Going to a church does not make you religious any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.

If it pleases you and pleases your family, I say go for it. I visit churches when there's a reason to do so in the family. I've yet to burst into flames because of it.

If the family is going, I'd go. Not for the church service, but for them. I can't hold it against them if they enjoy it. It will probably please their hearts if you go. Any time we can spend with family is something we ought to take advantage of.

I'll sit through church once in a while for important events. It isn't like I'll catch fire at the door for my life of heresy.

I am an atheist with a sibling who practices.

She and her husband attend Mass on Christmas Morning - I do not. They know what my views are. So it would just be odd for me to attend.

I used to attend to please my parents - they've been gone for 17 years now and I'll never do it again for anything but a wedding or funeral. (To support other people).

Several years ago, a Baptist friend of mine (who knows my views) asked me to play Jesus in a reenactment of the last supper. (I have a beard and long hair). I said 'What the hell. Why not?'

I think a lot of people go to church more for the social unity than true faith. If you feel good about going and being with your family, by all means go with them. If you jdon't really want to go but are just going because it would please them, you may want to think about it.

Maybe, if we were going to a nice restaurant for lunch after, and somebody else was paying.

If I was in your shoes I wouldn't go because I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face.

I would go along with them out of love. Anything said in church however would go in one ear and out the other.

I find it fine to attend a mass with my mother or such, on important holidays. I view it somewhat as a trip to the Museum. Or an opportunity to observe social behavior. Frequently I will see something in it that I had not noticed before, even though I have attended hundreds of masses in my life. Admittedly, as I get older, my tolerance for this gets lower and lower. And i don't go for just regular Sunday service when my mother is visiting, for example. But i always discuss my beliefs with my mother at some point (not during the service of course). And i don't go along with taking the communion, of course.

I think it's great you're willing to do something just because it's important to the people you love.

For me, because I spent enough time deep inside the conformity complex of southern baptist church, I politely turn down the offer each time. My family still worries about my soul, and that energy drains me.

I will gladly share almost any experience with my family. They know church is where i draw the line.

If it doesn't bother you and you are not pretending to hide your non-belief, then why not? I think that I could easily go to a religious service that I am not familiar with, because it would interest me. But, I find it most difficult in the Evangelical Christian churches! I feel like I am being contaminated, by a poison!

I wouldn't, but you can do whatever you want. The church will no doubt be beautiful with flowers, and most churches serve coffee and pasteries, so you'll have fun anyway.

The church nonsense has a beginning, middle and end. If you think it would help your family, why not? I once went to a Baptist church service because the woman I had just started dating asked me to. It didn't kill me, although that relationship certainly died soon thereafter.
Just because you see through the BS doesn't mean you have to be a jerk about it. If you can keep a straight face, give it a shot.

Being different is what rejection or acceptance of notions of gods is all about. Some of us might go, some not. I wouldnt, but that's me. An Orthodox Jew or Fundamentalist Muslim might or might not accompany friends to an oyster bar and just pass on the treyf/halal items.

You don't need anyone's agreement or approval. If that was important, rejecting gods would have been a problem. You apparently can tolerate what goes on. Other atheists couldnt. I believe we must show the same kinds of respect for one another that we expect from believers. Enjoy!

Consider it a form of theatre sport and have some fun. The people watching will also be a bonus.

It is a chance to share something that is important to your family. It isn't going to hurt you. You don't have to participate, but, why not go? It is a very small amount of time so no real sacrifce. Everyone knows you are atheist, so probably don't expect you to suddenly start believing. Sometimes we do things for our family, that we would not normally do, but it is nice to be with them. What else would you be doing? Unless you are needed for something that is a matter of life and death, why not?

That is completely up to you, and with what you are comfortable. I have never been to a holiday service of any sort, and I honestly cannot see myself ever going to one, but that is me. I have been to church for baptisms, weddings and my nieces' vacation bible school programs. It never hurt me to go.

I would stay home and cook a nice meal for when they got back. Win/win.

It honestly does not have to be that big a deal to attend anything important if it is important to people you care about. Really easy to not participate, even when you think it is stupid. I don't like baseball and find it boring but if it was important to another person for me to be there, I would do it. This is only about religion if you make it so.

I wouldn’t, but that’s simply because I’m anti-theistic and would have a very difficult time keeping my mouth shut during a church service and not feeling enraged at all the bullshit and lies.

As an atheist I have gone to many religious gatherings of different observers. This doesn't mean I have to drink the kool aid. Anthropologists observe religious practices. Why not you. Participation is not required. Go unless you are so uncomfortable that your skin gets up and crawls away. Blessings. =0}

I would go. It's a family thing. So what. It's not like you're going to be struck dead for entering the place. Now if they ate dragging you to save you and this would let them believe they had, that would be a different story.

Don’t take the communion, is the trick.