Idk what to do in this situation....

[Pancake]

To start, hi everybody, I'm new to the forums.    )

The thing is, at school, I'm pretty much forced to worship "god", and write essays about how much I love "god". This has made me extremely mad, but if I tell them I'm an atheist they will most likely kick me out. The school gives a good education, and my dad worked his ass off to get me into this school (because it has a good education, and at that time I was catholic and I told my parents "I want to be educated in a christian environment)

Also, they are making me read 5 saints books over the summer (they are not short), and answer a short quiz/questions for each of them. No joke. If I was lying about that, I wouldn't be taking the time to type this right now, I would be playing Team Fortress 2.  
-Pancake

[Will]

I believe that there are situations where faking it is a matter of survival. It sounds like, due to your age and circumstance, you're in a position where you can't open up about your beliefs. Instead of potentially damaging your education and creating a massive problem at home, you may want to hunker down until you graduate from what I'm assuming is high school. After that, find a secular college and go have the time of your life.

I became an atheist at 14 but didn't tell anyone until I was 22. It wasn't always easy, but as long as you're being dishonest to protect yourself and you're not becoming depressed, it seems a victimless crime.

If, however, you do start to become depressed (general hopelessness, loss of interest in activities, low on energy/weight gain, self-loathing, or concentration problems), you'll have to do something. In the event of depression, you should speak to the most liberal pastor or religious leader you can. You'll need an advocate, someone to give the "it's just a phase, don't beat him" talk to your parents.

When you get to college, it will all be over and you can be you to everyone. It's likely to be one of the most liberating experiences of your life. Better than Team Fortress.

[Whitney]

From what you have said, it sounds like the answer is to do what you need to do to stay at your school.  Yes, I'm sure it sucks to have to pretend to that extent...I would find that very difficult myself.  Maybe you can make it into a game that you play with yourself where you write your essays about something that is meaningful to you and then be able to replace that meaningful thing with the word God.  You'll know what you really mean.

On the bright side, it's good that you were able to tell your parents.  Many are not able to be so open with their parents and will tell everyone but them first.  I hope that they were able to take hearing the A word well.

And, just to throw this out there.  You are young and your views could still change over the next few years.  If you end up going back to theism later (it happens sometimes) you'd be really mad at yourself for throwing away a great education just because they pushed religion really strongly.  Just something to keep in mind, I'm in no way trying to imply that you are going through a phase.  I just know that my views changed a lot between high school and college as I learned new things.

Also, if you learn a lot more about Catholicism during the rest of your school maybe you would be better able to write a book later about being an atheist in a Catholic school.  Basically, try to find the positive part of a bad situation.

[JillSwift]

Christianity (and the more specific dogma Catholicism) permeates society. It may not seem like it right now, but the more you know about the myths and dogmas of religion, the more about society you will understand and understand it more deeply than others. It's worth your while to do the religious studies.

[curiosityandthecat]

All the Catholics I know are atheists.

[Sheeplauncher]

id echo pretty much what everyone else said. just blow through school and when your done you won't have to deal that religious silliness anymore

[karadan]

Just lie. It is actually quite easy when you know you are right. Tell the teachers of religion at your school exactly what they want to hear. Write what they want to read. You'll fly through school with excellent grades and then you'll be able to choose the rest of your education at university - which is the best place in the world for people like you.

[Zab]

Sounds like a shitty deal. Reading the saints books sounds like a pain, but it could be insightful if you read it skeptically and maintain what you learn. Also, It must be only one class where you're writing shit about god, they wouldn't do that in math, science, or history. I hope they don't anyway, or else it's not 'good education'.

Maybe you'll meet someone in school who is also an Atheist, I'm sure you're not the only one. Anyway, good luck with it all.

[Kahmoe]

I was forced to read a lot of non-religious fictional books going through high school and write about the significance of what happened in them.  Just treat it like you would Star Wars books.  Except really boring ones.  And you're at a place full of wierd people who think they are actually Jedi.

[karadan]

I was forced to read a lot of non-religious fictional books going through high school and write about the significance of what happened in them.  Just treat it like you would Star Wars books.  Except really boring ones.  And you're at a place full of wierd people who think they are actually Jedi.

Well, sucks to be them. I actually am a Jedi, so i needn't worry.  

[Sophus]

I'm going to go against the crowd and say stick to your guns. When I was young I couldn't stand living a lie. I came out which caused some negatives but I do not regret it. Take risks, be bold, do what you want (which may not be what I'm advising you to do).  :eek:

[HandsandDreams]

Maybe you can make it into a game that you play with yourself where you write your essays about something that is meaningful to you and then be able to replace that meaningful thing with the word God.  You'll know what you really mean... Basically, try to find the positive part of a bad situation.

