How to tell my parents I'm an Atheist

So right, I guess I'll stop the girl topics and make something a little different.

So I am the spawn of two Roman Catholics, and I have to go to church every week and all that, but as you can tell by the topic title I don't believe in it. I'm sick of there and lieing to myself and everyone there saying "I believe" when I don't.

So how should I go about telling my family?

Get them round a table and explain to them that maybe organised religion isn't your cup of tea. And if that doesn't work, knock something over and shout.

Depends on how religious they are. They might not even care as much as you might think.

Just tell them outright. It will result in you having a free sunday afternoon every week, so it's definately worth it.

I don't know about your parents, but my parents are "hardcore" (for lack of a better word) Christians. Please do not say that Christians and Catholics are the same because they're not. Catholics are much more heirarchical and ritual.

Anyways, one thing that my parents do as Christians is respect what another believes, and won't force anyone to go to church and believe in what they believe if that other person doesn't believe it. My dad offers it to my brother all the time, to not go to church, but I guess somewhere deep in him he believes in Christianity... It would explain why he still makes an obligation to go to Church.

Anyways (again), I'm sure your parents will understand, and if they're only reasonable, they shouldn't hold you against your own belief by making you go to church.

My parents used to be exactly like yours and like yourself, I'm an Atheist. They got the point when I started running away from the Church five minutes after it started.

You're entitled to believe what you want. Tell them how you feel, they are your parents after all. If you are calm and clearly explain them your point, they won't force you to anything.

Like everyone else has said so far, tell them outright. It's not their life, it's yours. Unless your parents are unreasonable, they won't make you go to something you don't believe in.

just explain to them in a calm way that you you are an atheist. if they care about you more than their religion, they will listen and try to understand you more. they will ask many questions, so awnser them calmly and to th fullest. trust me i've had to explain this to my parents too. i know how you feel.

On 24-Jun-2009 v-gamer said:

I don't know about your parents, but my parents are "hardcore" (for lack of a better word) Christians. Please do not say that Christians and Catholics are the same because they're not. Catholics are much more heirarchical and ritual.

Anyways, one thing that my parents do as Christians is respect what another believes, and won't force anyone to go to church and believe in what they believe if that other person doesn't believe it. My dad offers it to my brother all the time, to not go to church, but I guess somewhere deep in him he believes in Christianity... It would explain why he still makes an obligation to go to Church.

Anyways (again), I'm sure your parents will understand, and if they're only reasonable, they shouldn't hold you against your own belief by making you go to church.

I don't get what you're getting at here. You can't be a Catholic without being Christian after all.

On 24-Jun-2009 TestVirus101 said:

I don't get what you're getting at here. You can't be a Catholic without being Christian after all.

The beliefs are the same; the practices are different.

The others are right, any reasonable parents should allow you to go after whatever faith you may desire, or none at all. So just tell them.

If they're devout (hardcore) then just sit them down & carefully explain you just don't believe in anything. If they're reasonable people then they should understand & accept it. If they don't take it well, then you'll just have to peacefully not participate in any church functions/rituals. Either that or violently refuse religion & show them you don't believe in a rebellious struggle. But just go with the civil disobedience; after all they can't force you to believe.

Imho I don't agree with Catholicism, it's too over the top. They believe the Pope has the same power as God, I don't understand that. But I won't get into detail of what I think about it because it isn't exactly nice after a semester of World History II.

Personally, I don't agree with atheism, but to each his own I guess. I'm Protestant btw.

On 24-Jun-2009 v-gamer said:

The beliefs are the same; the practices are different.

What I meant was, there isn't a 'Christian'. EVERYONE who follows the bible, etc. is a Christian. Catholicism is a denomination like Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, etc.

Sure, there exists some minor differences in practices between denominations, such as the ability for the clergy to marry or the way a mass might be conducted or the church decorated; but overall I don't believe at all that Catholics are 'much more heirarchical and ritual' Which is what I meant when I quoted v-gamers post.

As for the Pope, it really isn't this major thing. Sure, he has significance in that he's the successor of St. Peter and the head of the Catholic Church, but by no means do Catholics hold the Pope in as high a regard as God, this is false.

i thought this was about how to tell your parents that ur an atheist

On 25-Jun-2009 DaBeast234 said:

i thought this was about how to tell your parents that ur an atheist

Of course, but then people would naturally begin to talk about relious matters related to the parents, etc. Just the natural flow of a topic.

I'll tell you what I did. After you've finished dinner, before everyone leaves, tell them you have something you want them to know. Say exactly this, or something along the line. "Mom, and Dad, I've wanted to tell you this for a while now, but haven't been able to. If you don't accept me how I want to be, then you don't love me enough to care about my feelings. I'm an atheist. Kthxbye. Then, if they start BS, just be like "I'm leaving and I'm never coming back."

Just don't actually leave..

yeah dont leave thatwill bring cop on to the scene. we dont want that

Or maybe just ask if you have to go to church still, if they say no, you don't have to tell them you're Athiest.

If they say yes, then tell them I guess.


I'd try to do this without hurting somebody's feelings if possible.

I'm not an Atheist, but I think that going to church is a way to bribe you're way to eternal life.

Just be straight up with them.

So I told my mom today, and she wasn't too thrilled.

I still have to go to church. : (