Respecting Christian family and friends

[robvalue]

That's a very difficult one. Matt D has addressed this often on the atheist experience. The way he put it, is to weigh up if you are prepared for any fallout you think is likely. Is it important enough for you to be out and honest, to risk the rift it may cause? That's a difficult one to weigh up, and only you will know that.

My advice for the mean time is to try to meet as many atheist friends as you can (I assume you are leaning this way, sounds like it to me) so you can be yourself with them, and bitch about religion to get it out your system.

The other approach is to just not bring it up unless they approach you about it. Then calmly state your reasons for how you feel. Make it clear that you are having doubts about your feelings and faith, not about them as people. Some people tend to take it personally. As they identify so closely with their religion. Hopefully if they can see your reasons are sound and you're not being confrontational, it's up to them whether they accept this or start to cause a problem. If they do, you can point out that family should be more important than disagreements, and to come to an arrangement to just not discuss it.

Hope some of that helped