 Anti,
First of all, you are so mature in the way you present yourself, I would not have ever guessed you were young enough to be my son!
Well done, in growing up!!!
And Anti, as much as you feel that your parents have the right to know, timing is everything. Not only for the benefits of a continued relationship when you feel dependent on them financially but for the preserving of the relationship you have with them. Now me, I have had to be easy going and accept whatever my kids brought my way that was different than my expectations or the way I brought them up. And I would not ever sacrifice relationship with anyone of them no matter what. And I am sure your parents would not want to lose out on what they have with you, simply because you are a free thinker, and trying out your own philosophies and mindset.
But I would still advise you to wait til it just becomes a natural part of the conversation at hand. If you present it as an issue to them, you are making it grave and they will feel a need to cast a judgment on your thoughts, if not on you. And they might not be ready to say, "Glad you are thinking Son!" for fear that they would be encouraging you away from the faith they brought you up to know in practice.
On the other hand, when the time is right, I would expect they might even encourage you to explore all the thoughts there are, for the sake of coming to truly believe whatever you will believe as your own, and not simply some coattail ride on parental religion.
I must tell you Anti, two years ago, I began my own trek into agnosticism, and yet when nearly at the bottom of the "slippery slope" I declared myself atheist and felt the weight of the world was crushing me. I squirmed out of that confession and held onto faith in God. But just as surely, I still have many unresolved questions. I have shelved them for fear that there are no answers.
I simply cannot stop believing in God...in Jesus.
But I understand a little bit of your journey and also your concern for losing relationship because of it. I have been shunned by quite a number of Christians and since hitting the brakes on my trek to unbelief, a few of my atheist friends, though not adverse to me, simply don't engage me in conversation so much anymore.
I am everyone's lost cause. I wish you to know that no matter what you think, where you find answers, no matter who, in the end, does or does not receive you and your beliefs, you are no one's lost cause!
For what it's worth...my thoughts and best wishes,
OD |