My parents say I'm not old eniough to choose if I want to...

[EauJolie]

"Follow God" they are making me go to church and conformation. sad How do I get out?  

[ProjectOmicron88]

First of all, I apologize if you've stated this elsewhere, but how old ARE you?  

[Shaka-FireFly]

EauJolie

"Follow God" they are making me go to church and conformation. sad How do I get out?

If your old enough to not want to believe, than you're old enough.

I would personally start screaming or just sit down and not move. It worked for a friend of mine. Of course, she got grounded for a month but it was well worth it.  

[Marxist-Sloth]

You could always tell them you have joined a cult, after that they will be glad that your non-religious. (Warning: My Advice is not to be taken)  

[AnonymouZ]

I'd say argue that you can't "confirm" anything, and therefore it would be "SACRILEGIOUS" if they FORCE you to do it. If they're still making you do it. At the ceremony just don't do it. When they ask if you renounce to all of that crap, you don't even have to say anything. AND NOT walk up to the altar, when everyone walks up to eat the ... thing. It's easier than saying no, or whatever. It takes guts. And maybe one of the hardest social settings that you're gonna have to go against. But if you refuse to talk or move in SPECIFIC times during the ceremony, you'd can go thru the whole thing without having to confirm anything.

Of course, all of that hassle would have to happen if you CAN'T convince your PARENTS or your teacher/priest that you DON'T wanna do it. And you have plenty of time to do that before the whole embarrassing thing happens.  

[Lunar Falcon]

Would falling asleep in church get the message across? One of my friends did that so often his parents became embarrassed by it and no longer brought him. Then again, it may just tick off your own parents so you know how they'll react better than me. Or you could be honest, explain your lack of faith to them and hope they understand with enough persuasion.  

[Dark Pieman]

Surely if you're not old enough to choose a religion, you should be Atheist by default.  

[SkeletonPhoenix]

They argue that your not old enough to choose but they're making you choose religion. Argue that if I'm not old enough to choose then I can't choose any religion. I think this was said already?  

[CaprinaePsi]

ProjectOmicron88

First of all, I apologize if you've stated this elsewhere, but how old ARE you?

It doesn't matter. No one should be forced into something they don't want to be, especially if it's something like religion (or being a whore).  

[Viasol]

Unfortunately in the U.S. and most 'first world' countries parents more or less legally own you until you are no longer a minor. The only real option open to you is to try and make them understand that they won't convince you by forcing you to go. I would certainly say that they are wrong about saying that you can't choose. Alternatively you could try talking to the pastor (father? ...whatever) about it and use him/her as a buffer between you and your parents. You might be surprised how much support you get from a religious figure especially about confirmation. They usually will say it is a good idea to wait if you tell them something like 'I doubt God even exists. Or tell your parents that if you ever do become devout you can get confirmed and attend church then, but doing it now while you are atheistic is hypocritical. In some way you will have to convince them.

Though I suppose you could always refuse and make them physically drag you there... but that would look immature and only support their point.

Anyway, good luck to you.  

[Levis Pennae]

The Bible

Children who refuse to obey their parents must be executed.

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. -- Deuteronomy 21:18-21

He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. -- Exodus 21:15

He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. -- Exodus 21:17

Children who mock their parents will have their eyes plucked out by ravens and eaten by eagles.

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. -- Proverbs 30:17

Like Abraham, parents should be willing to kill their children for God.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and ... offer him there for a burnt offering.... And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. -- Genesis 22:2,10

God killed all the firstborn children in an entire country.

The LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon.... And there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. -- Exodus 12:29-30

Sometimes God kills children for misbehaving.

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. -- 2 Kings 2:23-24

Someday God will force parents eat their own children.

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. -- Leviticus 26:16

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. -- Leviticus 26:29

And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters. -- Deuteronomy 28:53

And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend. -- Jeremiah 19:9

And then there's this statement, which could only be found in the Bible:

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. -- Psalm 137:9

Source: SkepticsAnnotatedBible.com

This is what the Christians have to say about it. Hopefully your parents don't take the Bible too seriously.  

[-CarelessMemories-]

Levis Pennae

The Bible

Children who refuse to obey their parents must be executed.

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. -- Deuteronomy 21:18-21

He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. -- Exodus 21:15

He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. -- Exodus 21:17

Children who mock their parents will have their eyes plucked out by ravens and eaten by eagles.

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. -- Proverbs 30:17

Like Abraham, parents should be willing to kill their children for God.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and ... offer him there for a burnt offering.... And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. -- Genesis 22:2,10

God killed all the firstborn children in an entire country.

The LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon.... And there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. -- Exodus 12:29-30

Sometimes God kills children for misbehaving.

And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. -- 2 Kings 2:23-24

Someday God will force parents eat their own children.

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. -- Leviticus 26:16

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. -- Leviticus 26:29

And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters. -- Deuteronomy 28:53

And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend. -- Jeremiah 19:9

And then there's this statement, which could only be found in the Bible:

Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. -- Psalm 137:9

Source: SkepticsAnnotatedBible.com

This is what the Christians have to say about it. Hopefully your parents don't take the Bible too seriously.

Oh my...

Only the Bible would say something like that.

And in answer to the original question; I suggest you talk to your parents about it. Tell them that there's no point in forcing you into a religion if you do not have faith in it.  

[ProjectOmicron88]

CaprinaePsi

ProjectOmicron88

First of all, I apologize if you've stated this elsewhere, but how old ARE you?

It doesn't matter. No one should be forced into something they don't want to be, especially if it's something like religion (or being a whore).

Not so fast. In my experience, underage people are not the best at making informed decisions, and parents know this better than anyone. Before I get blasted for this, I am not saying she's too young to make these kinds of decisions. Atheism is something you're certain of. But the problem is that a lot of parents may not be able to see this.

Besides that, the important thing is that depending on age, the approach may have to be handled differently. But generally, I will say this: if you haven't told your parents that you're atheist, do so before confirmation if you really don't want to go through with it. If you think you can tolerate doing it, then do it. I have no idea how long this sort of thing would take, but you need to figure out first whether you'd be able to do it without too much effort.  

[JadeDragonSoul]

I am 17 and I was confirmed when I was 16 or 15. My parent's don't know that I'm an atheist and whenever I have to join some sort of prayer at a wedding or holiday meal I stay silent: I don't pray out loud , say amen, or make the sign of the cross. I sly by this by acting as if I'm too "shy" about saying it aloud, or my timing was too late when I noticed others making the sign etc.
Anyway, so I did go through with confirmation very apathetically. I made no fuss about it though, because if you're an atheist, confirmation still means nothing. It doesn't to me. Yea, I went through with it, but what does repeating words to a priest really mean to me if I'm not religious? Nothing. You'll forget all about it and it will have no impact on your life. Don't feel hypocritical, though I know its hard not too, but you're just really "keeping the peace".

However, all this advice is from the standpoint that your parents don't know.  

[Freebird4077]

Have you told your parents that you're an atheist?