Why Religion is corrupt (on a personal note)

[Purple Rabbit]

WWLD, there is something very wrong in the religious attitude of your parents even from a catholic perspective. Have you tried debating them from a more religious viewpoint?

For instance here a RC cardinal says the following on coerced belief (for stuidents):

One thing is for sure, any attempt at coercion or manipulation of students to bring about the desired result is against the nature of the gospel and will fail. The gospel must be allowed to speak for itself. Just as the preacher must trust that his or her words, if faithful to the gospel, will do their own work, so must church educational institutions do their best to communicate its substance and trust the rest to God. To do otherwise is an attempt to take the kingdom by force. There can be no return to the church of the 50s which was held together by obedient and unquestioning worshipers.

In other words, when your parents think they can force belief upon you by coercion or manipulation they are withspoken by RC cardinals! If they are after sincere belief, one thing is sure, they cannot bring it about by force and coercion, it must be a voluntary act of will. If they think otherwise, they must be living in the dark ages even to RC standards.

And indeed you were subject to a great deal of coercion:
- Physical coercion, keeping you grounded for what you belief.
- Emotional pressure, by using tears as a means to an end
- Emotional manipulation, by labeling independent thinking as an act of betrayal
- Abuse of economical dependency, by withholding you presents (since when is the giving of presents with Xmas a religious act, is father christmas a martyr of christianity of some sort?)
- Intellectual deprivation, by prohibiting to educate yourself on atheism

Also I suggest to get them defending their reasons to belief instead of you defending why you do not belief. Then the burden of proof will be in the right place and they will be forced to put energy in the discussion instead of you putting negative energy in a relation with your parents. How can they explain all the suffering in the world, what grounds are there beside the letters in the book to belief, why not belief in other gods, would they be catholic if they were born in India? Show them you want to assess their views and hear their reasons. Let them sincerely feel you might change your mind, but make clear that you cannot pretend belief. This also will give them room for accepting your viewpoint as a deviating but nonetheless acceptable viewpoint of their daughter in the long run. Aim for the long run.

I hope this will help you. Good luck!