Yep, another thread about talking to ones religious family members 
Seriously though... it's driving me crazy.
I've kept my atheism secret for 6 years. And my family doesn't bring up touchy subjects EVER! "Don't ask don't tell" is pretty much our philosophy.
But I want them to know. It's stressing me out. My mom is very religious (preacher's daughter). And my sister and her husband are very involved in the church/religion. She talks to me about her church sometimes, and the books she's reading. Stuff like "The Case for Christ", "The Case for....", ect... I basically just nod a lot, and say 'neat' or 'how interesting'. And the thing is, I've read most of these books, but how do I tell her this when I'm pretty sure she won't like what I have to say.
This might be her way of asking me why I don't go to church anymore. Because I suspect, that they suspect, I'm not totally on-board anymore.
I guess what really scares me is two things might happen:
1) My mom and sister will be scared to talk to me. Because so much of their life revolves around religion...
They end up majorly censoring themselves around me. Then again, that's what I've been doing LOL And holidays will be SUPER awkward. Maybe that's just how it has to be?
2) Or somehow I make them start questioning. Then they start having doubts... now I'm responsible for my sister not getting along with her religious husband. Or my mom is depressed because she has spent her entire life worshiping a god that may not even be there. Not that I'm great at Anti-apologetics, but it still worries me.
Yeah, I'm too close to all of this, and can't see the situation clearly anymore. I want to be myself, but I still want to be a part of my family. Anyone else been in this situation? Are my fears unfair/unwarranted/realistic/necessary evil...? Maybe I'm hoping to have my cake and eat it too
Thanks everyone for being my shrink!
Seriously though... it's driving me crazy.I've kept my atheism secret for 6 years. And my family doesn't bring up touchy subjects EVER! "Don't ask don't tell" is pretty much our philosophy.
But I want them to know. It's stressing me out. My mom is very religious (preacher's daughter). And my sister and her husband are very involved in the church/religion. She talks to me about her church sometimes, and the books she's reading. Stuff like "The Case for Christ", "The Case for....", ect... I basically just nod a lot, and say 'neat' or 'how interesting'. And the thing is, I've read most of these books, but how do I tell her this when I'm pretty sure she won't like what I have to say.
This might be her way of asking me why I don't go to church anymore. Because I suspect, that they suspect, I'm not totally on-board anymore.
I guess what really scares me is two things might happen:
1) My mom and sister will be scared to talk to me. Because so much of their life revolves around religion...
They end up majorly censoring themselves around me. Then again, that's what I've been doing LOL And holidays will be SUPER awkward. Maybe that's just how it has to be?
2) Or somehow I make them start questioning. Then they start having doubts... now I'm responsible for my sister not getting along with her religious husband. Or my mom is depressed because she has spent her entire life worshiping a god that may not even be there. Not that I'm great at Anti-apologetics, but it still worries me.
Yeah, I'm too close to all of this, and can't see the situation clearly anymore. I want to be myself, but I still want to be a part of my family. Anyone else been in this situation? Are my fears unfair/unwarranted/realistic/necessary evil...? Maybe I'm hoping to have my cake and eat it too
Thanks everyone for being my shrink!
Douglas Adams:
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
