"Religious differences between family"

Weekly Discussion is a concept that every week ,starting now, there will be a new topic to discuss. The topic will be chosen by different members, going down the list. Since I'm first on the member list I will start first.

"Religious Differences between family". Have any of you had any conflict with friends or family because of your religious or atheistic beliefs? Discuss.

P.S Credit to Strategist for the idea on "The Communist Party" union.

It's kinda funny for me because half my family don' belive i'm an atheist and the other half just don't care at allMcManus107

Well it's sort of like that with me, my family are fine with me being an atheist, whereas my friends at my old church are not so welcoming, the only one that wasn't offended was the preist. The rest are pretty closed-minded and don't look upon atheists so well.

It's weird how it's all my friends that have an issue with me being an atheist and yet only two of them go to church McManus107

I don't know, poeple just try to pick out things they consider bad in people.

no,I think it's down to people that just want to be right when it comes to religionMcManus107

Sometimes religious matters can turn reasonable people into pig-headed fanatics.

My dad doesn't mind, like btaylor I think my dad is a closet Atheist as well. My mom doesn't like me talking about my reasons for being an Atheist, and I've made her cry on one occasion (made me feel ultra bad) by discussing how manipulative bringing up a child into a religion is (I now understand it was her trying to do her best for me, and to a point I can agree).

I really only have two very close friends IRL, and they are Christians but they don't mind since they've been through the same education as I have and can see the point. One in fact is very funny about it, he says "Ok, if I'm wrong and you're right nothing happens to me after I die. But if I'm right and you're wrong, you're in a worse position than I am." Which is ultra funny because if there was a God you'd think he would know if a person was just paying lip service just in case :lol:

yeah,have my family calls it a "phase" i'm going through,like it's impossible for someone in their family to not believe what they do.McManus107

Eh, it's the same feeling someone fells when a person you know turns out radically different from you would expect. Your world falls apart, atleast just a little bit. It seems there taking it wrong, pretending it's something it isn't is always wrong.

My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.JLCrogue

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.SimpJee

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

enlightenment/knowledge

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.SimpJee

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

[QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.felixlynch777

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.STWELCH

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

[QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.felixlynch777

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

My mothers and Fathers sides of the family are 70% catholic and 30% Deists from what I have asked while I was overseas.

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

Not cannabis, cigarettes. I've heard the whole smoking is bad thing for ages but I've been smoking for 6 years now.

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.SimpJee

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That's what he told you. [scary background music]

[QUOTE="THUMPTABLE"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.felixlynch777

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

Not cannabis, cigarettes. I've heard the whole smoking is bad thing for ages but I've been smoking for 6 years now.

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="THUMPTABLE"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

Not cannabis, cigarettes. I've heard the whole smoking is bad thing for ages but I've been smoking for 6 years now.

None taken.

[QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.THUMPTABLE

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

Yeah, tobacco causes brain damage.

[QUOTE="THUMPTABLE"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="STWELCH"][QUOTE="felixlynch777"][QUOTE="SimpJee"]

[QUOTE="JLCrogue"]My family doesn't know my religious beliefs, especially when they've changed a lot recently. I can't join the Free Masons if I'm an atheist, so I've decided to label myself a pantheist.JLCrogue

Why in the world do you want to join this society? Just to be able to call yourself a Free Mason? My grandfather was one. All they did was get together every week or so to play cards and drink.....

That sounds like fun to me!

Considering people go to Church to compare clothing and socialize...so that isn't too bad.

Yeah, when I used to go it was okay. A lot of talking and smoking at the end, which I liked!

Yeah, tobacco causes brain damage.

I think he means cannabis.

I think he means cannabis.

felixlynch777

I'm sure he was, because he's talking about me, but I'm talking about you and tobacco. Personally, I think cigarettes taste like crap, but I do like to smoke out of a hookah sometimes. It can be pretty damn harsh, because you're using water to filter the smoke instead of a regular filter.

flavored tobacco > cigarette tobacco

When my grandmother heard that I left the Catholic church and became a Protestant she took away my trust fund for collegeDraconis

Oh My God......that's terrible.

Did you make it through alright?

When my grandmother heard that I left the Catholic church and became a Protestant she took away my trust fund for collegeDraconis

:oThat's disgusting. Sometimes religion can turn even the nicest people into ignorant fanatics. How did you manage college though?

[QUOTE="Draconis"]When my grandmother heard that I left the Catholic church and became a Protestant she took away my trust fund for collegefelixlynch777

:oThat's disgusting. Sometimes religion can turn even the nicest people into ignorant fanatics. How did you manage college though?

I would say that's a trait, looked at from a religious perspective, of the fallen state of humanity.

All but two people think that I'm a Christian. I guess going to church every week doesn't really help that situation. I'm not very open with my agnosticism, simply because I don't think it's a good indicator of someone's characteristics.Genetic_Code

Personally I think it's a good indicator of charactor. It shows your free-thinking, yet not pretentious enough to beleive you understand the universe. Then again my perspective is somewhat biased.

