Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on May 2, 2009 at 9:46pm

yep, that's my Giggy. Once I get a car again (unemployed) I plan on going to more skeptics events. We did a winter solstice gathering and that was really nice. Mostly we just hang out at the local pool and I debate the other parents :) They all like me as their "wacky atheist friend", the same way my muslim friends liked me as their "wacky xtian friend" when I was in college studying middle east politics.

Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on May 2, 2009 at 9:48pm

Oh, and the author of that article Adrian? I've been in contact via email back and forth the past few months. He's agreed to promote/distribute my book about growing up with her once it's finished, even though he knows I'm atheist and will be bashing christianity throughout, so that's my kind of pastor :)

Permalink Reply by Wendy on April 25, 2009 at 9:26pm

I am not telling my parents. (My Assemblies of God preacher father and mother) It would do nothing but cause them pain and in return cause me grief. I'm a new transplant to Texas and finding it hard to be blunt about my non-belief.

Holidays---we celebrate the secular side. Hell my daughter is allowed to go to church with my parents, we just debrief her when she gets home.

Permalink Reply by HeathenMom on April 28, 2009 at 10:37pm

I have told my mom about my atheism, I worked up to it over several months by stating the inconsistencies that I found, as well as similarities with other religions. About a year after I told her that I am atheist, she told me that the things I had to say made sense and she now calls herself an atheist too. :)

I am still in the closet with most of my family, they are super devout and would probably start throwing holy water on me or something - lol - but would probably disown me in the process. As far as holidays and stuff, I moved about 1500 miles away from my family with my son, so we don't have to worry about family gatherings. As far as a religious spouse, I have never been married (and hope to maintain that stance) but I have removed the religious boyfriend from my life and have vowed that I will not become involved with anyone who is of the religious persuasion... I don't think a relationship would stand much chance if the other person thinks I am going to hell, and I think they are delusional.

Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on May 2, 2009 at 9:49pm

Wow, sounds so much like me. Except I haven't quite worked mom over yet, but I did spend six months talking about logic and reason and science before dropping the A-word.

Permalink Reply by Grant on May 2, 2009 at 9:15pm

I was raised an evangelical. when i was 14-15 my family changed their religious beliefs a lot and we became even more 'fundamental'. The changes aligned with "messianic judaism" (christianity and judaism mix). So i started reading the old testament more... I was always 1 to debate, and i occasionally found myself debating atheists, they raised several points i couldn't counter (where did god come from, etc). I started telling people online i was agnostic when i was 16/17 years old. When i was 17 i was about to start dual enrollment in university and high school. I knew that if my siblings were ever allowed to go to university i would have to tell my parents about my unbelief first, otherwise they would blame the university, regardless of what i said. So about a month before classes i told my dad i was agnostic (i was saying i'm an atheist to everybody else).

It's been kinda rough since then... After about 3 months i told them i wasn't going to participate in their religious gatherings (about which they still make comments). I haven't been excommunicated or anything, but it is a very tense relationship. I'm hoping that moving out will help soothe things.

Permalink Reply by Kittie Wilkes on May 2, 2012 at 5:39pm

Crazy coincidence... I was fed Baptist-ness till I was about 13, and then my family turned to the 'messianic judaism' thing as well. That was a pretty crappy time in my development of self to suddenly turn family traditions, holidays, etc. upside-down, and I'm sure it contributed to the questions that led me to atheism.

Have things improved for you in the 3 years since you posted this?

