I've been an open skeptic since childhood in an otherwise religious family, so I had no coming out, but I did have a coming to a head. I dealt with the projected shame, guilt, and disappointment for years on my own, and I wish I'd have brought things to a head much sooner. When it became a potential threat to my children, I finally took the hard stand and gave them two options. 1. Respect my difference of beliefs without the constant underhanded challenges and have me and my children in their lives or 2. Watch us walk away and never look back. I was truly there. And it was oddly the one time the conversation didn't devolve into a fight. It was a slow process, but we've come a long way in our understanding. Family get togethers are enjoyable again, and devoid of the religious aspect while we all agree to simply focus on family. Love will trump hate. Hugs

Why are we always the ones defending our beliefs, when it is the rest of the world that believes fantasies that are based on zero evidence?

This is such a meaningless transition and the word "coming out" doesn't apply. I stopped going to church and didn't give two sh-ts what anyone thought about it. If I had been confronted - there's always a front door that I can exit. As an adult, there's no way that I would have subjected myself to an interrogation. This is on the scale of "how did your family feel when you stopped believing in Santa". My life is mine to live and if my family doesn't approve - I could care less - I have no problem with not being invited to family events. My self-esteem and self-worth is not based on approval or validation from family/friends.

Well, I gave my patents a double whammy. I came out as both gay and atheist at the same time. Strangely they were much mroe concerned about my being gay than my beign an atheist. That was my actual experience.

(Joking about this, but I started with the perfect set up, so here goes)

Yes, you say... but how can this work for me?

Well, tell your parents you are gay. Then you can tell them that you are nto really gay, but just atheist. It will be such a relief to them that it may not matter that much at all to them, s they will feel they just dodged a bullet.

If you are really gay too, this still wrokes, as they wotn' really be concerned aob ut yoru beign atheist so much as your being gay.

(OK, serious again now)

My plan was jus tto come out as gay, but I also wanted to avoid all the drama, so since i was atheist too, I decided if I also told them about tht too, they'd be disarmed from beign able to use all the religious ammunition they would otherwise try to guilt me with. To that extent it worked.

I was never close to my parents, and after coming out I knew I'd never be close to them. So, I felt I had nothing to lose, other than the potential to be close to them, which is something I never had, so I didn't think I'd miss it. And,m I didn't. On the brighter side, I was able to be myself around my family from that point forward, which ws much easier on me. I believe i gained more than I lost.

One added note. This was in the early 1980's, before email. I came out via a snail mail letter. i figure if I called them or told them in person some things may have been said (on both sides) which could not be taken back. If you come out, you do need to consider the methodology you use to relay the information. Only each person can assess which way of relatyign the information woudl create the least harm to the relationship.

My mom is extremely religious and it has def. caused riffs in our relationship. I remember I slowly stopped going to church during high school- much to her chagrin and she would guilt me into going. Soon I just went to Xmas mass bc tbh I like some of the music. For a long time, she was in denial about what I believed in until I flat out told her that I didn’t see any logical reason to believe in a God and even if God existed, I probably still wouldn’t worship Him. Eventually, after I negated all of her reasoning (most of them falling into the God of the gaps fallacy), I told her that she was free to believe in what ever she wanted but if she continued to berate and belittle me I would stop going home and cut off communication with her. She went about two weeks without speaking to me citing that she was “hurt”. But since then She has promised to stop bringing up the topic with me in order for us to have a relationship.

Lol. Welcome to my world. I've been very secretive about my beliefs. My ex wife and my children 14 and 15 do not know. Yes this is wrong, I should be honest with my children and blood relatives. But I live I reality. Until my daughter, 14, turns 18yrs old I will continue the charade. The repercussions of coming out aren't worth it. I don't mind. Its not just about me After all.

I need to say it, because my father wants me to say verses from the Quran at his funeral, one day. I asked him what has more meaning for him, verses everyone would speak in a language that it isn‘t mine or my own words that comes deep from my heart.

I told him what meaning religion has for me, or what we called religion. If religion is something that is good for us, combine yourself the ingredients of your religion.

My religion consists of family, friends, music, sport, laughing, nature. Everything I like and is good for me. My life.

I avoid anything and everyone who disturbs my peace and freedom.

My family is not close, and religion was not a factor for the most part. If I were in your place, talk it out with someone in your family that you trust to not blow up , then naturally tell them how you feel and why you feel that way. At all times keep your head up and don't let them bring you down. They will still love you at the end of the day.

I never came out to my family as I really don't see a need to. If they asked me, I would be honest with them. It just never came up. I am only close to my immediate family and I know they will accept me regardless.