I have to agree with Whitney here.  No matter where you are or what you do in life, there will be unpleasant necessities.  Of course, you can minimize them, but you'll have a lot of trouble doing that until you're a financially independent adult.  In the meantime, I think you have a wonderful opportunity that I wish I had had when I was in school.  I have found that getting along with theists is really very easy; you both believe in a concrete world/universe, you both believe in right and wrong (and usually agree on those), and you both are active in seeking truth and understanding.  Believe it or not, many atheists disagree on these things.

One of the best social skills you can learn is to "translate" a theist's words into your own.  You can hold entire conversations if you do this well; they will think you're talking about God, the bible, etc., you'll really be talking about what's important to you and learning from the conversation, and they will be none the wiser.

Here are examples of some of the questions that I strongly do not want to answer, but I have to if I wanna get a good grade in this subject and stay in that school:
What has "God" done in your life to help you? (as an atheist, my answer would be "Nothing", but if I said that they would probably figure out that i'm an atheist and kick me out)
How has your spiritual life increased this year? (I would say "it hasn't")
Etc, more questions just like that but modified.

Boy, I WISH I had been asked these questions in high school!  At least they force you to think about the big issues and about your self.  Let's take "spiritual life."  Of course, they mean in a religious sense.  But "spiritual" can have meaning for atheists as well.  For me it means that part of me that is uniquely me; my soul, personality, ego, whatever you want to call it.  Essentially what that question is asking is: "What experiences have taught you lessons this year?" (keyword: "you").

The God question is a little more tricky.  Like Whitney said, exchange the word "God" for something that is meaningful for you.  It's OK to worship something, or even multiple things, even if you don't believe in an omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent being.  I worship: myself, the greatness of man's mind and achievements, and the earth and universe that bore us.  When I hear "God," it's these things I think of.  So what do you think is worthy of worship?  What makes you feel exalted?  Notice how these words are normally reserved for religious meanings, but we atheists can use them too.

"What has God done in your life to help you?"  How about giving you lifeand the ability to enjoy it?  Showing you a world you can learn from and understand?  Empowering you with the ability to choose your own fate, to distinguish right from wrong?

I'm going to go against the crowd and say stick to your guns. When I was young I couldn't stand living a lie. I came out which caused some negatives but I do not regret it. Take risks, be bold, do what you want (which may not be what I'm advising you to do).  :eek:

I would say this advice should be a last resort.  Like it or not, you're young.  Until you are financially independent, adults can make your life a living hell.  I think it's wonderful that your parents at least respect you enough to keep your secret for you.  It's not often people of any age feel comfortable confiding in their parents.  If you simply can't bear to walk into that Catholic school anymore, then quit.  Tell your dean you're an atheist and you don't want to attend anymore.  Get expelled if you have to.  Your dad will be furious, but that will pass and he should understand and respect that his child is an independent thinker who must find their own way.

I suspect you also want to spend some time studying non-religious literature.  I strongly recommend The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein, and Wishcraft by Barbara Sher (this last is to narrow down what you want to do with life and how to use goal-setting to get it).  You might also check out The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn, but I have not read it through, and it's more about dropping out of school than staying in.

I hope that helps.  Good luck!

[thiolsulfate]

You may not like this but it's going to sound like everyone else in this thread.

Keep your head down and your mouth shut until you can get the hell out of there. I know it's hard. Believe me. The number of times I've gone to church to keep up appearances with family friends and wanted to storm out or scream at the priest for saying stupid things like "embryos feel pain" and "homosexuals are good people who have fallen to the devil" is too many to count. I went to a Catholic school lead by a zealot and attended Catechism when I went to a public high school where I got more of the same crap.

The problem is that your future, at this point, is in the hands of far too many people with far too much discretionary power. A nun or priest or whomever at the head of your school can ruin your chances of getting into a truly respectable University.

It's tough, I know. But look at it as an opportunity. Having gone through the ridiculous ceremonies and having dodged all the pedophiles in the clergy, I have to admit I learned a lot about the Catholic Church. When they tell you to read the Bible, read it -- and read the parts they don't want you to read. Nothing will place you so solidly in the camp of unbelievers as reading the Bible. The litany of ridiculous things that people believe will baffle you at first -- then make you severely depressed at the state of humanity.

If you can come out of that unscathed you will have found yourself with a temperament unmatched by most. I know you'll be walking on eggshells for years but think of how much more clever you will have become for having done it.

Good luck to you. Stay strong. I hope your BS filters are better than mine were.