What’s your experience with family after rejecting the religion that was forced on you as a child?
I'm not supporting religious indoctrinations, but we need to recognize two relevant facts, and I hope that the people who voted negatively will appreciate these two points. First, 100% of parents teach their kids things they believe are true that are not true because we all accept a few things as true that aren't true. Second, and most importantly, Theists parents are not teaching these beliefs out of malice. They take them as truths, and I suspect most parents who lash out at their child's rejection of God are lashing out because of fear and again not with malice in their heart, but concern.
My relationship with religion was weird. My parents brought my brother and I up into it. And then when we are around 10 or 11, they just stopped going. Which meant we all stopped going. In my teen years I try to find out what all that shit meant. But I found an organized system of ignorance and oppression. I saw the hypocrisy in at all and started to breakdown the Fantastical stories. After that I honestly couldn't look at myself and say that I was religious without thinking that it wouldn't make me a hypocrite. That's when I decided that it was my time to join the actual woken world
My great aunt who is a nun (not a none, lol) has mailed me books by Thomas Aquinas, documentaries “proving” the existence of god, and also has sent me YouTube videos “substantiating” miracles. She’s just trying to save my soul. lol.
One of my sisters emails me 'daily devotionals.' I just delete them.
Except for a 7 year period when my mother was married to an abusive cult leader wannabe, I rarely went to a church and even then it was when sleeping over at a friends houses.
They all believe/d but didnt/don't attend church. I come from a family that had the "as long as you don't screw up my life, I don't care what you do or are." The down side to this is that they also wanted to turn a blind eye to abuse because "none of my business"
I adore my moms third husband which she married nearly 40 years ago but even he and my mom are always on me for giving a shit about others misfortunes. They think I need to mind my own business or tend to my own problems
No Vote. I had been the same since a child. I don't try to convert any of my siblings and none try to convert me. Boundaries, boundaries. Respect.
I wasn’t forced to believe some nonsense about reality. No change, I guess
I had a very dysfunctional relationship with my family once I hit puberty.
I won't vote, because my family doesn't exactly know yet. They know that I don't want my son dedicated at the church or indoctrinated until he's old enough to decide. My wife and I also never attend church anymore. And we didn't circumcise.
To my mind, these signs raise some obvious questions, but nobody has really gone there. Not yet... I think the family probably considers us burned out on church and in a skeptical phase or something like that.
I anticipate "some negative, but nothing too bad" once it all comes out. My mom took our conversation about no circumcision, no dedication and no indoctrination way better than I thought she would.
My family never forced any religion on me. My parents and grandparents never spoke about their beliefs or non-beliefs and let me come into my own faith or faithlessness.
My mom started crying. My dad got angry and would instigate religious arguments every time I'd see him, causing my mom to cry again.
It's not really Thanksgiving until someone flees the table to "ugly cry."
I'm not trying to demean your experience with humor. But it is an experience many relate to.
You are crazy!!
@LetzGetReal, took me a minute to remember..... the statement was directed at me.... my family believes that I am crazy.... because I am consciously different than they. Ony a few know that Iam am not a believer. They just think I am off the deep end. I am the only one on both sides with a degree.
They do not understand me at all, because they are lost in their social conditioning and have no sight beyond their "modus operandi". Some have called me a tortured Artist, I find humous, I am very positive, i just tend to stay away from familial alliances. These people know nothing of Art. Have no appreciation, they have no true understanding of environment and or being selfcognizant. They are my kindred and I love them, but I am to far beyond the scope of their intelectual capacity. I have tried. I have talked. I have educated on several topics. But they do not get it, and they do not care. Ignorance is bliss when all you have to do is get saved, wait for the rapture, and jesus will take care of the rest. The bible says the meek/sheep will inherit the earth...... and this is true. They are buried in the ground, except for those who have not the means to pay for a funeral.
@LetzGetReal to be honest I am very impressed with the intelectualism. I normally stay away from social media, then I decided to try this, and I am impressed with the honesty and the altruism. I had an idea that the intelligence factor would be above average, but you guys are real. There is no holding back. I am truly honored. And did I say That I was impressed? ?
Thank you
@LetzGetReal I just read your bio, probably the best bio I have read, hands down..... Wow!! You are truly a Gem, a very rare and Precious one!! You have Fine Art.
My own immediate famly were fine but my extended family not so much, they were not only judgemental of me but also extremely judgement of my parents as having failed in their role as parents.