How do I tell my Christian parents that I'm Atheist?
I've been questioning religion for years now and I've figured out that I really just don't believe in a god. I'm 16 and was raised by my Christian parents down in Texas. So far the only people I've told that I'm atheist are my oldest-younger sister (she's the middle child, I'm the oldest), my boyfriend, and my best friend. My sister was disappointed but accepted it. My boyfriend is already atheist, so he was glad. My best friend was surprised because she thought I was Christian and there was no way I'd change my mind about it. Anyways, I'm worried about telling my parents. My mom recently got back on to good terms with the church after she repented for cheating on my dad. My dad has been bugging me to get baptized and gets mad and lectured me whenever I said that I support gay marriage. I've shrugged it off every time he's brought up baptism, but it's starting to get annoying. The person's reaction I'm most afraid of is my grandfather's. Him and I are really close and he helped raise me. He's against atheists and says that they're only atheists until they're about to die (yeah right -_- ). He's one of the leaders of the church I go to and is very religious. I don't want to tell him and have him either stop talking to me or try to shove his beliefs down my throat. So I think I might just tell my parents next time my dad brings up me getting baptized. My best friend says I should wait until I'm older and have moved out, but my parents and grandfather are bound to sit me down and talk to me about "saving my soul" and getting baptized and all of that stuff eventually. I refuse to get baptized to make them think I'm Christian because 1. It'll be a major letdown whenever I do tell them I'm atheist, and 2. I refuse to do something I don't believe in. So what do you guys think? Please no Christians commenting on how I should pray or try to believe again, because it's not going to happen. I still respect your beliefs and the beliefs of other religions, I just don't believe in them. Thank you if you answer, I could really use some help.
Should I tell my Christian parents that I'm Pagan?
i say it's always best to be honest about stuff like that with the loved ones in our lives. without honesty, they don't really know you and you don't really know them, and that's not really a relationship of any kind, just pretense and politeness. if i were you i would tell them, but i would be careful to think through how you're going to explain to them what's going on in your life. approach them by letting them know that you want them to know the real you and that you want to be real with them, even when you differ with each other. affirm that you love them. show them respect. and be prepared for them to have a bit of a difficult time of it, at first. but them having to accustom themselves to this doesn't mean they don't love or accept you. sometimes we need time to process and know how to act. of course, i don't know your parents, but if they're anything like mine, mine would want me to be honest, regardless. anything else can be worked through. but if there's no honesty, you've got nowhere to go in a relationship.
How do I tell my christian parents I'm a Muslim?
I am a 14 year old girl, and I live in Duluth Minnesota. I have been raised christian my whole life, Evangelical to be specific. Despite being raised a christian I have never been one in my entire life. I have always just been agnostic. Until about 2 month ago I always thought that Islam was a religion full of evil and terrorism like most Americans, at least when I thought about it which was not often. But about 2 months ago I started to research it, at first just for a school project, but then for myself. It started calling to me, and the more I researched it the more I knew in my heart that it was the truth. I officially converted 2 weeks ago at a local mosque. (My parents weren't aware that I was there because I snuck out.) I really want to tell my family about Islam and that I'm a Muslim, but I am afraid. My parents are very conservative in their Christianity. They aren't oppressive or abusive or anything like that. They love me VERY much which is part of why I am afraid to tell them. I have always gone through the motions of being a christian so they believe I am one. How do I tell them without hurting them, or our relationship. I am really scared. Please help. I especially want advice from Sunni Muslims.
I'm Wiccan. How do I tell my Christian parents?
Christianity doesn't respect any other religion other than their own. You have to remember that. You will probably end up with a situation where the only way that you have contact with them is if NO religion is discussed at all. They most likely aren't going to accept yours and if you are serious about yours... this will result in them being mad, crying or threatening you in some way to make you give up what you have found. I wish you lots of luck on this. Stay strong little sister. Follow what feels right to you and you will never regret it or Give in and do what others want that makes you miserable and suffer for the rest of your life that is your choice here.. Take care.
How do I tell my Christian parents I'm bisexual?
Please read the following carefully.If your parents hate gays and are extremely homophobic, do not come out to them yet.I presume you are under the age of 18/whenever you turn legal in your country. In which case, don’t tell them yet. Probably don't even tell them until you are able to be financially independent.Telling them about your sexuality does not come before your safety.I would hate to know that a fellow bi is out there on the streets because their parents are judgemental pricks. If telling them could hurt you (emotionally still counts, though I would still tell them after you are financially independent. You can deal with it better then) don’t tell them. Especially if they will get violent.Be safe my friend, I wish you luck.
How do I tell my Christian parents that I'm an atheist? Should I even tell them?
I have an interesting take on this, I’m the Christian father with the 19 year old atheist son. It happened a few months ago. Let me say something in advance. (Deleted anti-atheist comment.) I want to give you some context anyway. My son was raised a Christian in the same way that was raised Venezuelan. He speak Spanish because we speak Spanish, he eats arepas just like we eat arepas, the most delicious food on Earth, by instance. It is just the way every parent rise their kids: According to their customs, believes, values, ideas, even tastes, hopefully with love and thinking they’re doing the best for them. I’m pretty sure atheist people don’t raise Christian or Muslim kids, they raise atheist kids, for sure. They would be shocked if their kid, (who was a leader in atheist society in High School, who read every atheist bestseller and even was a fervent promoter of atheism, who even correct them when they slip a little theist point of view, who was even a better atheist than they are) come to them one day and say “Hey, dad, I have to tell you something, Jesus is now my Lord and Savior. Ha-lle-lu-JAH.” And that was what happened to me a few month ago. We cried together. He said “I don’t want mom and you think you are bad parents, I just don’t believe now that there is God, etc.” Aside from all the atheist cliches he told me, I treasure the first part of his confession, it was loving and caring. I also said to him “I love you the same, son, no matter what you believe.” Of course, I strongly disagree his decision, I try to have intelligent conversations about the theme from time to time, I read books, I pray for him, etc., but the most important thing I do is to show him love, respect and acceptance. I can’t say I’m happy for my son being an atheist (actually I’m sad as Hell) but I’m happy that he trust me enough to be honest and he did it with love, respect and acceptance too. I ’m really proud of have raised such a fine decent man. God, bless him. I hope you can have something like this with your parents.EDITED: You can find the details in the comments.
