I am trying to convince my parents I'm atheist, need help please?

Question

My parents have been gone for a week and told me to think about my "spiritual" beliefs. And I have. I'm an atheist, and have told them but they won't take me seriously.

So I decided to write a paper and am looking for good arguments against Christianity and the Bible to show them.

So far I have topics on: Pascal's Wager, Christmas and Easter pagan origins, Creation story, Free will, fear tactics used by religions, if God is really all-knowing/powerful, and certain Bible contradictions.

Mostly I'd like tasteful quotes or reasoning to add, or things I've missed out. I did put a lot of work into this and I'm hoping they will finally respect me after reading this paper.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: My parents don't think that I have a reason to NOT believe in God. They've asked me why, time and time again, and when I point out that it shouldn't matter, that it's my choice regardless of what they say or think, they just shoot me down with "The Bible says..."

So that's the problem. I _do_ have to convince them.

Edit again: I'm 17, which many of you wouldn't consider old enough to make my own decision, but I figured I should add this.

I'm not out to piss off my parents, or disprove their religion. It's about them respecting my choice about a very, very personal choice.

Answer 1

The more you try to convince them, the less they'll take you seriously. The only reason it should matter to you if ANYBODY "believes" that you're an atheist is if you're an atheist for the image. Which is a silly thing to do. If you're confident in your nonbelief, and knowledgeable (which it sounds like you are), people will come around eventually.

PS: Actually, I think your parents are probably in denial about your atheism. 'Not-my-child' syndrome. If they're religious, it may take them time to accept this fact about you.

Another PS: I am an atheist bisexual vegan (22, not that much older than you), far from what my superreligious meat-eating father wanted in a daughter. You are not going to change each other, (and I know you're not trying to change them), so whenever they get on you, just do what I do when people get on me for my veganism: deflect.

Tell your parents that out of respect to them, you'd rather not discuss religious matters. Tell them that you find their questioning rude and would appreciate the chance to form your own opinions about such matters.

You could go on forever with your parents, back and forth, but at some point you have to stop caring about whether they respect your beliefs, about whether they believe you or not. You have to stop caring and live your life how you want to. You seem to think that you HAVE to prove your atheism to them. You don't. Accept that they don't believe it- yet. Accept that they don't respect it, and may never will. Accept that they either secretly or outwardly think you've got a one way ticket to hell. Accept it and move on. Love them anyway, despite their faults (because that's what family is), and move on.

Answer 2

You sound like you're pretty young. Just let it go until you're older, and then they will have to respect your stance on the matter. There's no sense making your life more dramarific right now because it's certainly not going to change their stance on the matter.

Naturally all young people seek to rebel against their parents at some point as a means of asserting their autonomy, but part of acquiring life's wisdom is learning which battles ought to be fought, and which you should walk away from. Challenging your parents on this issue will just prove to be an exercise in frustration you really don't need, and ultimately nothing will be gained by the confrontation.

Your time would be far better spent on your own personal goals. I virtually guarantee you that even writing a research paper on the topic won't change your parents' views, so if the goal of writing the paper is to get your parents to accept your viewpoint then all you will have done is wasted your time.

That's not to say that you should give in to their wishes and be all "God-ified". What I mean is just basically float along in the current and let the religion stuff go in one ear and out the other.

You already know what conclusion you've reached. As the old adage goes, "Suffer fools gladly." Not to say that your parents are fools but you just have to understand that they were raised in a different time with a different mindset, and since you realize that mindset doesn't work for you, you can simply take it all with a huge grain of salt.

Answer 3

Josh McDowell wrote an excellent book that will help you out. Also Lee Stobel and Phillip Wagner. These are a Lawyer, Journalist and Scientist. They have some excellent arguements for you and the results of the research they did to disprove and exsistence of God let alone this whole Jesus myth.

Happy findings.

