Another preachers son...

[seasonsofmadness]

I finally talked it all over with my parents (over the phone). My dad used some of the typical apologetics ("these historians have confirmed that this book was written at this date" etc), but mostly just told me how bad it made them feel, how disappointed they are in me, and how empty my life will be without a faith system. He then said that if I don't change my mind, they will have to "withdraw" from me. So like I thought, they are basically going to disown me. What suprised me though was my mom's response. Here is a shortened version of my conversation with her:

My mom: "why do you think the Bible is false?"

Me: "I don't have to prove that it is false. You have to prove that it is true. So tell me why you think it is true."

my mom: "Well people keep thinking that they have proven it wrong, and then we have another discovery that proves it was right." (referring to some claimed historical inaccuracies in the bible, that later discoveries proved to be accurate)

me: "They just knew those historic things because the Bible was written during that time. That's not evidence that the Bible is inspired by God. Do you have any other reason to believe the Bible?"

my mom "I don't know...I'll have to think about it."

And then she used some "His ways are higher than ours," and that was basically her whole argument. I actually thought my mom would have had some better arguments than that, but apperantly she hardly even knows why she is a christian, she just knows it's right.

And then I "came out" to one of my christian friends, and she was perfectly ok with it, so I'm actually feeling pretty good  

[VanReal]

Good for you, and it sounds like it went pretty well and hopefully the initial "withdraw from you" comment was an initial gut reaction.  Now you just have to remember that this does not need to be the focus of your relationship with them.  You have freed yourself and expressed your non-belief.  You will most likely never convince them, and really you don't need to.  You can not have a relationship with them that is not based on religion at all....be respectful and be understanding, and be happy that you don't have to worry about this anymore.

[curiosityandthecat]

I finally talked it all over with my parents (over the phone)....

And then I "came out" to one of my christian friends, and she was perfectly ok with it, so I'm actually feeling pretty good