Abbasux

wow I was hoping to get a couple respnses, thanks. This is the second time I got kicked out, the first time I thought we understood each other but I guess I was wrong.

as for me well I am happy where I am but I miss my little brother and I miss my dad too. my brother is spending this weekend with me so thats cool.
I didn't go to my mom for problems because about a year ago she tried to kill herself, she went into the garage and turned on the car. My brother and I found her in there and we pulled her into the house and called 911. From there she was in the hospital for a few months and she sees a doctor for her depression, she lives with her boyfriend now and I dont even think she knows any of this is going on she is busy with her boyfriend and he doesn't really like kids so we dont talk too often. My dad was never the same after she left and maybe he is stressed about her. I worry about my mom too but she is getting better I think so we try not to bother my mom with stuff. I want to stay here permanently I just have to talk about that with Amie though, I don't know how that will work out since my brother seems kind of mad at her too. I dont know why though. I heard them on the phone though and I heard her say to my dad something like "why is it so many parents spend their lives teaching their kids to think for themselves and just when they start doing that parents try to surpress it" I thought that was sort of cool but I think it made my dad hang up on her. I guess I didn't think about the legal stuff. I don't know if my dad gave any money to my aunt, I doubt it but I don't know. Today I had to bring something for a bake sale at school to raise money for sports so yesterday my aunt and my cousin made a bunch of cupcakes for the bake sale and that was the first time I felt like part of a real family, lI figured baking something for my school would be something a mom would do because my mom never really had time or she was sick and just couldn't. usually at home I do most of the stuff because my dad works so much. My dad is a good dad but I know he does not want me to be an atheist because he thinks they are evil. I really like the christian people because those are the only people I know and most of them are pretty cool but I just dont have a reason to believe in God but I dont think theres anything wrong with the ones who do believe in God so why would they think there is something wrong with me? I guess the only ones who make my views a problem are some people who do believe. I dont think its a big deal to not believe, I dont sit around at school talking about God and why I dont believe, none of my friends talk about God at all. The other night I was at christianforums and I opened a thread in the teen forum asking if I could participate in there and they told me no because they thought I might confuse some of the christians there and one of them told me atheist=no hope so then I opened a thread in apologitics over there and that turned out to be a good thing. I dont know any atheists so I guess it might be good to come here. I am going to sit down with my dad and talk to him but I dont know what to say because I dont want to lie to him and tell him I believe something that I dont. I am suppose to see him next Friday so I will let you know how it goes. I just don't want him to be stressed out. Thanks again and sorry it took so long to get back to you, I have alot of homework and I have to really work for my grades and geometry has been killing me lately.

Albion

Oh dear! I suppose some parents feel rather strongly that by disagreeing with them their kids are rejecting them, but it doesn't make things any easier when you know they're just being defensive. It sounds as if your dad's under a lot of stress. Is he getting any sort of help from anywhere?

Non-praying Mantis

Welcome to II, Brax!

If your aunt is who I think she is, then she is actually dating an atheist! Perhaps she could arrange for you to talk to him about your feelings/your situation/other things?

Oh, BTW, it makes your posts MUCH easier for us to read if you break them up into paragraphs with a blank line separating each paragraph. Thanks.

NPM

Infinity Lover

I'm boldly guessing that between taking legal steps against his own flesh and blood, and getting social services involved, the kid got sufficiently freaked out to look elsewhere for moral support.

Brava. :banghead:

Autonemesis

You know, I am not worried about you. With an attitude like that, you'll be just fine. From what you've said so far about your family, I don't know how much credit I could give to your parents for how you turned out. But in any case, your devotion to personal integrity is to be admired and you should continue to stick to your guns and not back down. You're not being unreasonable at all, in fact, I think you've gone above and beyond the call of duty for a son to his father with your cool-headed reaction to his banning you from the home. If your dad has anything at all to do with your high caliber as a person, he'll get over this and welcome you back, probably sooner rather than later.

GunnerJ

Hey! He's back, wouldn't ya know it? So much for your "guess."

THANK YOU FOR PLAYER!

T BRAX: Your whole situation sounds very disturbing. I've never told my parents that I was an atheist, but only because I don't want to hurt my mother's feelings. I could never imagine my parents doing what your dad did. My point is, as others have already pointed out, your dad was VERY wrong, and you have nothing to apologise for.

I can't offer any better advice, I just hope things get better for you.

Good luck, Rimstalker.

Godless Dave

That's the $64M question isn't it? I'm twice your age and I still haven't figured that one out.

Your whole family situation sounds very difficult. I admire you for being as level-headed as you are.

Treacle Worshipper

Brax,
Thanks for letting us know how you're doing.
Your current family situation sounds pretty horrendous, but, as others have said, you seem to be coping well. It's good to hear things are going well for you at your aunt's.
I don't have any more advice, except to put your schoolwork first, because good grades will be the basis for you getting a job to support yourself as you get older. (NB: This doesn't mean you can't have things 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & so on. Part of getting good grades is knowing you also need time to relax and not think about it.)
Best wishes,
TW

openeyes

As others have said, you seem to be pretty level-headed considering all that is going on in your life.

Remember you don't have to fix everything, and even the things you do, you don't have to do all at once.

If you can stay where you're at and keep up with school, that's a big step in the right direction. Some of these other matters will resolve themselves with time one way or another.

Getting some support for yourself and your point of view is also a very good step for now. There are many of us functioning just fine without a god-belief, but tend to be amazed like you that so many people have a problem with it. Their "problem" doesn't make us more likely to become believers, so we find ways to cope. This board in one way. Use it as much as you need to, but keep things going in your "real" life too.

Things will get better as you get older and more independent. Since you are young, it may be several years to feel it, but I think you'll be further ahead than your counterparts when you do reach that point of self-reliance.

Hobbs

Abbasux, along with others who have already responded, I am impressed with your level-headedness, composure, and integrity in a situation like this. I don't know if it would be of any help to you or your father, but I wrote an extensive account of why I am no longer a Christian in which part of what I stress is that non-Christians and even nontheists can have a solid basis for morality and can live good, moral, fulfilled lives. It is rather long, so if you want to skip to the morality part that is in the last section ("Building a New World"). If your father would be willing to read it, or if you care to take the time to read it and use some of it in talking with him, maybe there are a few things in there that could help him to understand you and not be afraid of your (lack of) religious beliefs.