First off, I have nothing against my parents religious beliefs. I respect them for it and think they're wonderful kind people. But throughout the years, I've notice that I have started to question religion more and more. I was raised in a Christian home. LDS to be specific. I remember one time when I was 14 my Dad walked on me one morning and caught me masturbating. He then got this frustrated look on his face and he asked me "Do you know what that is you're doing"? And I told him yeah, and he replies in an angry voice "THAT'S MASTURBATING"!!!! He then made me go talk to my bishop about it and all that other nonsense. And ever since then, I just notice that has distanced me further and further from religion in general. I just feel like it's too controlling, and too often people will use religion as an excuse to make others feel like crap.
Like another instance when I was 17, I was busted stealing. I ended up paying the money back in about 3 months. However, they took all my electronics and made me feel really terrible about it. They then took advantage of the situation to force religion onto me even more. They made me read scriptures more and listen and read LDS General conference talks. It was weird and eventually they stopped, but still; I feel kind of like they abused that situation a little bit.
I also have always been somewhat of a misfit in the LDS church. I don't really fit the Mormon type. I don't have blond hair, I'm not super spiritual nor do I follow every commandment. Like I've always been a major energy drinker since I was 13. But one time I brought a Monster to a Youth activity, I was publicly shamed for it by my other fellow youth. But then when the popular rich kid in my ward did it, it became really cool all of the sudden.
That's another thing I despised about growing up in the LDS Faith. Like I know several kids who seemed to just be the popular rich kids and were also know as the super spiritual kids; but were really only acting it out when they were around the other youth. They'd often be doing the exact opposite of what they preached and were just major hypocrites.
Now I'm 21 years old and a college student and have lost my belief in God. I really don't think he exists. I go to church still every Sunday, but I only go for an hour, mostly just to keep my mother happy. My Dad is a stake president so he hasn't sat with us during church since I was 9 years old.
I still live with them, but am moving out because I'm transferring to a university this fall, thankfully! But I just don't know when to tell that I'm just not religious anymore and don't believe. Because I have heard that it's best to do it when you're supporting yourself and on your own; because then that way your parents can't "cut you off" or some sort of silly thing that Christian parents would probably do. I'm also just super afraid they'll hate me.
Sorry about this being kind of lengthy, but I just had to give some background to the story.
Like another instance when I was 17, I was busted stealing. I ended up paying the money back in about 3 months. However, they took all my electronics and made me feel really terrible about it. They then took advantage of the situation to force religion onto me even more. They made me read scriptures more and listen and read LDS General conference talks. It was weird and eventually they stopped, but still; I feel kind of like they abused that situation a little bit.
I also have always been somewhat of a misfit in the LDS church. I don't really fit the Mormon type. I don't have blond hair, I'm not super spiritual nor do I follow every commandment. Like I've always been a major energy drinker since I was 13. But one time I brought a Monster to a Youth activity, I was publicly shamed for it by my other fellow youth. But then when the popular rich kid in my ward did it, it became really cool all of the sudden.
That's another thing I despised about growing up in the LDS Faith. Like I know several kids who seemed to just be the popular rich kids and were also know as the super spiritual kids; but were really only acting it out when they were around the other youth. They'd often be doing the exact opposite of what they preached and were just major hypocrites.
Now I'm 21 years old and a college student and have lost my belief in God. I really don't think he exists. I go to church still every Sunday, but I only go for an hour, mostly just to keep my mother happy. My Dad is a stake president so he hasn't sat with us during church since I was 9 years old.
I still live with them, but am moving out because I'm transferring to a university this fall, thankfully! But I just don't know when to tell that I'm just not religious anymore and don't believe. Because I have heard that it's best to do it when you're supporting yourself and on your own; because then that way your parents can't "cut you off" or some sort of silly thing that Christian parents would probably do. I'm also just super afraid they'll hate me.
Sorry about this being kind of lengthy, but I just had to give some background to the story.
