{"id":331,"date":"2010-06-09T16:06:36","date_gmt":"2010-06-09T06:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asktheatheist.com\/?p=331"},"modified":"2010-06-09T16:06:36","modified_gmt":"2010-06-09T06:06:36","slug":"how-do-i-come-out-as-an-atheist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asktheatheist.com\/?p=331","title":{"rendered":"How do I “come out” as an atheist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question from Jarod:<\/strong>
\nMy parents take me to church and expect me to believe in whatever they tell me to. I have had a limited say in anything regarding religion. After many months of questioning and doubt, I have finally come to terms with the fact that there is no god. A lot of my friends know and they don’t mind (in fact, a lot of my friends are atheists), but now I’m contemplating coming out to my parents. I am extremely nervous about telling them because they expect me to be a Christian. How do I approach them, and is now a good time? I’m only 14, by the way. Thanks.
\n
\nAnswer:<\/strong>
\nIt’s never a good time for something like this, from your parents’ perspective. It’s got to be done sometime though, because (among other things) if they still think you believe when you grow up and have kids of your own, they’ll expect you to indoctrinate the kids too.
\n
\nI’m sure you realise that if you do it at 14 they have the ability to make your life hell for 4 years, whether or not they actually would. That said, if you think the situation will improve after you get this out in the open, or you don’t relish another 4 years of pretending, go for it and best of luck to you.
\n
\nTo soften the blow, say that you don’t believe in God anymore. The word “atheist” over and above that would probably be more shocking as the first thing out of your mouth, as if you came in and said, “Mum, Dad, I’m a Communist\/Nazi\/anarchist.” Sad in this day and age, but true. Not believing in God is a personal conclusion you’ve come to which they’ll need to deal with, whereas atheism might seem more like a bad crowd you’ve fallen in with and need shielding from. (That’s enough phrases ended with prepositions for today.)
\n
\nThere’s a chance, especially if they think your disbelief is a form of rebellion, that they’ll threaten you with punishment. Speak the simple truth: that it wouldn’t make you believe again. It might coerce you to pretend<\/em> to believe, but an all-powerful god would see right through that. No, something would actually have to convince<\/em> you to believe again.
\n
\nThey may subject you to some form of apologetics: a book, a video, a private session with a local preacher, or they might try their own hand. Look at it as an opportunity to crash-test your atheism. (That’s exactly why I started at ATA.) If they come up with an argument you haven’t already considered and dismissed, you can probably find a reply to it on this site. If they come up with something this site hasn’t answered, I want to know about it.
\n
\nUltimately your parents will come to some form of understanding. That understanding could be anything from complete tolerance to the idea that you’re the devil incarnate. Sorry, I can only predict the thoughts and actions of strangers up to a point. Regardless, you’ll have done it, you’ll have been honest and you won’t have to lie anymore.
\n
\nLet us know how you go, if you like.
\n
\n– SmartLX<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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