Answer 4

Why does it matter so much whether they believe you or not? And why would arguments against Christianity carry more real weight than your saying, "I don't believe in God or Jesus?"

I don't know, it just strikes me as really blustery, plus you are setting yourself up in a pretty needy position whereby you need them to admit and approve your spiritual beliefs before they are valid. If you're an adult that's no longer necessary and if you're not they can pretty much determine whether you will go to church and act as if you believe even if you don't. Either way, I just want you to be prepared when they kind of shrug this paper off.

Answer 5

The most convincing argument is, surely that if you cannot believe then you can't be made to believe.
Can you be made to believe in fairies or Santa again?
In the same way you cannot be made to believe in God or the spaghetti thingy.
if you don't believe in God then you must be atheist and good luck to you. I have lived a life free from doubt, fear and guilt since giving up on the myths.

Answer 6

In my opinion, you shouldn't have to "convince" anyone of your beliefs. Just tell them that is what you believe and be done with it. Go along your merry way and believe what you want. You believe it...nothing else should matter. They will, hopefully, come to respect you as a person...not as a believer or non-believer. Just be a good person and everything else should speak for itself. There is no need to ever convince anyone of your convictions...just live them the way you see fit.

Answer 7

First of All, try and look at things from their perspective.

I am an Atheist and believe I have a good set of reasons for being one, so I won't get too preachy, but you live in their house.

From their perspective, your Atheism will cause you to be eternally tortured by the God that they will be celebrating in paradise with at the same time. Its a terrible dilemma to put them in.

I suggest waiting till you are out of the house to worry them with the reality of your belief system. Life will be easier that way, for all of you.


EDIT: 17 is old enough to form your own opinions, and it is good that you are thinking through things, however, you still live at home, and I am guessing you still love your parents deeply. Try and understand that your Atheism is very very scary to them, and they are very worried about you. Arguing your point doesn't make sense unless you are trying to convert them.

My parents are very religious, my dad is a minister. I choose not to confront them about their beliefs and also choose not to parade my non belief out in front of them. I don't do this because I am ashamed of being an Atheist, or couldn't answer thier questions, I do it because I know that it would cause both of them to worry tremendously about my soul. I lover them dearly and don't want them to go through added stress and fear because of my actions.

It is like standing on the edge of a building, you are tethered and completely safe, but your parents can't see that from their perspective. Would you willingly teeter on the edge, just to prove that you were really safe, causing them to be scared for your life? I wouldn't.

Answer 8

Im christian so i may not help you but:

if you dont believe in god why does it matter if your parents believe in you or not.
some people believe in god and you dont he keeps going
on. Some people will believe in you but if your parents wont you will go on.

This is why I believe in christianity,maybe you can make points against these thoughts:

Why are we here and what really is life if there is no god?
Why did so many people get together and right the bible? and why did so many people believe it?

you belive in god and die- you will die happy and will go to heeaven/paradise if there is a god and if there isnt than you at least died believing in something.
you dont believe in god and you die-your dead or theres a god and your alive living in hell

why not take the chance? no one will ever people able to know if you were right or wrong unless they are in heaven and your in hell or vice versa

Answer 9

Dear Mom and Dad,
Bottom line is I just don't feel it. I don't feel god and I do not have faith. I can site science articles and historical articles to back up the claim that there isn't a god and you will just refer me back to the bible.
Religion is all about faith and like I said if I had it, we would not be having this discussion now would we?
I am an atheist...accept it or not it is what it is. Please do what your bible preaches and love me for who I am, not what you think you can make me into.
Love always
Your kid.

Answer 10

They are in denial.
Give them time.
Just like parents whose kids turn Christian don't want to be witnessed to ad nauseum, it works the same way. Maybe they think it's a phase. I don't think you need to convince them WHY you are an atheist, as much THAT you are an atheist. Just be who you are. Respect them, but practice what you believe. And I'm a Christian. I may not agree with your beliefs, but I agree with your right to hold them. Peace.
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