A teenage girl has shared her awful experience of growing up in a strict religious environment as an atheist.
She Never Believed in God
A teenage girl named Sarah has taken to the internet to express her struggle with the pressure to conform in a religious society. Despite living in a predominantly Christian community in Europe, she knew from a young age that she didn’t believe in God. Regardless, her parents made her feel obligated to attend church.
A Plea for Confidentiality
The situation took a troubling turn when Sarah summoned the courage to inform her mother, who believed in God but didn’t practice many religious traditions, about her atheism. Much to Sarah’s dismay, her mother disclosed the revelation to her father, disregarding Sarah’s explicit plea for confidentiality.
Mandatory Religious Classes
As the new school year approached, a fresh dilemma emerged. Sarah was expected to attend religious classes, a requirement in her country. To be excused from these classes, parental consent was required. As such, Sarah repeated her stance to her mother and expressed her refusal to participate in the lessons.
The Right to Make Autonomous Decisions
Her mother insisted that she attend the classes despite her differing beliefs. The disagreement escalated into a heated argument and Sarah vented her frustration at the lack of respect for her autonomy and choices. She’d always felt uncomfortable during the religious classes and she wanted to spend her time studying things that resonated with her interests and personal convictions.
Sarah Was in Tears
In the midst of the emotionally charged confrontation, her parents accused her of insensitivity toward their feelings and labeled her as a “selfish and spoiled brat.” Sarah found herself in tears and took to the internet to find out whether or not she was in the wrong.
The Internet Responded
Commenters were largely on Sarah’s side. “It isn’t something you feel in your heart and sitting in a classroom isn’t going to make you feel different about it,” one person wrote, talking about Christianity. “During the classes, start asking questions about other religions, especially older ones, and bring up fictional ones as well,” another suggested.
Noah’s Ark Was a Fairy Tale
Others shared personal stories. One individual wrote: “My parents forced me to go to church every time the doors were open. I’ve not been back since I left home for college to the chagrin of my parents. I figured out at 8 that Noah’s Ark was a fairy tale.”
Blinded by a Fantasy
People were overwhelmingly supportive. “The problem is that, because your parents believe in God, they think they’re saving you by forcing you to endure these classes. You are not in the wrong. They are but they can’t see it because they’re blinded by a fantasy,” one person said.
A Minority Disagreed
A very small minority left less-than-desirable comments. “Children who disbelieve in the existence of God do so because their neglectful and/or controlling and/or abusive parents are, to the child, ‘God.’ They disrespect their parents, thus disbelieving in God. It’s simple psychology. It’s not sane to disbelieve in God. It means you’ve been abused,” one person wrote. “Idiot,” another replied bluntly.
Others Left Humorous Comments
Some people left funny comments to lighten the mood. “Why do we have to believe in the magic sky daddy?” one person asked. “Only fools mock God for he knows their day is coming,” another replied, gaining a fair few dislikes. “God can go to hell,” a third wrote.
Forcing Religious Beliefs Upon Others
Some commenters criticized Christianity as a whole. “This is the problem with Christianity. If they kept their beliefs to themselves, it’d be fine. But no. A huge part of the religion is aggressively trying to force everybody else to be Christian under the guise of ‘saving’ them. It’s gross. I’m sorry you’re going through this. It won’t be long and you’ll be old enough to move away and live your life.”
Driving People Away From Christianity
People continued to share personal stories that highlighted how forcing children to attend church can drive them away from Christianity. One person wrote: “I was forced [from] birth to go to Sunday school, attend every sermon, attend every midweek manna. [I was] forced to be a part of the church choir, forced to be a part of the church band, forced [to] be a part of the church bells, and forced to help the younger children in the form of an assistant Sunday school teacher as a child and teenager. I, as an adult, have cut ties with the church and will never step foot in one again. I have never believed, even as a young child. I was told to shut up, listen, and do as I was told.”
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