My grandparents are devout Christians; my grandfather always wears this 'Jesus Lives' button badge on his jacket.

Mum and dad believe...I think...and sister doesn't seem overly fussed.

I've no idea about any of my other relatives, but it amuses me how closed minded mum and sister (and sometimes dad) can be. If there's ever a mention of Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons, they're super quick to tell me that they're "crazy" or something along those lines...as if protestant Christianity is any more credible, or likely, in the slightest. :roll:

Sister knows that I'm atheist and I think dad does to a lesser extent. I don't really go talking about it though because it'd only cause a fuss.

My parents are methodists. My dad never goes to church, and he doesn't seem to have a strong faith. He seems like a P wager guy based on discussions on the subject. He has said that my mother is christian enough for my whole family. At one point he stated that i was not allowed to leave the church as long as i lived in his house.

In a general social sence being an agnostic atheist isn't a big deal here. Norway is a pretty secular country. Despite the fact that church, and state aren't seperated, yet.

This is actually something that I've been devoting a lot of thought to lately. As you probably know, I am an agnostic atheist, but the rest of my family (especially my mom) are Roman Catholic. Like Genetic_Code, only a few know what I really think about religion, and going to mass weekly sure doesn't point them in the right direction. I was talking to my former chess teacher, and he said that I am going through a development cycle where I am breaking down everything I have learned and been taught, and am re-evaluating it. He said that everyone has dealt with it at one point or another, and I probably feel pretty evil or something right now, but that I shouldn't because it's perfectly normal. Anyway, he recommended that I read City Of God by Saint Augustine and some other books by Albert Camus, and talk to my dad about it.

But I'm not sure if I should actually bring this up with my family. My mom is super-devout, and I have a hard time imagining her being understanding. I don't want to cause her pain of any sort, and I feel that bringing this up would only do that. Then again, 'living a lie' can't be good either. Does anyone have any advice/suggestions (especially based off of personal experience)?

But I'm not sure if I should actually bring this up with my family. My mom is super-devout, and I have a hard time imagining her being understanding. I don't want to cause her pain of any sort, and I feel that bringing this up would only do that. Then again, 'living a lie' can't be good either. Does anyone have any advice/suggestions (especially based off of personal experience)?

Forerunner-117

If you are not comfortable talking about this with your family, don't. Unrest in a family is a bad thing, most of the time. I am saying this from personal experience. Try to talk about this with someone else who wouldn't make a big deal out of this.  

If you are not comfortable talking about this with your family, don't. Unrest in a family is a bad thing, most of the time. I am saying this from personal experience. Try to talk about this with someone else who wouldn't make a big deal out of this.  

7guns

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've been thinking; I don't want to create unrest. On the other hand, I get so tired of "play acting" if you will, that I just really am confused about what would be best not only for me, but for the rest of my family too. I mean, eventually it's going to come out (if I get married, have kids, etc.), right? Would waiting make it worse? Hard to say. I guess I'll have to talk to some people and get some advice from multiple sources.

[QUOTE="7guns"]

If you are not comfortable talking about this with your family, don't. Unrest in a family is a bad thing, most of the time. I am saying this from personal experience. Try to talk about this with someone else who wouldn't make a big deal out of this.  

Forerunner-117

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've been thinking; I don't want to create unrest. On the other hand, I get so tired of "play acting" if you will, that I just really am confused about what would be best not only for me, but for the rest of my family too. I mean, eventually it's going to come out (if I get married, have kids, etc.), right? Would waiting make it worse? Hard to say. I guess I'll have to talk to some people and get some advice from multiple sources.

One thing I can tell you is it's very likely the truth will come out one day for better or for worse and you may not be able to keep peace on both ends. So be ready!

[QUOTE="Forerunner-117"][QUOTE="7guns"]

If you are not comfortable talking about this with your family, don't. Unrest in a family is a bad thing, most of the time. I am saying this from personal experience. Try to talk about this with someone else who wouldn't make a big deal out of this.  

7guns

Yeah, that's pretty much what I've been thinking; I don't want to create unrest. On the other hand, I get so tired of "play acting" if you will, that I just really am confused about what would be best not only for me, but for the rest of my family too. I mean, eventually it's going to come out (if I get married, have kids, etc.), right? Would waiting make it worse? Hard to say. I guess I'll have to talk to some people and get some advice from multiple sources.

One thing I can tell you is it's very likely the truth will come out one day for better or for worse and you may not be able to keep peace on both ends. So be ready!

Yeah, you're probably right. Funny, I never expected that I would be the one to create dissent in my family. :?

Yeah, you're probably right. Funny, I never expected that I would be the one to create dissent in my family. :?

Forerunner-117

Believe me, it happens to a lot of people!