R. S. Martin Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I've posted on various occasions about family and how they're invading my space with letters to get me back into the fold. Last week I was informed by a family member that two other family members are looking at "heretical teachings." Long story short, I mailed two letters to family members speaking very openly about my own beliefs--one to the household that is looking at the "heresies" and one to the person who informed me. I want them to know that they can talk to me. I want them to know that I am an honest, conscientious person. I especially want them to know the difference between real science and pseudo-science. So I guess that's a level of "coming-out" that I had not really done before. They knew I no longer believed the things they thought I should but I tried keeping it under cover as much as possible. I was afraid of their judgment and all that. I'm not sure what happened but somehow I seem to have lost that fear. Maybe it's the research I've been doing--watching videos by scientists. Maybe it's my experience talking with William Lane Craig's people and listening to atheist-evangelical debates. I dunno. Maybe it's just a stage of deconversion I arrived at. It certainly changes things just to know the family's focus is no longer exclusively on me. I'm no longer the only "bad girl" in the family. The person who informed me had actually been living with the others. She felt she had to move out because of the change. I am somewhat apprehensive now that they probably got their letters by now. I am still the only atheist. I don't expect this to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I empathize with you about being the only atheist. Everyone in my family has some type of belief, usually xian. Only two people in my family have strayed from that but they still had some type of religious belief. I'm the only one in my family who has no belief. Luckily, my fiance and his father are both atheists, so I'm not a total freak LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Hey thanks for this response, Skeptic, somehow I'd forgotten about this thread and then it got buried. Atheists are not plentiful around here in my area that I know of but getting into contact with the humanist/freethinker group was really helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker630 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Hey thanks for this response, Skeptic, somehow I'd forgotten about this thread and then it got buried. Atheists are not plentiful around here in my area that I know of but getting into contact with the humanist/freethinker group was really helpful. Do not feel alone. Canada has the reputation for being much more secular than the U.S. My family history on my father's side is all Canadian. And I can tell you I have a cousin or two up there who are either atheist, or humanist or Unitarian. And yeah some Catholics too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 *Hugs* Ruby That is indeed good news. Perhaps you can build some kind of meaningful connection with certain family members after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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