When it comes to family and religion problems, I've heard quite a few- nonreligious parents with zealot children, horrifying in-laws, "Don't tell the neighbors about your scandal" reactions... the truth is, and I mean this, when it comes to religion everyone is crazy.
It's- there's a literal neurosis around it in our society. Whether you are or aren't, whether you are one thing or another, there's this paranoia and compulsion to convert... It's all frankly very exhausting.
And once you say "I don't believe" well, then it's like a constant justification struggle at every turn, and after a while you just get tired of talking about it.
When it comes to family, I got fairly lucky- my parents are nutters in different ways, but generally respect my atheism. But then, I'm also not particularly militant- I sometimes wonder how my mother would be if I were a *bit* more on the radical anarchist side.
You are 100% right when you say it divides people. I am convinced that is all it was ever actually intended to do, if not by the people who wrote all of these things down, then by the people who made them popular and "interpreted them". I am so sorry this is causing problems for you and your mother- these situations are just never easy and nothing makes it better.
But do know you are not alone. There are thousands of people going through the same things with their family- working out belief systems despite the problems it brings interpersonally. There a really good advice column on one of my humanist sites called "The Ethical Dilemma" which covers a lot on family disagreements, and it might be comforting to you to check it out. (Not all the columns are about family issues- they vary, but I've see a few good ones.) There are resources out there for you, and people willing to listen and share experiences, so, just don't feel like you're alone, because you aren't. <3
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When it comes to family and religion problems, I've heard quite a few- nonreligious parents with zealot children, horrifying in-laws, "Don't tell the neighbors about your scandal" reactions... the truth is, and I mean this, when it comes to religion everyone is crazy.
It's- there's a literal neurosis around it in our society. Whether you are or aren't, whether you are one thing or another, there's this paranoia and compulsion to convert... It's all frankly very exhausting.
And once you say "I don't believe" well, then it's like a constant justification struggle at every turn, and after a while you just get tired of talking about it.
When it comes to family, I got fairly lucky- my parents are nutters in different ways, but generally respect my atheism. But then, I'm also not particularly militant- I sometimes wonder how my mother would be if I were a *bit* more on the radical anarchist side.
You are 100% right when you say it divides people. I am convinced that is all it was ever actually intended to do, if not by the people who wrote all of these things down, then by the people who made them popular and "interpreted them". I am so sorry this is causing problems for you and your mother- these situations are just never easy and nothing makes it better.
But do know you are not alone. There are thousands of people going through the same things with their family- working out belief systems despite the problems it brings interpersonally. There a really good advice column on one of my humanist sites called "The Ethical Dilemma" which covers a lot on family disagreements, and it might be comforting to you to check it out. (Not all the columns are about family issues- they vary, but I've see a few good ones.) There are resources out there for you, and people willing to listen and share experiences, so, just don't feel like you're alone, because you aren't. <3