How does your extended family take your belief or lack thereof? Or do you even tell them?
For context, I came from a lightly spiritual but very open minded household. My dad believed in guardian angels but was a pretty scientifically minded guy, and my mom is artistic, open minded, perhaps even agnostic at most. The rest of my family are aware of my skepticism but, for the most part let me be, since I never kept that close of contact with them. Heck my grandmother isn't even that devout but does pray for me, which I take as a kind gesture since I don't see her often and we discussed in great detail my beliefs and, she was pretty accepting.
What about you guys?
We were a Catholic family of 7 kids (surprise?). Both parents have long since died but only 1 sibling is still practicing (Jehova's Witness). The rest of us are Atheists.
Does it matter how other think of you / your way of thinking?
As a member of an Atheist family I never had to face "relatives opinions"....except those of a much younger second cousin whom, believe it or not, became a priest and works at the Vatican as a lawyer.
Every times he is in USA , he comes to visit me and tries to convert me. Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I ignore him.
I get the impression that the majority of people on this site are from the US.
It seems that Americans are under enormous pressure to conform to the beliefs of their family, peers, local community etc, etc.
This would also seem to be true of those I have met who are Muslims.
Hindu's, Sikhs, Jews and most others (I have met many) do not try to persuade me that I should agree with their beliefs. In the London suburbs (I don't live in London these days) there seems to be a variety of 'God Botherers' trying to convert people - but London is not typical.
In Britain, in general, this is not a topic. You believe what you want; I'll believe what I want and it's no big deal.
Ofc you can always get into a discussion about religion - but usually not.
I have very little family left alive. So this doesn't affect me. Not that I'd care if it did.
Straying off topic: Actually no. I'll start a new topic. It's about sex.