I am not really sure what a devout atheist would be. It's a contadiction in terms. But getting back to your family, . . . I'd ask myself some basic questions before I began any such conversation:
1. What is it you hope to accomplish? Is the goal merely to be honest? To avoid church? To avoid hearing about last night's conversation with Jesus? To deconvert them? Probably none of things can be accomplished without upsetting them. If you are very tactful you might just squeak by without offending them.
2. Just who is it that needs to know? Great Aunt What's it ? Grandparents seen twice a year. Just those relatives you see regularly?
3. How much will you care if it blows up in your face and some are all of these people stop talking to you?
Not saying you shouldn't come out, but I am suggesting you think very carefully about it first.
If you do tell them, consider how and when. I vote for telling individuals individually. Group announcements are just begging for confrontation. Obviously, when discussing how nanna is now in a better place at the funeral reception is not the best time or place.
One odd thing I've noticed about the religious, often they are just fine with my not believing in god,
but, being an atheist, that's awful. Strange but true.
Good luck.
1. What is it you hope to accomplish? Is the goal merely to be honest? To avoid church? To avoid hearing about last night's conversation with Jesus? To deconvert them? Probably none of things can be accomplished without upsetting them. If you are very tactful you might just squeak by without offending them.
2. Just who is it that needs to know? Great Aunt What's it ? Grandparents seen twice a year. Just those relatives you see regularly?
3. How much will you care if it blows up in your face and some are all of these people stop talking to you?
Not saying you shouldn't come out, but I am suggesting you think very carefully about it first.
If you do tell them, consider how and when. I vote for telling individuals individually. Group announcements are just begging for confrontation. Obviously, when discussing how nanna is now in a better place at the funeral reception is not the best time or place.
One odd thing I've noticed about the religious, often they are just fine with my not believing in god,
but, being an atheist, that's awful. Strange but true.
Good luck.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
