Christians: Help me with a dilemma?

Question

I am an atheist, but my two older sisters are both *very* Catholic. This has caused a rift between them and me. Their faith prevents them from accepting the fact that I am an atheist, and my rational side could never accept their point of view. Should I make a false conversion just to satisfy them (knowing full well that this rift will continue indefinitely if I don't) ...?

Answer 1

*Is Catholic*

Good for your sisters.

No you should not make a false conversion (though I would point out that if you are baptised you are in fact Catholic and you would not be making a false conversion but only taking up again the faith).

Your sister's point of view is actualy rational as it is a dogma of Catholicism that reason / rationality is not opposed to the Faith. Therefore your rational side is not the issue rather it is a more philosophical issue that you are having with Catholicism, or you are simply not understanding what Catholicism is.

So what I would simply suggest is that you study more philosophy and learn more about what you have chosen to think as well as alternative philosophies out there.

Answer 2

Now. That would be deceit, and if they found out they would probably be very angry. My suggestion go to Church with them a few times (at least three of four to really get a sense of their Church) and see if it was something you would be interested in just attending (you don't have to be a Catholic, you just can't partake in communion).
If you don't want to do that, just be extra nice to them. Being nice to people seams to melt the heart of the Grinch in all of us.
As well I am a Christian (not a Catholic but a Christian) and if they can't except the fact that you are an atheist then I'm sorry but something is a little off with the way they've been taught their faith. I can accept that practically everyone in my family is an atheist and I can accept that most people on the street are probably atheists as well. The only thing that bothers me about some of them is that they take the name of my Lord in vain (in which I ask them politely to stop, and most people will).

Good luck with your sisters, and I hope they you all can mend the rift in your relationship.

Answer 3

Just tell your sisters that you don't want something like this to cause a rift between you&just agree to disagree.Don't talk about being atheist to them&ask them to not talk about being Catholic to you.Find something in between that you can do or talk about without your spiritual differences coming between you.

Answer 4

Just avoid the topic and if they say anything be honest. Lies and hypocrisy will not last. This is no different than what Jesus predicted and is true over and over!

Matthew 10:33-37 (New King James Version)
33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

Remind them that Jesus said to love your enemies and ask them to leave it at that.

No offence... but are you sure it is your rational side that can't accept God and the salvation offered by the blood of Jesus?

Good luck with your family
Todd

Answer 5

No, don't make a false conversion. Instead tell them that if they really loved you they would be praying for God to remove the veil of darkness from your understanding and give you the gift of faith since that's what the Bible says needs to happen for you to get saved.

2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Tell them that it's not your fault if you don't believe because the Bible says that God has to draw you to Jesus otherwise you can't come.

John 6:43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

If you feel "drawn" click on the Get Saved button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/

Answer 6

I know it must hurt greatly to have a rift between you and yours sisters and it's sad that they can't accept you in spite of you not sharing their beliefs I can't advise you to lie to them though, nothing good ever comes from a lie.

Answer 7

It is not an easy thing to have a different belief system as family however no mater how right one believes themselves to be we all must respect what other believe, and in dealing with family you can still have a loving relationship I do with my sister. I am a Christian and she has no specific belief system but dose not want to discus mine in any, however we talk everyday and are best friends too.

Answer 8

Just agree not to talk about it with them. It's not worth letting some old superstitious belief cause a rift in your family.

Your family is your most valuable possession

Answer 9

women can see through shenanigans like that.

but you have to tell us which side is causing the rift. if it's them, and they don't want to accept you for your beliefs, there's not much you can do.

Answer 10

No, because if you faked it, they would eventually find out and it could make it worse. Also. faking it would only put you closer to hellfire I do believe.So another solution would be to go to church and try the real thing. You might just like it. Perhaps another faith would be in order. You could try different ones and see if one of them grabs you. We have several ex Catholics in our church, as well as Baptist, and Methodists and some others.