My mom is forcing me to do CCD (religious education) and I REALLY do NOT want to?

Question

I'm 15. I am home-schooled for CCD and extremely behind in it. I strongly dislike it for the following reasons:

1. I don't believe in God. Sorry for everyone who will post Bible verses and try to prove me otherwise, but I don't. I am not a religious person, and that has been my way . Unfortunately, my mother does not know that because if I did tell her, she will most probably send me to a Catholic school in the Philippines. If she doesn't do that, she'll send me to a Catholic school in California.

2. I am in all AP and Honors classes and I haven't slept before midnight since school started. I have SO much work. I'm really pissed at myself right now for not doing my homework right now, but I need to ask this question. Finals are in two weeks and my mother scheduled a CCD test for me in the middle of finals. And she won't listen to me when I say I can't handle CCD on top of everything else.

What can I do?

Excuse me, righteous, I apologize I didn't clarify. I have been going to CCD for the past EIGHT YEARS.

hghostin: Um, I think you need new data. CCD does not help me at all. I have had straight A's for four years, and NONE of it is in ANY way dependent on me going to CCD.

Answer 1

It sounds like you really have a load to handle, and if you can't handle CCD on top of everything else, it's fine. I don't think you have time to argue with her before finals, so I suppose you should just do what you usually do, get the good grades you normally get, and if you flunk on the CCD then (by my view) it's perfectly justifiable because of your workload. Tell her that, say that it's not that you weren't willing to study for the test, it's just that you have to keep your grades in school and therefore you couldn't make time to study for CCD. Try to talk her round, basically. (Are there re-tests for CCD?)

Anyway, good luck with all your classes; you're obviously working miracles down there, I don't know many people who could handle that workload. Don't get too stressed over the CCD thing.

P.s. To people who are saying "spoilt teenager", "nonconformist", "anti-Christian", etc., and that it's "her fault she fell behind" or that she's "whining", well - have you ever taken advanced classes? ALL advanced classes? I had to turn down the two I was offered because I was struggling with other subjects (math), and my overall grades are pretty good, a 3.54 GPA in fact. You can only imagine what it takes to make the grade for all of those classes and then continue with them. She doesn't have the time, and it's not as if she's slacking. Try studying 20 hours a day and see if you have time to study sacraments on top of that.

Answer 2

As a fellow overachieving atheist who has done very well for herself without CCD, or other formal training in deity worship, I suggest you throw the test. This will minimize the CCD teacher's expectations for you. Do what you have to do, you are old enough to prioritize, you are not an idiot kid. I skipped my senior year of high school, and got accepted into my top University at 16. I moved out of my house six months later and never looked back. I disagreed with my folks on religion and social issues then, and I disagree with them now, twelve years later. If CCD is not going to tickle your inner cynic, throw the test. If you are forced to attend, be civilized, remember that no college cares about your CCD test score, and keep strong and confidant in your own ideas. Good luck young Jedi.

Answer 3

AP, Honors, you sound like an atheist to me :)

I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. Your mom wants you to have a religious education whether you like it or not. She won't listen to reason, she would just be horrified that her baby is going to Hell if you told her how you feel. That Christian crap has guilt tripping written right into it.

If I were you I would refuse, but that's easier said than done when you are risking getting shipped off to some reform school.

If she really threatens that just remind her how well you are doing in school and how much responsibility you are successfully handling, and that there is no need to "fix" you just because you don't share her beliefs, you are fine the way you are.

Ideally though I wouldn't let it get to that point. I don't know much about CCD, is it anything that could just be suffered through just to get her off your back?

Answer 4

I would say fail the CCD, concentrate on the rest. And if your mother calls you to task just tell her you did not have enough time to study everything and you told her so. So next time she should avoid putting it in the middle of finals.
And as said above unless you intend a religious career, better concentrate on what will serve you later for your jobs.
As for you mom from what you says she seems to be the kind who will not listen if you try to tell her you are atheist and would send you to a religious school to get your straightened. You can lie low and wait for your majority. You can also discuss theism and atheism with her as a generality and see what her reaction is.

Answer 5

I emphatize with you on that. I went to a Catholic school in the Philippines for 9 years and moved here to New York when I was 15. My mother forced me to go to church and everything but I kept telling her that I don't believe in god or religion until she finally realized that I know what I'm doing. I'm sure your mother means well (considering that she deludes herself into believing that her daughter will go to hell for not buying into religious zealotry). There's no harm in attending a Catholic school or learning more about religion because it allows you to defend your beliefs. It's actually interesting to see people's reactions when you tell them that you don't believe in god. I told that to the priest during a confession, and boy was it fun. You don't really have to believe in what they say but rather educate yourself. Besides, if you are an atheist, then I don't think that you could be brainwashed by religion. Then again, you have a lot of things to do. I would advise you to be honest with her. Just tell her that you don't believe in god and give her reasons why. If she doesn't listen, at least now she knows.

If you're interested, I have a forum dedicated to these discussions. I'm sure a lot of people there can sympathize with your situation.

http://www.friendster.com/group/tabmain.php?gid=17474
(I think you have to log in to visit it though)
My page: friendster.com/darthinky

There's also a link to the Pinoy Atheist group there.

Answer 6

OMG!!!!!!!!! u r officially my new favorite person!!! i don't believe in god either and i'm sick of people telling me that i'm going 2 hell because of it!!!!

just tell her that u really can't stand the workload right now and you're being worked to death, she might understand and back off a litle bit! crying ur eyes out and saying how stressed u are could help your case too! just let her know u really can't handle the pressure, and need 2 just focus on your schoolwork for now...

as for the CCD classes, i don't know if there's really anything u can do except stand up for your beliefs...i know it sounds scary, and fighting with your mom is never a good thing, but as i see it, that's the only way ur ever gonna make her see how u feel


best of luck!

Answer 7

i went to a really hard Christian school for two years. it was hell but if i had the choice to go back and just go to regular school i would stick with the hard school. Now i'm in college and it is SO much easier than that stinkin private school. i have a 4.0 GPA!

i know this isn't what you want to hear but believe me a tough school will make you stronger than everyone ells and give you whatever job you set your mind to.

Untill you are eighteen and have a job and can be financially independant tough it out.

Sometimes you can't choose what you go through but you can either be brave and strong or week and miserable. that is something you will always have the choice of.

Answer 8

just b/c u don't believe in God doesn't mean you can't be educated in the history of the Bible and God. Treat this as a History lesson. NEway, you will have an educated response to the question that will come up for the rest of your life, "Well, why don't you believe in God?" If you know the Bible and history behind the Bible they you will seem an intelligent person when you can give an intectual well thought out answer to a question like that. Rather that, "Well i just don't believe, i can't give a specific reason for me not believing only that it doesn 't suit my needs or wants...getting up at 8AM in the morning to go worship the Lord is like sooooo cutting into beauty sleep time!" Do you understand what i'm saying...

Answer 9

If she really would send you away to a school I would keep your mouth shut about you not believing in god.

As for the home schooling I think you should just suck it up and do it, it doesn't sound like you have much of a choice. You may not believe anything that you are taught but it is always a good idea to keep an open mind. Even if you don't believe in Christianity at all it is a good idea to expand your horizons and at least learn about it.

Answer 10

Lets see...you don't want to go to CCD because you are too busy. Obviously, if you are the most important thing in your life, that's' a valid excuse. But to say that you don't believe in God, without taking the classes, really means that you just don't know God yet. Take the classes and then decide.
To defend your desire to remain ignorant about God only comes across as well...ignorant.