Christianity pushed on you....

[LeBlanc]

I had christianity pushed on my from the day I was born...I hated it so much that I thought of becoming a athiest for a while... then my friend showed me paganism in 9th grade and thats how I went this way...even now my mother and sister forces me to go to church every easter and christmas...it is so annoying.. what do you think? do you have anything like that happen to you?  

[Starlock]

I can't quite answer the poll, for my answer is "yes and no." To be more accurate, I was born into a multireligious household; Jewish and Christian, though my parents decided together that both kids would be raised Christian. It was, in a sense, a decision forced upon me... and although they had no right to make that decision in some respects, it is better to grow up with some sort of spiritual life than with none at all. That way at least you have some context and some experience in such matters.

Early on I made it pretty clear I disliked going to mass and for quite a while I was in your shoes, LeBlanc. I was pretty much forced to go to Church... eventually it became only for the major holidays like Christmas and Easter. But I kept persisting and eventually they gave up and let me follow my own path. They faught it for quite some time because they wanted the best for me. My parents always made it very clear that their love for me was unconditional. IMHO, every parent should and does unconditionally love their child. Sometimes it may not appear they have your best interest at hand, but they really do. I'm unsure of the exact circumstances of your condition, but generally it is advisable to be kind and understanding if they at first don't understand.  

[Tsuzuki]

I was raised by healthy Christians, and have incorporated the best of it into my current path.  

[TeaDidikai]

LeBlanc

I had christianity pushed on my from the day I was born...I hated it so much that I thought of becoming a athiest for a while... then my friend showed me paganism in 9th grade and thats how I went this way...even now my mother and sister forces me to go to church every easter and christmas...it is so annoying.. what do you think? do you have anything like that happen to you?

I think being upset about going to church twice a year is kinda sad.

My mother is Liberal Christian, my Nana is a Gnostic. A large part of my family is Catholic. Every year I go to Christmas Mass, and you know what? I enjoy it. The songs are beautiful, the candles and the stained glass are breath taking- and the idea of being "anti-Christian" instead of being "pro-Spirituality" and enjoying your own faith is kinda a sad sight in the Pagan Scene.  

[PhantomPhoenix0]

Yes I was. My parents still make me go to church, and I even created a topic in M&R about this problem (http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11148254&page=1)

My best advice is go to church anyway. You can still learn ALOT about how to be a better person, even if you dont believe in God or Jesus. This past sunday's service at my church was about how we need to be more patient, and understand that what we pray for might not come right away. Granted, this was supported by biblical passages, but that doesnt make it any less valid.  

[BookWhore]

I was raised in a loosely christian household. as my mother has gotten older though she has gotten more devout. She's of the southern baptist variety and she is firmly convinced that armageddon is on the way. She asked me one day what I would do if the "rapture" were to occur and she disappeared. I told her very honestly that I would piss myself and then start praying. It's relatively normal now for her to talk about the "christian oppression" and how the mark of the beast is coming. she told me point blank that when people start getting "chipped" that she will go into hiding with other christians. Thats a little spooky. I text my brother on a regular basis now to make sure that she hasn't gone into hiding. she's 1500 miles away in TX so it's hard to keep tabs on her lol (if you don't know what the rapture is, look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture  

[emmfullness]

My mother is a crazy Christain. She thinks that Jews, Muslims, Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. are all going to hell. Oh yeah, and gays and pro-choicers and everyone else who doesn't fall into the stereotypical Christain pool. Further, she has crazy misconceptions of everything. Example: She thinks Buddhists worship Buddha as God and the Wiccans are either nature or Satan worshipers. rolleyes Furthermore, she ignores all forms of science that would deviate from her view of anything Christain. Example: she doesn't think dinosaurs actually existed because the Bible didn't say so. Seriously. I'm not joking. She actually believes that. She flipped out and was talking about sending me to the mental hospital because I refered to God as a he/she/it in one of my random writings. She thinks God is purely male because the Bible supposedly says so. She also fervently denies the possibility of a female Antichrist if you were to go with that. Seriously, I asked the question "What if the Antichrist is a girl?" when I was like 8 or 9 and she just glared down at me and said ever so sternly "He will be a man." She flipped out when I started studying Buddhism (because I'm fascinated by anything Asian. I might even know the Japanese better the Japanese do at this point.... rofl ). However, at least she came to accept that in time as a point of fascination, though she did threaten to not allow it any further if she caught me with any more the whole different points of view thing.... No wonder I won't tell her crap of what I think about, huh? xd  

[MST3Kakalina]

twice a year isn't that much at all. suck it up, pilgrim.

i love going to church on christmas eve--they do a candlelight service and sing nothing but traditional christmas standards (come all ye faithful, joy to the world, silent night, etc) and it's beautiful. it's really wonderful to see so many people happy and without hate or fear or anything, even if it's only for a few minutes.

easter is eh, not so much. i do like the smell of lilies, though.  

