Atheism, Divorce, and Choices
posted on January 01, 2013 07:59PM GMT
I shall endeavour as much as possible to keep this topic on point, avoiding all unnecessarily heavy descriptions that seem to ask you to be 'free psychologists' (although I am fairly certain that some among here are more than qualified to do so).
I have been an atheist for nearly a year now. I should never have thought it last Christmas (Saturnalia?) enrolled as I was in seminary, engaging in preaching and leading bible studies at my strictly conservative church. Raised as a pastors child in a deeply religious family, I can assure you that book burning, or at least vitriolic disposal, enjoyed top priority in my home. Believing in voices that existed solely in my head, I felt the need to be a pastor. The details of my conversion to Reason are fairly uninspired and quite attributable to Richard Dawkins and the wonderful late Christopher Hitchens. I became an atheist.
Such as it is, I have removed myself from seminary and regular church work as much as possible, yet have not breathed a word of my unbelief to my family. Sufficient to say they have noticed my current trepidation for all things religious. I am about to begin studies of astrophysics in the fall (after many months of deprogramming my ravaged mental capacities at the hands of hysterically incompetent religious teachers) and live with my parents (at the age of 21 - I do in fact preach and teach at such an age, yet competence in preaching is easily gained). They are getting a divorce. Interesting how one's desires are easily wrought through torturous interpretation of scripture.
Finally I have come to my ultimate point: I am faced with financial instability, separating parents, and a family who will turn their back on me in an instant with news of my Atheism. Does anyone here have any advice, based on personal experience or perhaps via osmosis on these forums, on coming out as an atheist?
I apologize for such a long post, yet I hope I have conveyed my thoughts in as clear a fashion as possible. I appreciate any and all who have made it to the end, and my gratitude extends further to those who take time to respond. - J
I have been an atheist for nearly a year now. I should never have thought it last Christmas (Saturnalia?) enrolled as I was in seminary, engaging in preaching and leading bible studies at my strictly conservative church. Raised as a pastors child in a deeply religious family, I can assure you that book burning, or at least vitriolic disposal, enjoyed top priority in my home. Believing in voices that existed solely in my head, I felt the need to be a pastor. The details of my conversion to Reason are fairly uninspired and quite attributable to Richard Dawkins and the wonderful late Christopher Hitchens. I became an atheist.
Such as it is, I have removed myself from seminary and regular church work as much as possible, yet have not breathed a word of my unbelief to my family. Sufficient to say they have noticed my current trepidation for all things religious. I am about to begin studies of astrophysics in the fall (after many months of deprogramming my ravaged mental capacities at the hands of hysterically incompetent religious teachers) and live with my parents (at the age of 21 - I do in fact preach and teach at such an age, yet competence in preaching is easily gained). They are getting a divorce. Interesting how one's desires are easily wrought through torturous interpretation of scripture.
Finally I have come to my ultimate point: I am faced with financial instability, separating parents, and a family who will turn their back on me in an instant with news of my Atheism. Does anyone here have any advice, based on personal experience or perhaps via osmosis on these forums, on coming out as an atheist?
I apologize for such a long post, yet I hope I have conveyed my thoughts in as clear a fashion as possible. I appreciate any and all who have made it to the end, and my gratitude extends further to those who take time to respond. - J
