Family is always asking me to come to religious celebrations

[Tomatoshadow2]

Hey everyone,

Don't you find it funny, when your family knows you're not religious, but still say why can't you come to 'Easter' ? I do have to work that day, but some of them suggested I take a vacation day and go see everyone, Idk. just to feel uncomfortable, I'll probably wait for a different weekend or a 'secular holiday' where religion isn't the main theme as always. How do you guys handle these invites?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Anybody ask me to go to that shit I never speak to them again.

[arewethereyet]

Hey everyone,

Don't you find it funny, when your family knows you're not religious, but still say why can't you come to 'Easter' ? I do have to work that day, but some of them suggested I take a vacation day and go see everyone, Idk. just to feel uncomfortable, I'll probably wait for a different weekend or a 'secular holiday' where religion isn't the main theme as always. How do you guys handle these invites?

We are getting together on Easter but not for any religious reasons.  Everyone is off work and it's my son's birthday.  We get together on holidays but don't follow any of the traditions based on religion.

Even my Catholic family gatherings at Easter when I was a kid were more about getting together and eating lots of food and maybe playing some cards - and candy.  Christmas was about eating lots of food, opening gifts, and maybe playing some cards.

Are they going to make you pray or participate in some sort of other religious thing?

[Tomatoshadow2]

@Gawdzilla Sama Gotcha, I should clarify, it's just a get together, I wouldn't go to a church or anything.

@arewethereyet I gotcha, that sounds chill, with no religious pressure. I'm not sure if your familiar with the former Tom Flynn? He was the publisher of 'Free Inquiry' an atheist magazine through the Center for Inquiry. He always believed to be more of a firm atheist, we shouldn't like participate in 'religious holidays' as it gives the holiday even more strength kind of thing. I did like jis idea of getting those out of society, but it is hard.

No, nothing else religious, just kind of the celebration of it, for me it's more against my principles. I would prefer maybe the 4th of July more, Idk, I still have time to decide.

[arewethereyet]

@Gawdzilla Sama Gotcha, I should clarify, it's just a get together, I wouldn't go to a church or anything.

@arewethereyet I gotcha, that sounds chill, with no religious pressure. I'm not sure if your familiar with the former Tom Flynn? He was the publisher of 'Free Inquiry' an atheist magazine through the Center for Inquiry. He always believed to be more of a firm atheist, we shouldn't like participate in 'religious holidays' as it gives the holiday even more strength kind of thing. I did like jis idea of getting those out of society, but it is hard.

No, nothing else religious, just kind of the celebration of it, for me it's more against my principles. I would prefer maybe the 4th of July more, Idk, I still have time to decide.

I'm just not that militant...probably because other than going through the motions of being Catholic, our family wasn't terribly religious.  They were just days most people are off work/school and everyone could get together.

Hope you work out something that feels right for you.

[Tomatoshadow2]

@arewethereyet Yeah I gotcha, it's more the time spent together, yeah I'll figure it out, thanks! (:

[Orbit]

Hey everyone,

Don't you find it funny, when your family knows you're not religious, but still say why can't you come to 'Easter' ? I do have to work that day, but some of them suggested I take a vacation day and go see everyone, Idk. just to feel uncomfortable, I'll probably wait for a different weekend or a 'secular holiday' where religion isn't the main theme as always. How do you guys handle these invites?

It depends on what they *do* at Easter. We drink red wine and sing along to Jesus Christ Superstar. Are there prayers? Are they going to gang up on you to "bring you back to the fold"? It really depends on what you think is likely to happen and your comfort level with it.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I used to say "I'm no religious enough to call myself an atheist." I wasted a few decades. Meanwhile my hillbilly cousins continued to fester.

[Tomatoshadow2]

@Orbit They just pray before they eat, nothing super bad. No haha, they don't try anything with converting me anymore back into a believer, as I would probably stop talking to them all together.

@Gawdzilla Sama When you say you wasted a few decades, do you mean just by not calling yourself an atheist? Could you explain this some more. Damn, were they trying to convert you back into a believer?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

@Orbit They just pray before they eat, nothing super bad. No haha, they don't try anything with converting me anymore back into a believer, as I would probably stop talking to them all together.

@Gawdzilla Sama When you say you wasted a few decades, do you mean just by not calling yourself an atheist? Could you explain this some more. Damn, were they trying to convert you back into a believer?

I should have been an activist sooner. The hillbilly fucks try to convert everybody to their beliefs. I've knocked a few out at the family reunions, they don't learn too good. You shouldn't hand me a viper and say "God will protect you if you ask Him to."