[maenad nuri]

twice a year? When I go home, I'm expected to go with my family because it is what we do as a family.

Twice a year is nothing. Sit back, enjoy. Learn about a religion as you get older and can appreciate the nuances from a different perspective.

Saying Christianity has been pushed on you because it is your families religion is like saying that English has been pushed on you because its your families language.  

[PurpleDragonsGems]

I was raised Catholic from a young age, but my family (just parents and younger sister) gave that up. Both my parents are athiest so mom didn't care. She read the first book I read to make sure i wasn't getting into anything dangerous (It was Teen Witch, but oh well). My grandmother one told me i wasn't allowed to practice until she was dead....then i turned 18 and was like....whatever *practices anyway*. I've had the occational aunt worry about my soul, but, they don't bother me anymore (esp. sence i'm over the 'YOUR PERSICUTING ME' stage brought on by that first book xd )  

[Cerulean Crayon]

I was born into a Jewish house, and my grandfather's a Holocaust survivor, so he pushes hard not to let the faith dies out.  

[miserabelle]

Meh, my family's not at all Christian, so I never had that bother.

I get people trying to convert me in the street (and how do they know whether or not I'm Christian?!?) and the occasional friend tries to 'save' me.

It doesn't bother me much though like it used to - I don't really care what anyone does any more. So long as they're not too much trouble.  

[LeBlanc]

The only reason that I push away Catholisism is because of how hard it is pushed on me. My mother thinks that if she takes me enough times and pushes it on me enough that I magicaly turn into a christain and go to church every sunday. That's why I really don't like to go. When I finally went and bought a pentacle (casue I was not allowed unless I did it in private) she flipped out... and then when she found my alter in my room she got really pissed at me and grounded me for a month. And while I was grounded she forced me to go to church every sunday. (THERS ANOTHER REASON!) The worst part whas when my mother made me tell my entire family during a Christmas get together that I was becoming pagan, and when my aunt supported me(she is a sort of multi-believer, her specialty in socail studies like mine is religions) MY MOTHER GOT PISSED AT HER!!! and refused to talk to her for almost a month. Then for the rest of the night, my entire family continued to pester and push me to go back to christianity...like that would work!?!?!

So yes I don't mind going for the information.... but I do mind when it is all for trying to make me a christain!  

[LeBlanc]

I was once at a street fair and a person saw my pentacle and handed me a two sided card that read: To not believe in the one true god id death...( and the other side read)...that death will take you straight to hell. (then the church the person belonged to... I got mad, but instead of yelling at them or throwing it at them... I walked away and threw it out)

What do you think about that?!? razz  

[PhantomPhoenix0]

LeBlanc

The only reason that I push away Catholisism is because of how hard it is pushed on me. My mother thinks that if she takes me enough times and pushes it on me enough that I magicaly turn into a christain and go to church every sunday. That's why I really don't like to go. When I finally went and bought a pentacle (casue I was not allowed unless I did it in private) she flipped out... and then when she found my alter in my room she got really pissed at me and grounded me for a month. And while I was grounded she forced me to go to church every sunday. (THERS ANOTHER REASON!) The worst part whas when my mother made me tell my entire family during a Christmas get together that I was becoming pagan, and when my aunt supported me(she is a sort of multi-believer, her specialty in socail studies like mine is religions) MY MOTHER GOT PISSED AT HER!!! and refused to talk to her for almost a month. Then for the rest of the night, my entire family continued to pester and push me to go back to christianity...like that would work!?!?!

So yes I don't mind going for the information.... but I do mind when it is all for trying to make me a christain!

It does suck having it FORCED on you (which to be honest, doesnt seem like what you are going through is really being forced to believe. I have heard of worse.), but your mom is just trying to help you in her eyes. She belives that those who do not follow god are doomed to hell, and since you dont follow god, you are going to hell. She is only trying to help. Im assuming you are under 18. There is a saying that I heard Tea mention. It goes "Drink from my well, honor my gods" (something close to that). In other words, as long as you are under her roof, the least you can do is honor her god.

And as for the card you got at the street fair, ya those are annoying. Just accept it with a smile. I dont really know what would be polite to do with it though. I would just throw it away once you get home or something.