Coming out to my mother(about my lack of belief)
Offline Well after about a year and a half I finally came out to the person I was dreading the most. My southern baptist mom. It went well, she actually listened, and learned quite a few things. She now knows that evolution does not teach that we came from monkeys, and that the big bang theory was not just an explosion to which everything was created. I think the biggest thing that bothered her was when she asked me if I though I was saved, and I told her I don't believe in the concept of being "saved". One thing she said to me that bothered me the most is that she believes satan has a hold of me. I tried to assure her that he doesn't, or at least not that I know of, and that my beliefs come from a lot of thinking. And I let her know that I hate the fact her particular religion has convinced her that he does. Well I just wanted to share this little milestone of my life with the rest of you who happen to be under satans grasp. Peace.
"Take all the heads of the people
and hang them up before the Lord
against the sun.” -- Numbers 25:4
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It's very disturbing that your mom thinks you're controlled by the devil, but congrats for coming out.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
I'm controlled by satan too - happily tho mum believes because I was once a christian that cannot be undone and she slyly insists that I really do know god and my fixation with not knowing him is proof. You did the right thing telling her but I understand how uncomfortable it is being a non believer around the godly. They believe unpleasant, judgmental and immoral things and cannot be reasoned with. You simply have to be bigger than she is.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
Congratulations! I'm in the same boat with you. My mother is a die-hard Southern Baptist. I'm still in the closet with her. I just don't think I could tell her because it would distress her. My atheist aunt, her older sister, agrees that I should not tell her that I'm a non-believer. So I'm bowing down not only to her superior wisdom, but really taking the easy road out.
I don't think I could handle that conversation. She doesn't believe in evolution either and thinks the "second coming" of Christ is going to happen any day now.
*shudders*
"I am an atheist, thank God." -Oriana Fallaci
I come from a southern baptist family too. I don't think I could tell my family I don't believe. Most of them know that I question a lot of beliefs, especially my mother. But none of them know that I DON'T believe. The one person I'm worried about finding out is my grandmother. It would completely tear her world apart. I don't think I could bear doing that to her. My sister came out to being a lesbian to her and she was real disappointed but according to her, that's just affects this life, not necessarily the afterlife as much. I think my disbelief in an afterlife would just crush her so I'm gonna remain in the closet about it to my family.
www.facebook.com/sbowman1983
When I first came out as an atheist to my mom she chalked it off as a phase. It is funny now she looks forward to hearing Bob say to her "Hi Brian's mom". And if Bob gets off his duff she is looking forward to meeting him in person.
She still believes in the Catholic god, but she has more increasingly accepted that life is not a script and people do have different views.
What will be fun for us when we are finally together is that my friends, including my x-wife, throughout my life, have always sided with my mom in ganging up on me, while teasing me. I really do consider myself lucky to have the mom I have. We are polar opposites politically and religiously. She is a "buck it up, be a man" type, because that is the way she was raised. I am more of a "talk it out, emo, who loves to hug people". Although you wouldn't know that via the way I debate here.
But I also see some of my mom in myself, especially at work. I am very strict about my habits at work and get out of sorts when things go off track. So even I fall for the script to an extent. And she is blunt and does not sugar coat her opinion. I also get that from her.
She has never abandon me and although I am sure she is not pleased that I am an atheist, she also understands at the same time, that I am not an atheist to be a rebel or a lawless heathen.
She also enjoys hearing about my debates and often asks, "How did that believer respond to what you said"?
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog