how to live as an Atheist in a Christian family

[pocaracas]

If they are as batshit crazy as the OP suggests they will simply come back with the "we are trying to save your soul" bullshit. Xtians trot that out whenever they get caught looking like bastards.

But its worth a try.

That was the excuse the Inquisition gave... and look how well it went...Hey, waitaminute!
If they come up with this one... just roll out the inquisition card.... no decent god fearing christian likes to be paired with those guys... I think.

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I find that violently lashing out at random tends to keep people's minds preoccupied with something other than the fate of my eternal soul.

Become a "problem teenager." Give them something else to worry about, to get their mind off converting you.

Go Goth. Get a piercing. Get a tattoo. Kick the neighbor's dog. Develop a drinking problem. Put powdered sugar on your nostrils when you come home. Burn a cross in someone's lawn.


But by all means, have fun while you're doing it. And stay safe!

That may backfire a bit too much, don't you think?
Problem teenagers tend to become problem adults... even if they're just acting at being problematic... you are what you do.

To the OP, Be true to yourself. You are what you are.
If your parents can't see that and accept it, you have some enduring to do. You'll feel like crap (a bit more than you already do), but, in the end, you'll become an adult with your own life: job, family, friends, etc.

Generally speaking, parents only want the best for their children.
Ask them why they're doing this thing which is making your life miserable.
Why is your belief in their deity so important to them?
Ask them to stop it and just let you live in peace.
And, most important, always be polite.... show them that you learned that lesson well and it's a valuable lesson.... unlike the belief one.

Just ask your parents to be parents. Try to make them see that there's no evidence whatsoever for the existence of any god, nor for souls, nor for ghosts. And you refuse to be intellectually dishonest and assume they exist nonetheless.

About ghosts... http://science.howstuffworks.com/science...ghost3.htm... they're all in your mind.

If you're willing, the faking belief is a perfectly valid option, IMHO... but not very easy to keep up for long. My experience says that lying is a very difficult thing to keep up.
Small lies can be easily forgotten about.... larger ones... that need maintenance... those are hell... all it takes is one tiny slip-up and you're caught.