Actually, it all started as kind of a joke, I think. A lifetime membership is still only $30.00, and it looks like they have some insanely wild parties. Google Ivan Stang, he's the main instigator.

Yes. they usually think it is just a phase.

I recently told another aunt, almost blind........I just had to tell her because she frequently talks to me about Jesus and I just had to tell her, "Aunt- I am sorry, but I don't believe it- I can't...." She knows my story and what I went through.

She paused and looked so sad. Then she just said, "I love you."

My heart feels like it was ripped to shreds.

I never should have told her. It was a hard call but I just could not take it, the talk of the loving sky myth....

At least your aunt knew what to say.

At the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Most members of my family either accepted it with little discussion or freaked out. My sister still thinks its just a phase and refuses to acknowledge that I am an atheist.

I told my mom I was an atheist. she was like "meh, you'll get over it" - not likely since I've seen 300+ episodes of the atheist experience and read the God Delusion and pascal's "religion explained" hehe. I'm lucky cause I'm in ukraine and while here are religious religion is almost never seen in day to day life here (going to church on weekends is not common here)

(August 27, 2010 at 9:46 pm)RachelSkates Wrote: Yes. they usually think it is just a phase.

I recently told another aunt, almost blind........I just had to tell her because she frequently talks to me about Jesus and I just had to tell her, "Aunt- I am sorry, but I don't believe it- I can't...." She knows my story and what I went through.

She paused and looked so sad. Then she just said, "I love you."

My heart feels like it was ripped to shreds.

I never should have told her. It was a hard call but I just could not take it, the talk of the loving sky myth....

What a wonderful aunt.

Dad's two sisters were like second mothers to me,but rabidly Irish Catholic. (one was buried in the robes of a Carmelite nun) Either one of them would have belted me across the ear,at any age. Mum's brilliant sister was an outspoken atheists all of her life. Sadly,she lived in Seattle, so I rarely saw her.

(August 22, 2010 at 2:11 pm)RachelSkates Wrote: Hi all-

I am finding a tremendous amount of trouble coming out. Even when I do , I am not believed.

My sister came out before I did. We have many religious family members still. An aunt of ours who is also a missionary said, "She's not an atheist. She just think she's one..."

Huh? So if you can "think" you are atheist, can you also "think" you are an Xer?

It is taken for granted that religion is a good thing, and that an atheist is just someone who is a bit off. In my country you cannot even run for public office if you are an atheist, so strong is the sentiment that it is so important to human life that you cannot be rational without it. Imagine the guy in charge of the red phone without faith! (I would be more afraid these days if he does have faith. )

How did you all come out? Were you believed?

i wish i could help but i dont ever remember believing in god. i always took it as a fairytale. My advice would be just to tell them that you dont believe and just leave it at that if they dont believe you thats their problem.

Any progress Rachel