Permalink Reply by Julia Rutledge on May 11, 2009 at 7:51pm

I was raised with the whole End-Times-is-upon-us concept. My parents are fundamentalist, survivalist / back-to-the-land hippies, conspiracy-theorist, Pentacostal, "spiritual warfare" xtians...need I continue? Oddly enough, they aren't your average xtian redneck: my mother majored in physics and got her degree, and my father is a computer programmer.
I learned all sorts of odd things, from how to butcher chickens and identify edible wild plants, to the idea that vehicle malfunctions and family dissention is ALWAYS caused by demons.
I didn't believe I would live to 18, I assumed I'd be martyred by the antichrist's minions first for my inherited xtianity. Hence, while I was homeschooled with an extremely good education, my mother neglected to help me plan for college, or a career.
My friends all had the notion they would stay at home until Prince Charming asked daddy for their hand, and enter blissfully into a nice xtian marriage, and be fruitful and multiply. (Scary!)
But I was taught to be independent. So when I moved away to follow a summer job, so I could keep insurance on my car, my parents reluctantly gave their blessing.
I was getting pretty frustrated and confused with the shallowness and hypocrisy in my own "faith", although I'd been actively involved in children's ministries prior. But that summer I met a guy, an ex-Mormon still indoctrinated with their worldview. Parents and church found out...I was on a fast track to hell...and after going home at the end of the summer job, I was put under tremendous pressure to "repent". Which involved breaking up.
I read xtian books, I tried my best to "come back", I even convinced myself twice...but I wouldn't break up without personal confirmation, so my parents deemed it all fake. Although I didn't even know it, they were right.
I was given an ultimatum: break up and repent, or never set foot on their property again. By feeding, housing, or clothing me, they were supporting Sin, and they "couldn't" do that.
I moved into my car, angry, conflicted, and convinced that something was terribly wrong about their religion.
Three months later I enlisted in the US Army, and began to finally work through the 20-year brainwashing I had received. I went from Christian, to nominal xtian, to I-don't-give-a-f***, to agnostic, and finally I have found clarity and am proud (and relieved) to call myself an atheist.
I told my parents a little bit of my gradual deconversion. Only in the last few months though I've been really honest with them, and told them what I believe (or don't believe!). Also, I finally got the guts to change my dogtags from Chr-non-denom to Atheist, as you can see in my profile picture.
My parents have gone from "righteous anger" to terror of hellfire on my behalf, to sorrow and prayer, and now I am sure they continue to beg their imaginary friend to help me, but they certainly know better than to task me with their religious criticism.
I am (with the help of my shrink) starting to work through the deep anger issues associated with my past, and hope this year to be able to have a fairly reasonable debate with them...at least show them that I am calmly and logically thinking through my decision, not making it soley on an emotional reaction to their mistreatment of me.

Permalink Reply by Adam Smith on May 17, 2009 at 11:12pm

I'm still somewhat in the proverbial closet. I've told some friends, but my parents are both devout fundamentalists as is the rest of my family and my girlfriend's family. My girlfriend knows about my beliefs and she's a very liberal Christian herself. I don't know when or if I'll ever fully come out with my atheism.

Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on June 12, 2009 at 12:44pm

My own mom refused to go on foodstamps for her three near-starving children, because "the Lord will provide". It wasn't pleasant. Sorry to hear about your nephew; I'm sure you know that religious medical neglect is my crusade issue. In most states, it is possible to make a report to child services (I'd suggest the school if they were enrolled...) and get someone out there to explain to her why it's vitally important to provide proper medical treatment. These things don't always have to end in tragedy.

Permalink Reply by S. Hawkins on June 12, 2009 at 12:25pm

I put my story in another place on this forum, but I think it is more appropriate here.

My father was a fundamentalist preacher. He is dead now, but my brothers and sisters and all their families are die hard fundamentalist Christians. Not only that, but I went to Bible College and Seminary and was a preacher myself for awhile. I raised my kids as Christians and we even home schooled them using textbooks from Bob Jones University. I sent all my kids to Bible College. To top that off, one of my grown children now is employed by Ray Comfort (banana man) who produces the Way of the Master TV shows and has challenged Richard Dawkins to a debate. I really really doubt anyone can top my experience (well maybe Nate Phelps can) of being in the midst and mire of a fundamentalist family. I became a non-believer gradually over the years, but have considered myself an atheist for about 10 years now. My unique position is that I am a parent and a grandparent. While I can live in disharmony with my siblings and assorted in-laws, I would find it very difficult to be ostracized by my grown children and not be able to see them or my grandkids. So I have not come out of the closet about my atheism. It IS difficult to hide it sometimes, but since we live 2000 miles or so apart they have not found out yet. I don't like living a lie (mainly because its so damn hard), but I just can't see tearing my family apart over this. I am afraid if I tell my grown children they will never let me see them or my grandkids again.

Permalink Reply by Angie Jackson on June 12, 2009 at 12:41pm

I agree that "coming out" to my mother was infinitely easier than it would be to have to "come out" to my son. But I deconverted from fundamentalist Christianity/cultism between my son's 2 and 3rd birthdays, so I'm lucky. I will say I too know what it's like to be very mired in it. My grandmother founded a Christian sect of faith healers, and raised me to take over after her. I spent the first 20 some years of life believing I yielded magical powers to heal people and expel demons from them, and the come down to reality was both glorious and horrible.

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