Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SaucyJane on May 25, 2010 at 8:03pm

Do you mean holidays as in religious holidays?

It's not generally a problem for me... my in-laws are (not very convincingly) Catholic and we just don't talk about it. I haven't bluntly told them that I'm a full-fledged atheist, but they know I don't observe any religion. Fortunately they've never pushed it.

I just try to avoid going to the "religious" aunt and uncle for Easter. ;)

Permalink Reply by RonVB on June 10, 2010 at 4:54am

For the most part it is not an issue. There are enough non-religious themes for holidays like christmas and easter, so it's not really a problem. I do attend once church service a year and that is at christmas. And my only reason for doing that is because my wife likes to go with her family (her parents and brothers) on that one day just because that is a "tradition" for them. So I just keep my mouth shut and do it for her. The funy thing is, this last Xmas when everyone was leaving that tiny little anglican church the minister was wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas", but I got a "god be with you". My mother in law thought that was funny.
My wife is more agnostic than atheist. But she is still a non-believer for the most part.

Permalink Reply by Danielle Gardner on June 10, 2010 at 6:40am

Coming from a Jewish background....celebrating Christian based holidays have not been a part of my lifestyle anyway.

Permalink Reply by Dave Woodfinden on January 13, 2011 at 9:16pm

I just take them in stride. My children won't be deprived of things because of what I think just like I wont judge them for what they decide to beleive. Religion seems to be a choice and I've made my opinion known, but just like I ask, I wont push it on others.

 

Permalink Reply by House on October 28, 2011 at 1:15am

You have just as much right to your belief as theirs. If they have a problem with respecting others' beliefs, agree to disagree, but don't let them take away your happiness. You also might want to remind them that Israel has one of the highest populations of Atheists in the world, and that it's OK to follow Jewish tradition without believing in sky monsters from the bronze-age.  25% of Canadians are also Atheist or non-theistic.

 

One of my parents is a hard-core religious fundamentalist, and I choose not to talk with that one. I get along just fine with the other. They pretty much live separate lives, kind of like roommates.

 

Hope this helps some. Take care.

Mike