I love my family and know they love me, but honestly, if we weren’t related we wouldn’t have anything to do with each other. We have absolutely nothing in common except relatives.

Only my mother.

Yep, but it has been years and most of the dust settled after my parents passed. Mom was 2nd generation working in the church along with her immediate family, so while it was expected to believe the business aspect of church was an always present contradiction. Really did a number on my lack of interest in the holidays, which, as they are far more consumer events than celebrations at this point, has turned into a blessing. Ironically. I was asked by my mother before she passed what it was like to die (long story) and we had an honest conversation that I wished I would have had with her decades before. Faith is personal, and I'll try to respect everyone's, but church really doesn't matter in the end. And for most it's hard to go against so much indoctrination. It used to make me frustrated, but now I view it with a combination of pity and resignation, and I think that's the best that's going to come of that. At least in my family. All the best.

That's gonna be most of us. Very few families are understanding of this lifestyle change, unfortunately. My family stays in touch with me, but the level of tension in large get-togethers is palpable.

Yeah, my family disowned me after I can out as atheist, my whole family is super religious. I went from being the JW version of a preacher to an atheist so it was a bit of a shock to some.

My father used to be a pastor so yah grew up with it- they give me the we raised you better line and i don't talk about religion or politics @.@