So let me tell you about my weekend.

[Xjeepguy]

I think this is the correct forum for this topic, if not, my apologies.

Had a great day at work friday, came home in a good mood and all was well with the world, until......
The phone rang saturday morning. It was a member of my family who asked me to go to church sunday morning. I politely declined, gave no reason, and assumed it was over as soon as I laid my cell phone down. Then, saturday afternoon, the phone rang again. It was a different family member, asking me to bring my family to church. I, thinking it was odd that this happened twice in one day, politely declined once again. This time this individual wanted an answer as to why I refused to go to church. I (trying to be polite) told her that my beliefs weren't aligned with the church's and it being a free country, I choose not to go. Hung up kinda pissed this time. Then late saturday night, my doorbell rings. It is yet a third family member wanting to discuss going to church. I answered the door with "are you people fucking mormons now or something?" I guess that wasn't a very nice thing to say, but I felt my privacy was being violated, and quite frankly, they know me well enough to expect such a greeting after bugging me all damn day. I was informed that I was pretty much being disowned by most of the family, that I was a disgrace to the family because I made my grandmother cry by refusing to go to church, and that I was an unfit parent for not ever forcing my children or wife to go to church. I informed this person that my wife is a grown woman with a will of her own and can go if she wants and it is not my place or authority to make her do anything, and my kids dont believe in santa or the easter bunny, why would I fill their heads with more nonsense? So I chose to stay up all night drinking jagermeister, just in case they came back, and spent the better part of the next day drinking beer and hanging out with my cousin (the other outcast).

So long story short, my tolerance level of theism, as well as my temper have not been optimal as of late. Anybody else have a family full of cultists?

[Norfolk And Chance]

Nope. I can't imagine being in that position either. That's just harsh man. Reading stuff like this just taints my view of religion even more even though I'm not directly experiencing it.

[DeterminedJuliet]

That's horrible 
I haven't experienced anything like it, but what do they expect? For you to completely lie about who you are and put on a farce every week just so you don't accidently "upset your grandmother"?

[Tank]

What a miserable bunch of intollerent fucking bastards. And bandit4god wonders why atheists get pissed off with theists.

Sorry to hear of your grief with those of your family infected with religion.

[Norfolk And Chance]

What a miserable bunch of intollerent fucking bastards. And bandit4god wonders why atheists get pissed off with theists.

Sorry to hear of your grief with those of your family infected with religion.

And as people don't particularly like to offend their own family members, and are force fed the virtue "respect your elders" (even if they are wrong), religion maintains a grip - who wants to make granny cry?

[Tank]

Maybe xjeepguy should go to church and start pointing out the issues with Christianity? They only asked him to go to church, not what he would do there. But that would be evangelising, something atheists are not allowed/supposed to do 

[xSilverPhinx]

That really sucks, I'm glad I don't have a family of cultists...I don't know how I would deal with them.

Maybe xjeepguy should go to church and start pointing out the issues with Christianity? They only asked him to go to church, not what he would do there. But that would be evangelising, something atheists are not allowed/supposed to do 

^This! There's no surer way of getting them to not want you to go to church or discuss religion...

[Siz]

Nearest I came was my great grandmother forcing me to say the lords prayer before bed whenever I stayed with her. It was just annoying as a 14y.o.
And this was also the woman who warned us of the mortal dangers of sniffing cannabis.

Nothing like informed parenting...

[Xjeepguy]

Thanks for the support, I felt like I was the subject of an intervention or something. I found out it is pretty much 4 people, although they made it sound like it was the whole family. I am pretty much done with them, and have already sent emails letting them know that they have not only disowned me, but my wife and children as well. I wont have them scraping me off only to come over wanting to take my kids somewhere so they can guilt them into going to church.

[Norfolk And Chance]

I'm very sorry to hear that it has gone this far. I hope they come to their senses.

[Whitney]

I'm very sorry that your family has chosen to miss out on your and your kid's lives just because you wouldn't go listen to a guy read from an old book on sunday.  Stories like this happen much more often that I use to think and it's very sad for everyone.

[Sandra Craft]

Thanks for the support, I felt like I was the subject of an intervention or something. I found out it is pretty much 4 people, although they made it sound like it was the whole family. I am pretty much done with them, and have already sent emails letting them know that they have not only disowned me, but my wife and children as well. I wont have them scraping me off only to come over wanting to take my kids somewhere so they can guilt them into going to church.

So it's just the four nitwits, the rest of the family isn't in on it?  That's something at least, I was afraid you'd have only that one cousin left.  It's too bad about the rift with the kids, but honestly, they do sound like the sort of people who'd baptize your kids behind your back.  The kids are better off not having to deal with that kind of manipulation.