How do I tell my Christian parents I'm bisexual? I'm only twelve.
I might get yelled at for this… But you shouldn’t.No offense hun, but you’re only twelve. Now, yes I am only five years older than you but those five years are flippin important. At this point, regardless of your bio-sex, you have barely started puberty. Your body, your relationships, your entire life are all going to change irreversibly in the next couple of years. Now, as a #gaymom to many I never want to put down one of my lovely queer-bies with this phrase, as it is so often used against them, but this could be a phase. GAH it feels horrible to say those words. But the fact of the matter is until your mind matures your sexuality basically doesn’t exist. You just haven’t had the hormones to make it manifest itself yet. Also, since you’re dealing with possibly homophobic parents (FYI just because they’re Christian doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t accept you. My parents, and I for that matter, are Catholic and we’re all dandy) you really shouldn’t put yourself into possible danger unless you’re really absolutely 100% positively sure.And, I feel like an a-hole for saying this, but at your age I don’t think you can really be sure. And I know I’m being hypocritical here because people will be like “ oh Eliza you were only 15 how were yoooouuuu sure huh?” but Lord knows at 12 I was not. At 12 I thought I was straight just like *everyone else*. So did I at 13, when I punched a boy for calling me a lesbian. So did I at 14 when I had my first (only) boyfriend who I barely touched. Plus, being bi is confusing as hell in itself. Being gay is much easier to figure out.Just, give it a few years, let yourself live and figure out who you are not what you are.
Telling my christian parents about my boyfriend?
Me and my boyfriend have been together for 6months now. He is a junior and I'm a sophomore. Before we started dating we were best friends for a long time. And he already consider me as his future wife. And honestly I can see it:) yes were really young and we agreed marriage after 24. My parents have been Christian lOnger than I've been born. My parents got pregnant after 5 months of being together and now have been married for 16 years,berly. I have a younger sister who is in 8th grade and is dating a guy in my class. She has my parents permission but is strictly under watch around him. So they have no privacy. Of course it is because she is 13 and he 16. Well my sister has always been dating" kids and my parents always found out and made her break up with them. Of course there first question was "is he Christian" Ive always been that daughter that never told them about my boyfriend. I never told them for two main reasons; A) they thought I was all goody, B) I've never been this serious about a relationship before. Now that I know I'm sure about this relationship I want to tell my parents. And my boyfriend said he wants to do it all formally by coming to our house and asking for permission. Of course I have to give my parents the heads up first. Any tips on how to let them know? They know he's my "best friend" which is true but that's all they know. For sure I want to tell my dad first since we are closer than me and my mom. My main concerns are; A) I'm not as Christian as I used to be as a child and they are still upset about that, B) they will decide I'm not allowed to date, or that they may put me on strict view as they have my sister, which is better than them completely disagreeing. So again any suggestions on letting them know? Anything that may help me? Oh and by the way my boyfriends parent know about us and approve. They are catholic while I'm Christian. Thank you guys for the help and I tried to make this as neat since it's very long :)
How do I tell my Christian parents I'm having sex with my boyfriend?
I’m 17, about to graduate high school, and have been dating my boyfriend (17) for over a year. We’ve been having sex for a little over 7 months now, and my parents are completely oblivious. I’m a Christian, so is my boyfriend, but we have sex pretty often for both of us having strict rules and somewhat strict parents.His parents are more relaxed about this topic, and know it happens. They’ve even addressed it in front of me. They’re not afraid that we’re having sex, they just want us to be careful and (probably) wish we had waited until we were married.My parents, however, are much more strict about pre-marital sex. They’d be really, really disappointed and hurt if they found out my boyfriend and I have regular sex. My mom just recently had a talk about sex with me and went through the entire Christian talk, “it’s a sin in God’s eyes, sex is a gift for two married people to share, it’s not something you should be doing with a boyfriend, what if you get pregnant?” You know the talk I’m referring to.My mom would FREAK out if she knew, and probably not let me see my boyfriend as often, which would be bad for our relationship. The two of us know we want to get married after we get out of college, and we have a very deep connection and are in love with each other. Although I know it’s against God’s will, I don’t see a problem with us having sex if we intend to be married within a few years.I’m going to the lady doctor for the first time, and my mom INSISTS on going with me. She says she wants to be in the room when the doctor asks me questions and during the exam. My mom is so scared of me having sex that she won’t let me get on birth control, which is what I’m hoping to get out of this appointment, but I can’t truthfully answer the doctor’s questions about being sexually active when my mom is in there with me. That’s why I need advice.Would it be smart to just keep my mouth shut, and not say a word to the doctor about being sexually active and try to keep my mom from finding out, or should I risk the chance of my mom being EXTREMELY upset with me, my decisions and relationship and telling her about my sex life?I really have no idea what to do! Please give me some advice or if this has ever happened to you please let me know how your parent reacted…