your views on me or start an argument because of this statement. I am here for help, not a religious debate.)

skeptical*

I do realize that I am young, and in the future I might "find" God again (not sure on the correct terminology on that...). However, I don't want to wait until I'm getting on an airplane to leave California for college and yell to my parents, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Mom and Dad...I'm an Atheist!".

Answer 1

i had the same situation when i was about your age. i couldn't go the other way when i came to religion till i was old enough. i doubted the catholic faith and the inconsistency in their teaching so i sought my own faith.

but it is not a question of faith, it is a question of your relationship between you and your family.

if you can truthfully express yourself to them. then i see no problem. but if you can't. that is another story.

cause you are under your parents roof and is dependent on them.

Answer 2

I grew up in a Christian home. I did not understand alot of things and no one could hardly give me the answers that I was seeking. I know that there was someone higher than man, but I wanted to know more than what my grand mother and mother was telling me. So I decided to seek for myself. I know there was a reason and purpose for life and that I had to find mines. I began researching and praying, so I know if there is a God He will answer me. I was very humble in my asking, and I found answers to most of my questions. As the years passed, I got more and more of my questions answered. It was amazing! Now, no one can tell me that there isn't a real God and that He doesn't speak. In Jeremiah 33:3 "Call upon me and I will show you great and mighty things that you know not." I came to believe that passage of scripture, because it worked. I hope that you find what you are looking for and in whatever you do, remember that you parents love you and want what is best for you. It might not be right to you at the present, but they are doing the best they can. Respect that. Love, be bless.

Answer 3

Many people in many religions go through a period such as you describe. It is often found that a young person does not yet have the level of understanding and experience upon which they shall have wanted to have based such a decision when they look back from later in life.
Keep your mind open. Do not let specific dogmatic instances cause you to reject the faith and tradition that you would still wish to live by. Be patient; there is no need to escape, and there are not that many places to go to from where you are.

Answer 4

Perhaps you are going about it the right way, lay low, until you find someone that you feel you can talk to. Don't ever lose your open mindedness, that is one tool of intelligence.
You are still very young, perhaps your parents are being to pushy on the religion issue. Sometimes it take a long time to feel, and understand God. Don't lose Hope, I think you should talk to a higher up in the Church, confession may be the route to go.

Answer 5

i understand completely and im 100% sure everything worked out better for me than it ever could have.
ya see i grew up in a preachers home.
my grandparents, parents cousins, siblings,and all the friends i have been surrounded by were all christians. i was taught good morals and i have a lot of friends and they all know where i stand. when i was younger i asked my dad how i was supposed to know that god was real. i couldn't find any evidence. being my over protective preacher dad -he totally freaked out and took me on a drive so that we could talk -which lasted about 3 hours. i was really scared. he was really angry...but later i heard him crying...he was more freaked out than i was. at thatpoint i convinced myself to just go with it. i was a christian and i 'believed' in god. for 4 years i felt horrible. i always had to be the perfect little preacher daughter, never do anything wrong...etc. but last summer i went to this church camp with the church my family was currently attending. i stayed kinda hidden through the worship services. but ont he second day... i went up to the altar and started balling my eyes out. i never had believed in anything stronger than i did at that point. and even now as i write this i almost want to cry. it makes me really sad to know that some people were put through the same things that i was put through, but will never really kno god. i really hope this is helpful to you. i want nothing more than to see other people find the same thing that i did in god.

charity

Answer 6

Dear, I understand what you are going through. I don't believe in christianity, and the rest of my family is christian. I have actually been initiated in to the faith of wicca. Unfortunately, the only advice I truely have for you is to come clean. Being open-minded is the only way to go. Try and help them understand that you have no belief in "God". It's better to be open and honest then lie and decieve.

Answer 7

That's too bad that you have been raised in a religious system where people have added to God's Word with their own man made rules and where they try to make people feel guilty without Biblical justification.

Romans 14:4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

While you should honor your parents, you shouldn't let them think that you believe in God if you really don't because that isn't honoring them.

Answer 8

Tough call. I was 13 and told my parents I didn't want to go to church anymore. They never asked why, so I figured they didn't want to know. I had it easy, I know. But I expected a bad reaction.

I don't know how old you are and that would probably play into it some. But you are going to have to tell them sometime.

Answer 9

Convert to Islam & discover God

Answer 10

When everyone loves us, we take their word for granted. When you'll start looking for true love, you'll seek GOD everywhere. May you be filled with the wisdom given to us all by Jesus Christ to know our Father in Heaven!