gay or atheist?

[emjay]

My strongly Christian parents were, and still are, much more upset about me coming out as gay than as an atheist. But funnily enough they've hardly batted an eye about the atheism but as soon as I started showing an interest in Buddhism, they went nuts, figuratively speaking. So since I still live with them, as an adult, it felt very unpleasant to feel ashamed just  to go to a simple meditation class... and to have to essentially hide it from them to keep the peace. I shouldn't have had to do that I shouldn't have to be ashamed about wanting to meditate when all it is to me is good psychology and an exercise in wellbeing with nothing supernatural about it. In their ignorance about the subject, to them I want to join some weird cult but it's not even a religion as I'm interested in it... it's just a philosophy... with no 'god' anywhere in sight. It just really annoys me

No, you shouldn't. What do they say when you tell them it's just a mental exercise? Or are you even able to talk about it with them?

They just don't internalise anything I have to say on these sorts of issues... it's their view vs mine without any compromise. It's the same with hypnosis... I see psychology, they see supernatural possession or whatever. If I had to sum up the dynamic in my household I'd say it's one of willful ignorance acting as an excuse not to even explore other possibilities, so basically they'll shut down any conversation before it even gets the chance to explore a different viewpoint... or the same with books... they'll just write a book off before they've read it, not even giving it a chance to make its case. Basically I'm not afraid to read a Christian book... I'd be bored stiff... but I could physically read it. But they won't get even that far So what should be just a fair trade of ideas... I'll read one of yours if you read one of mine... never happens.