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How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 11:55 am
Hi,
I am 17 years old, and an open atheist with my family. The rest of them are Christians, however. I am just wondering how to deal with my mom, who will tell me things like, "I talk to Jesus" and smirk a little bit. I don't know what to say to her, because I want to be respectful because she is my mom, but she knows I'm an atheist and still says these things. It really gets on my nerves. I want to start arguing because she clearly knows I don't believe the same as her and she still says it to me, but I also want to be respectful. Do you guys know what I should do? Thanks in advance!
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RE: How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 12:03 pm
My mom sometimes says and does similar things (not quite as batshit as "I talk to jesus" though). If I ever criticise the catholic church for instance she pulls a face. She's not even catholic!
I just tend to bring up relevant points and bad things about religion when I feel it's appropriate. I wouldn't actively call her out and argue, more trouble than it's worth.
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RE: How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 12:03 pm
If it's known you are an atheist and your family isn't giving you the hard sell (or conducting middle of the night exorcisms), I suggest sucking it up and not engaging in arguments out of respect for them. When your mom tells you she talks to Jesus, smile at her and say, "I know you do, Mom." Then leave it at that. You'll be out on your own soon enough, and you have the rest of your life (as well as your time here) to argue about religion if you want.
My two cents.
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RE: How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 12:10 pm
(This post was last modified: March 20, 2014 at 12:11 pm by Clueless Morgan.)
Can you tell her that you don't appreciate her snarky attitude and point out to her that
you're not snarky or disrespectful of
her beliefs (assuming this is true) so could she show she the same courtesy?
I'd start by making this request and seeing how it goes, that way you can at least claim that you were trying to be mature and respectful and she was the one screwing it up. Once that request is out there and it's understood that you have tried to keep things civil, I would giving it back to her*, every so often reintroducing the idea that maybe your family just shouldn't talk about religion for the sake of everyone getting along.
* If you're in danger of her kicking you out or losing necessary financial support or anything, I'd say keep your trap shut and deal with her disrespect as well as you can until you're financially independent and there would be no (or much fewer) repercussions for responding.
And remember that you can always come the AF to vent.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
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RE: How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Ask her to ask Jesus about that Malaysian plane.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
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RE: How to deal with family?
March 20, 2014 at 2:29 pm
I'd ask, "Well let me know if he ever talks back, because I need to know when your delusion turns into full-blown psychosis."
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
