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Well Protestants aren't the only one who get their own seperate category. Catholics, Mormons, Lutherans, Bapists, and Jehovah Witnesses are often referred to as if they are a seperate religion, even though they aren't.

I'm not sure how parents can use the argument "you were baptised catholic".
Most are baptised at a young age before they are able to develop their own opinions on religion so isn't that really brain-washing?

The theology is set up that after you are baptized, regardless of becoming a heretic, apostate, or excommunicated, you are still considered a Christian by the Church. Just out of grace and in severe sin.

If you don't want them to recognize you as a Christian you can write a letter of defection (formal letter declaring that you are no longer a member of the Church) to the Bishop of your Diocese and they can remove you from the records permanently.

I was baptized Catholic as an infant, but that was merely a ceremony to make my biological father happy. From the time I was three to 17, I never saw him. I attended one Catholic mass a few years back around Christmas time. My mother is a very, very liberal Christian / borderline Atheist (if she isn't one already). My stepdad is a hardcore atheist. I was speaking with my stepdad's father (Bob) about what I planned to do with my life. When I mentioned that I was interested in pursuing a position as a preacher / chaplain somewhere, he stopped talking to me and handed the phone to grandma. I haven't spoken to him since. He can't disown me because the relation is only on paper, but I get the impression that that is the direction it would have gone. Once I finished talking to grandma, I gave the phone to Dad and Bob spent quite some time yelling at Dad. Something about not being a good influence, etc, etc.

I am personally a conservative Christian. Officially, I am a member of the Church of Christ. It is difficult to live in this house. Every time one of my (many) sisters has a religious question, my parents always, without fail, respond with "That's what some people believe," or "it all depends on what you believe!" There is no concerte stance on anything remotely religious. If I happen to be away doing something with the church, which is at least twice a week, I am not allowed to eat when I get home. It's Dad's way of trying to get me to drop my religion.
So, it can be difficult. Most of my family disapproves, and is very open about it. I spent a whole week listening to Bob talk about my uncle, Jason, and his upcoming mission trip to Kenya / Uganda. I'll leave out the foul language, (it's not hard to guess where they go) "That man is being irresponsible and only wants to go for his own selfish pride."

My dad wis a Methodist ( christian) and my Mother was raised a southern baptist but is now some other form of christian.... When I was growing up religion was never really an issue.... I think I went to church once before I was ten and I had hardly any idea what was going on and when they passed the offering plate around I thought they were offering us money and thus accidentally stole from the church. Jesus was always in the background though. At ten my parents divorced and my dad continued to be non-church going/ never spoke of religion. My mother on the other hand got really into Jesus and became what I like to think of as a super-christian. Most of my siblings are christian with the exception of my brother who is atheist. I have studied wiccan and am currently agnostic with the goal of studying as many religions as possible and trying to find my faith. Hence the reason I joined this guild.

I don't personally, but my neighbors/family friends do. Miss Amy is a practicing Catholic, and Mr. Gene is a practicing Christian, which seems like an odd combination. But somehow they make it work. One week they'll go to one church, and the next week they'll go to the other. :]

Growing up we had no set religion other then my mom believing in Jesus and my dad being an agnostic, he wasn't smart enough to know that word though. I came upon Asatru at 15 years ago, though I had felt something there long before. Not an unhealthy love of the Thor comic (I never even liked that book), but something in me that would trigger under certain conditions. I kept my affiliation quiet for the better part of 10 years, not from fear, just that in my family no one cared about religion so it was never brought up.

Fast forward to 5 years ago. I started dating my wife and met.... her family! Now for more background, my wife had given up on her parents religion years before, but still went through the motions to keep the peace in a very abusive home situation. I came along with my faith and she became interested so I shared. Her parents then started on me and never quit. They are very (a woman's place is in the home) conservative fundamentalist christians. Now my wife will find her way back to Jesus... just as long as they can get rid of me. So began the five years of s**t.

My wife and I had a daughter a year ago and decided to raise her asatru, to which the in-laws began an all out siege on us to baptizes her to which we both said no. My wife hated her time as a christian and at times is harder on the religion then I am, so no right. The in-laws, who watched the baby from time to time, started concocting a plan to have the baby baptized without us ever knowing. We found out about it before it happened, so needless to say that was the last straw. We now don't even speak to them. My wife loves it as she hates them all bitterly, not just for the last few years, but the years of abuse too.