Coming out as an atheist

[Minty Novii]

My grandmother is highly religiouse and (I live with her) when I told her that I did not believe in god she completly freaked out and took me to a church and she told the preacher there that the devil had enveloped my soul. rolleyes  

[nightingale_squall]

I was raised a Catholic, but I never really believed what they told me about god and Jesus and whatnot. And I questioned them a lot; which in turn kinda got me in some trouble. Whatever.

When my mom took me to church, I would just sit on the floor and play with my barbies or 'My Little Pony' dolls. Also, whenever I walked into church, I got...what's the word I'm looking for... intimidated and scared, I guess. I never liked it.

I told my father first, knowing that he was more open-minded about it. He defends me against my religious aunts and uncles and tells them to leave me alone and let me believe what I want (yay Daddy!). But my mom...is still in denial. I think she knows, but yeah, refuses to believe it. Denial.

A bit back, I went to a Christian...youth group, I think. My friend asked me to go and I was REAL hesitant. I seriously thought they would kill me if they found out. But, because she was my friend, I went. BIG. MISTAKE. I was so uncomfortable through the, uh, ceremony/preaching(?), and afterwards the teens had to go into a special room to talk about issues and whatnot. I...wasn't happy or comfortable to say the least.  

[Kiron]

I remember asking my mum and dad if they believed when I was like 10 and they said yes, strange though as now I am 18 I can see my dad hates religion pretty much more than anything, and I'm pretty sure my mum is agnostic.

I never had a coming out, they just know I hate religion because one night I said "We would have flying cars and immortality if there was no religion" (this is a thing how christianity stopped science for 300 years), noone in my family is baptised or part of any religion and all my siblings are athiest so yeah I assume my whole family is a agnostic or athiest family.

I remember once our school forced us to go to join religious youth groups (this was a few years back, and I went to cathlioc school) very very very fun times as pretty much everyone in my grade is athiest, the rule only lasted a few weeks cause I'm sure we totally destoryed those damn youth groups with logic and just plain mean... ness  

[Hominid]

I never really had to come out. My family has been atheist for two generations, so I guess I've been pretty lucky (considering what I've read in this thread). My mom is pretty firmly based in science. My dad can be spiritual at times, but he is an atheist (with agnostic tendencies). They never taught me either way; I just came to the realization on my own. I had my first argument with a theist when I was 9.  

[Xiporah]

It wasn't hard. I wasn't raised religiously. My mother wasn't raised religiously and my dad was, but hated going to church. I was only taken to church as a young child a few times, but I was always afraid to admit that I thought it was a foolish concept and just some quirky thing my grandparents did once they got old.
Years later, my mother was reading something I'd written about myself. She saw that I said that I was an atheist. She was like, " question I thought you were agnostic?"

Then she just shrugged. We've talked about it since then. She's become a bit more spiritual (spiritual is different than religious) but as long as I'm not beating children or killing puppies, she doesn't care.

 

[Niveous]

My opinion: This is a dumb question in a way.

People need to feel comfortable with their choices, living without regrets and having pride. But no one has to shout on a mountain top what they do or how they think.

If my parents put the spotlight on me I would tell them. I am proud of my choice.


But they are very religious, and one of my mom's few dreams was for her children to grow up happy and with the christian's love (you know...the kind that real christians usually avoid) So, I don't go out of my way to boast my atheist ways to both my parents.


That is why its just...logic.

If your parents are atheist and or it doesn't hold any signifigance, you tell them eventually. If it does mean a lot, you don't go out of your way to rub it into their faces (unless your a just a spiteful person who needs that sense of vengeful satisfaction) This is also logical. razz  

[Lee Retalis]

I didn't really "come out" on my own. It was a complete accident. At least for mom.
Dad already kinda knew, he was never religious anyway. But my mother is religious.
So one day we were sitting at my supper table with my best friend staying for dinner, and we were discussing how my crazy religion teacher had claimed that he was "Cured of alcoholism by people speaking in tongues."
So, my friend just blurted out
"You just don't believe him cause you don't believe in god."

I was all sweatdrop

And so thats how mom found out... she was not happy....  

[[x] Natasha [x]]

they don't mind really! however, i haven't told them i'm bi yet! pirate  

[_C r y s t a l_RB]

So far I haven't had any bad reactions to my atheism. I recently moved to a new city, 2 hours from the one in which I grew up. Granted, I don't just start spouting off my religious beliefs to people, but when the topic came up, the fact that I was atheist came out. Surprisingly I didn't get shunned, rather my co-workers were interrested in why I don't believe in god. I got asked questions, but no one gave me any trouble. Then again, many of the people I work with DO believe in god, just not organized religion. They already have the idea that religious beliefs should depend on the individual, and not the church in which they attend, or the way they were raised.

I don't think my fiance's family knows about my atheism, but the conversation has not come up in the entire 6 years we've been together. Until it does, I don't see a need to let them know.  

[cup_noodles]

My imediet (sp?) family's completely atheiest. My grandmother and aunt are religious but they're Taoists so that almost doesn't count in a sense. The closest I've ever been to church was going to my Jewish kindergarden.

 

[Muaethia]

[x] Natasha [x]

they don't mind really! however, i haven't told them i'm bi yet! pirate

Haha!!! I told my parents (that i'm bi) when they were drunk, so they've forgotten now. Either that, or they are blatently ignoring it by trying to switch me to only liking guys (my mum is doing this by saying "oooh, isn't he nice!" whenever a man under the age of 20 walks by/is TV lol).

But yeah, I think even if she had forgotten she'd suspect something. My sister (doesn't know) told me that my parents "thought you were a lesbian" for a while lol.  

[Meisugi_Jaganshi]

I haven't told my parents, but they probably don't care. They're not atheist, but they don't particularly care for God either.  

[[Subject to Availability]]

Mmm, a few months ago, with all the hoo-haa about Muslim terrorists (not my opinion, mind. Just the s**t stirring of the local media), I was annoyed that day and went on a binge of insulting them for blind faith.

Now, I know from before that my parents are lax protestants. Basically, the see something that could be similar to a god as circulated by most lax christians (i.e. the universe needs it to make sense, bladdayadda.). Myself, I never confirmed that I was of any religious vantage. However, for a couple days afterwards, my father made a few snide remarks about my atheism. But I was sharp enough to respond much better. Good 'nuff.  

[russiangal367]

Let's see. My mum and dad are atheists, my grandmums are agnostic and my granddad's are too. So to sum it up, it's a tradition for me. smile  

[Ruminating Skeptic]

It was at christmas, the first sunday of advent. They flipped; appearantly they thought I didn't know enough about Chritianity, and that's why I made my choice. I informed them I did know a lot and that's why I made my choice. It's damn near impossible to make a good arguement with the possibility of getting kicked out hanging over your head, which is why I didn't win. So not looking forward to easter.

My brother's an atheist too, so all good there. None of my friends care, beyond curiousity.

I'm glad cloud isn't in this guild, or he would be spamming me for "necroing" rolleyes