Should i tell my parents I'm an atheist and refuse to go to Church?

Question

I don't know what to do. They've been trying to make me go for a while, and i just can't take it anymore. I mean, I'm an ATHEIST for goodness sake....going to Church is a waste of my time.

Answer 1

Tell them you're an atheist. Legally, they probably can force you to go to church. If that happens, inform them that they are driving you farther AWAY from Christianity by forcing it on you, and that you hope they are happy working for Satan. ;-)

Answer 2

You should talk to your parents, your path is your choice and no one else. Don't get defensive, try to talk calmly and leave when things get loud. It may take time, but knowing that your parents love you, they will never disown you for what you believe.

I believe that you should be able to make your own decisions. I have two children, one grown now, I have always given them freedom when it comes to religion. It is NOT my path but theirs. The only job I had was to help them explore and understand all religions and allow them to make their own choices. My main rule - you can do whatever you want, as long as you do not hurt anyone or anything. That includes yourself. And I reserved the right to tell them when I felt they were making a major mistake that would change their future. Otherwise my children made mistakes and learned from them. They are both VERY well adjusted adults, have promising careers (daughter in medical school) NEVER gotten into trouble with the law. One is pagan the other christian........ it was THEIR choice.

Answer 3

Tell them, but don't do it in an argumentative way. Tell them in an intelligent well thought out way that you do not believe and that going to church just further proves to you that it is a waste. They will probably disagree with you, but hopefully not.

Answer 4

So just say you don't want to go. Explain that if you're meant to be there, surely the Holy Spirit will guide you back, and you can always return to church after a break to discover your spirituality, whether that guides you to theism or not.

Answer 5

I get it, trust me. If they are making you go, then they firmly believe you need to go..... which means they believe. So your telling them you don't believe may just make them push it on you even harder.... to "save" you (in their minds). Just bring your cell phone and chat with your friends or play sudoku or crosswords to pass the time. Hey, I've even seen people sleeping in church.... maybe you can catch up on your napping? Just think how embarrassed they'd be sitting next to you while you were snoring away in church... bet they wouldn't push you so hard to go after that! lol

We were all kids once and didn't want to do what our parents told us to do.... you'll be an adult soon enough. Don't sweat it too much.

Answer 6

If you're under 18, I think they can pretty much tell you what to do.

Personally, if my parents were telling me I had to go to church every Sunday, I'd bring my Nintendo DS and sit in the back. They can make you go, but they can't make you pay attention...

Answer 7

One day after my mother forced yet another Sunday on me, I told the her and the reverend just exactly what I thought and I walked out (my father went to a different church). After that my mother never tried to make me go again.

Answer 8

I did. Well sort of, I told them I didn't want to go to church and they dropped it. Guess they either knew, or didn't want to know.

Anyhow, you are going to have to gage what you think the reaction will be and use your good judgment. Parents sometimes go off the deep end and it isn't worth that.

Answer 9

Yes. Be prepared for some backlash; in the worst case, they will tell you that you have to until you are 18.

Answer 10

Yeah you can tell them. Be prepared for the 3rd degree. Worst case is you keep going until you are 18.