Update: Christmas January 4, 2008
Posted by Teen Atheist in anecdotes, family, teen angst.Tags: atheism, Christmas, family, religion
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I’m not sure why I haven’t updated recently. I don’t think it’s because I’ve run out of things to say, but because I’m starting to worry that my parents might find this blog and ream me. I really should work on finding a job and moving out. My mother (we’re on speaking terms now, more on that later) is sending me job advertisments now; can’t decide if that’s an un-subtle way to say “Get off your lazy ass” (because she’s made that quite clear already), or if she’s actually trying to be helpful. In any case, I’ll take it.
I didn’t want to write about Christmas, because while it was better than I’d expected — having my cousins over cushioned the blow a little bit — I still think I would’ve had more fun by myself in a hotel, getting wasted and stuffing myself with chips. After a week of the cold shoulder, Mother Dearest started talking to me again. I played along, but this certainly doesn’t make everything okay. I hate it when people expect a free pass for the shitty things they’ve done “just because it’s Christmas.” A holiday should not be enough to excuse a person for hurting someone else. So, yeah, still hate her very much, but I guess I’ll try to hide it until I can get out of this place.
On Christmas Eve, I accidentally outed myself to my cousin, John*. He was on my laptop, logging on to Radio Blog Club and for some reason, the username form said “teenatheist.” I don’t know how it happened, since I’ve never visited Radio Blog Club before. In any case, he was like, “Are you an atheist?” And I’m like “Yeah, but you weren’t supposed to know.” He asked me a few questions about it, but he was pretty okay with it.
I wish I could say more, but I’m feeling particularly numb at the moment. I’ll leave the comments section of this entry as a “Q and A with Teen Atheist” kind of thing, so if you have anything at all that you want to know about me (favorite color? actor? movie? Do you really think that ECW’s John Morrison is hot?), fire away.
Diary of a Teenage Atheist 
what did you want for christmas?
Heh. Money, of course. 🙂
My mind is just slowly adapting to the idea that there are places where atheism is kind of, well, taboo… I have been raised somewhere between agnosticism and atheism, by an atheist family (atheist parents and grand-parents). They taught me Judaism (on my dad’s side) and Lutheran Protestantism (on my mom’s side) as a culture and not as a religion.
My boyfriend’s parents are Roman Catholics, and I know they aren’t quite pleased with the fact that he started questioning religion at about 14 and most definitely stopped believing in God and going to church and so on at age 16. Actually, they kind of act as if it wasn’t the case (and keep on sending him religious greeting cards and asking him if he went to mass for Easter and things like that). But this is the worse I have personally witnessed in terms of religious people vs. atheists.
Your story is quite another dimension, and I am actually so aghast at what you write that I don’t really know how to react. However, I’d like to tell you, just hang on.
Citronella’s response is exactly why you should keep blogging. You are providing an important service by helping people realize what many atheists have to endure while growing up.
I agree with vjack, TA. We need more teen atheists blogging and talking about their atheism.
In other words, keep it up! 🙂
One bit of advice, however – and this comes from me – an active, outspoken, out atheist with five kids, and a huge extended religious family (both LDS and evangelical Christians) – try and make your family relationships work. Whether you or they want to admit it or not, being close to and enjoying spending time with your family is *important*. It becomes more and more important as time goes by.
You’ll discover that your atheism will become less important to them in the years to come, and they will eventually boast to their friends, “Well, my daughter is an atheist, and we are very proud of her for taking a stand,” or some such.
I know this, because it happened to me. ROTTEN feelings all-around when I came out at 19. Everyone got on me – family, parents, cousins, friends. I kept things level and friendly, and in only a few years, I was no longer the evil atheist family black sheep. Instead I was once again simply Cousin (or Brother, or nephew, etc.) Brent – who just happened to also be a (ho-hum) atheist.
Just hang in there, don’t burn any bridges, and I guarantee it’ll get better.
The reason why the name “teenatheist” appeared in the username box is because of how your browser is set up. If you go to the options setting – so to prevent this sort of thing from happening again – make sure that your browser is unchecked for remembering information in forms.
Thanks, Jersey! I should know better than to let other people use my laptop while I’m logged on, anyway. XD