I've always been a pain in the ass for questioning everything - judgments, beliefs, whatever I saw around me, pretty much. As a result, I didn't have the closer connection that my brother and sister have with our dad.
It sounds like your dad keeps asking because your deception continues to give him hope that you remain on what he believes is the right path. Next time he asks, come clean and be ready for his interrogation. You're no longer under his roof and your morality is not religion-driven. If he can't accept that, it may be an indication that his faith is more important than you. That happens sometimes. Hopefully, it won't happen to you. Let him know that you're taking ownership of your life and are living it responsibly.

For me it was very easy as my father's side of the family are all agnostic. My mother was raised in a VERY strict Pentecostal household where she couldn't wear jeans or pants, no makeup, etc. It caused her to hate churches and religion, although she kept a personal belief in God. I was raised with no religion, and frankly no one in my family really gives a damn what the others do or don't believe. Just don't try to force your beliefs on anyone else and that's that.

I just said "I don't believe that crap". They just shrugged and said "Okay". That's pretty much it.

I came out to my parents rather angrily in situations that probably couldn't and shouldn't be replicated, sorry. Bad example but they got over it and figured out if they want to be in my life they'd have to live with it or suffer my big mouth bringing up the ways religion failed all of us. I don't suffer any foolishness and at a certain point unless theyre in poor health and closer to death than not, Id advocate pulling the bandaid off and give em some space to get over it.

If you happen to have a tender relationship with your parents, want to preserve it as much as possible, don't do well in direct confrontation, and feel you express yourself better in print, Id start with a heartfelt message to my mother. Try to explain where your line is drawn, how you came to your conclusions, where your source of morality does come from so she's not too worried about your rudder. Assure her that you love her but youre not taking any guilt trip shit. kindly but firmly ask her to be your advocate when you decide to similarly break it to your dad if she wants them to stay in your life.

I realized at 16 years old that all religions were fairly tales mean to control people and their lives. The misogyny and the concomitant absurdity was too much for me. I simply said I cannot believe in religions and that was that. They did not like it but so be it. I am an honest person and was not going to lie.

My mom called me an atheist before I even realized I'd slid past agnostic. She wasn't very happy about it but I stopped caring about what she thought long before then.

I put it on my Facebook. I may or may not submit to their questioning. It's my truth to give or keep.

Concerning sexuality... even more important that you pick and choose who deserves to have their curiosity answered.

I can relate to what you are saying as I am going through the same process. I don't want to hurt anyone but it's impossible to avoid that when you are from a religious family. I did it in stages . They have still not accepted the fact that I m not religious and still try to get me to go to church . In my community , it's difficult for a person without faith to have friendships and relationships . It's difficult to have to constantly explain to people why you don't want to go to church or why you are not religious. Even if you explain it to them they don't understand most of the time. I am not the kind of person who will constantly engage with religious people to stand up for my convictions. I am just tired of having to explain over and over again why I don't have any faith . So when my family insists I just go to the mass / religious service to oblige them . It's difficult to be completely liberated from religion without damaging your relationship with your family .

You don't need to "come out". To me, religion, or lack thereof, is deeply personal. If they ask just say it's personal. The problem i see a lot is that once you come out as atheist, especially if your family is religious, they try to push it on you and pretty soon theyre condtamtly sending religuois stuff to you and then getting upset when you don't respond the way they want and it creates unnecessary tension. So you don't need to say anything. Just stop going to church and if asked just say it's something you want to keep to yourself.

I just stopped going to church. Being away at college while I figured this out made it easier to cope with.

I didn't come out at all. My parents (mainly my father) tried to get me to believe as a child, but it always looked like BS to me. I hate lies, so I just stated the truth.

I was never in.

Right from the start of discussions I asked too many questions and said I didn't believe their answers. They weren't too bothered and I soon realised I was an atheist.

I just kept speaking from the perspective of different world views, particularly that of Buddhism (Buddhist/agnostic, here), until they got the hint.

They finally figured it out from looking at my Facebook profile. I think they already knew but didn't want to admit it to themselves. When I was confronted, I admitted it, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. My family is religious as well and has been for a long time (can we say Amish!!) so I was expecting the worst, but they're actually ok because I'm an adult. Not to say they don't pester me about it or try to challenge me on it, but it wasn't the end of the world.

That’s rough. Thankfully my folks were devout but it was not a huge deal for them. Maybe because I had older siblings that were became less religious before me and my grand parents were of a different religious persuasion - Buddhist.

I suspect if you are still pretending to go to church then it sounds like more than a huge deal. I don’t know if it’s better to rip that bandaid off; peel it off slowly or just keep putting more bandaids on top. Best of luck.