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Author Topic: Parents and their reaction to your path  (Read 12034 times)

PlaceboArtist

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Parents and their reaction to your path
« on: April 11, 2012, 08:50:15 am »
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

My mother is a Christian, but not very religious, while my father is an atheist. They found out about my religion when they walked in on me doing a full moon ritual. While they thought it was a bit weird, they were content to let me continue, with the proviso that I wasn't allowed candles, incense or ritual knives. So it was overall a good outcome.

Although I've been keeping my rituals smaller and more private since then, and I don't really talk about religion with my parents, so I think they think it was just a phase and I'm not doing it any more.

How about you?

earth_dragon

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2012, 01:14:28 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

My mother is a Christian, but not very religious, while my father is an atheist. They found out about my religion when they walked in on me doing a full moon ritual. While they thought it was a bit weird, they were content to let me continue, with the proviso that I wasn't allowed candles, incense or ritual knives. So it was overall a good outcome.

Although I've been keeping my rituals smaller and more private since then, and I don't really talk about religion with my parents, so I think they think it was just a phase and I'm not doing it any more.

How about you?

 
My mother was more than half Pagan herself, she didn't know what to call it. Neither she nor my father had any kind of formal religion. They never attended church or brought me up in any kind of religion. That was actually part of the reason I went looking for something when I was about 18. I felt like something was just missing for me.

After doing tons and tons of research and realizing Paganism was right for me, I went openly to my parents. I knew they wouldn't think anything of it. And I was right. They asked me a few questions about what it was, what it all really meant. I did my best to explain. They basically shrugged their shoulders and said whatever makes me happy.

My parents were cool!

Celtag

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2012, 01:47:34 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

My mother is a Christian, but not very religious, while my father is an atheist. They found out about my religion when they walked in on me doing a full moon ritual. While they thought it was a bit weird, they were content to let me continue, with the proviso that I wasn't allowed candles, incense or ritual knives. So it was overall a good outcome.

Although I've been keeping my rituals smaller and more private since then, and I don't really talk about religion with my parents, so I think they think it was just a phase and I'm not doing it any more.

How about you?
Let me put it this way. They think I worship the Devil and have been influenced by demonic forces.  So it hasn't been a very good reaction, my Mom is mailing me crosses and sends me prayes via text message.
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PlaceboArtist

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2012, 02:04:25 pm »
Quote from: Celtag;49903
Let me put it this way. They think I worship the Devil and have been influenced by demonic forces.  So it hasn't been a very good reaction, my Mom is mailing me crosses and sends me prayes via text message.

 
:( I hope they become more accepting sometime!

Celtag

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2012, 03:25:34 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49905
:( I hope they become more accepting sometime!
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Aubrey_Rose

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2012, 05:17:10 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

My mother is a Christian, but not very religious, while my father is an atheist. They found out about my religion when they walked in on me doing a full moon ritual. While they thought it was a bit weird, they were content to let me continue, with the proviso that I wasn't allowed candles, incense or ritual knives. So it was overall a good outcome.

Although I've been keeping my rituals smaller and more private since then, and I don't really talk about religion with my parents, so I think they think it was just a phase and I'm not doing it any more.

How about you?


My mom is accepting, though I don't share much because we get into uncomfortable conversations.
She has only ever asked me to be wary when joining in with others, to make sure I didn't get manipulated into some sort of cult.
To some this would sound a bit close-mided, but she said the same thing when I was going to a christian youth group that she thought had some questionable sermons.
She was the one who bought me my first pagan books, and ritual tools. She just wants me to be happy, and has encouraged me to search for my own path.
If we all lived a little greener, Then perhaps our children\'s children will live a little longer.
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Aine Rayne

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2012, 08:40:01 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

How about you?

 
Most of my family is still in the dark about it. My father knows, my grandmother has yet to ask any specific questions, but I don't hide my books since I live with her and know that she wouldn't have any more of a reaction than my dad did. Ie, no unattended burning candles, no incense (allergies for both of us and an exuberant puppy make these things unwise) and no casting spells in the house. The spell rule has to do with not wanting spirits in the house, we have family ghosts who play enough pranks lol

I have yet to tell my mother, and don't plan to if I can help it. She's aware that I've lost interest in church, but in a desire to not start an explosive argument she doesn't bother me about it. I was truly surprised that she didn't pester me to go to church for Easter. As a matter of fact, we didn't talk about church at all and I went to her house for Easter dinner. Talk about Divine Intervention because I definitely did spend like an hour repeatedly asking Wepwawet and Djehuty to keep me calm and respectful and keep communication open and friendly. My mom and I get into really bad arguments, both of us have a hard time backing down and remaining calm. Hence the avoidance of the topic. I can't imagine she'd react well to being told I worship the gods of Ancient Egypt now.

My whole family is Christian, so the only reason any of them would be accepting is because they love me. It is because my dad loves me and wants me to be happy and to let me be my own person and adult that he accepts it. Though he's made clear he doesn't exactly like it. And it is because my mom loves me and wants me to go to heaven that she would be terribly unhappy that I've left Christianity because she doesn't want my soul endangered. Love going in two separate directions lol but I'm sure plenty of us know what that's like, because it really is because they love us and are worried. I doubt I'd get out of that conversation happily though, but one can hold out hope. Doesn't mean I plan to tell her anytime soon. I imagine she'd do something similar to what Celtag's mother does lol
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Nyktipolos

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2012, 01:49:37 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
How about you?


Not a teen, but I got the same reaction to my spirituality then as I do now:

I get strange looks, questions ("Well, why don't you put your printer on [table that holds an altar]?" "I'm using it for something." "Weeeelllll/Ugghhh."), and I think my parents are pretty convinced that if they don't acknowledge it I'll stop doing it.
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I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." - Sarah Williams
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Asch

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2012, 10:13:27 pm »
Quote from: Nyktipolos;50020
Not a teen, but I got the same reaction to my spirituality then as I do now:

I get strange looks, questions ("Well, why don't you put your printer on [table that holds an altar]?" "I'm using it for something." "Weeeelllll/Ugghhh."), and I think my parents are pretty convinced that if they don't acknowledge it I'll stop doing it.

Lol I get that from my Dad sometimes mostly 'cause he doesn't know what to do w/it, he's not religious personally. My brother just gives me weird looks whenever I say Druid...

EDIT: also, not a teen :D
« Last Edit: April 13, 2012, 10:13:53 pm by Asch »

Aine Rayne

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Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2012, 10:15:45 pm »
Quote from: Asch;50107
Lol I get that from my Dad sometimes mostly 'cause he doesn't know what to do w/it, he's not religious personally. My brother just gives me weird looks whenever I say Druid...

EDIT: also, not a teen :D

Yeah I'm not a teen either lol
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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2012, 12:16:42 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?


I am a teenager, and I guess I lucked out in this respect.

I live with my father and stepmother. He's a lapsed Anglican (impressive in faith, but the people who try to turn the church into a social club really get to him), and she was my mentor in my pagan years. Beyond their differences, they both agree on two things: That people need religion, and that religion is not one-size-fits-all. They are happy that I have a connection with the divine, no matter what that is called or how worshipped.

My mother, on the other hand, always leaned towards the 'charismatic' branch of Christianity, and she's not the most mentally stable person out there either. She has no idea I've been pagan for a time. She knows I'm becoming an Orthodox - the chapel is a stone's throw from her place and she meets the priest around the neighbourhood all the time - and finds it 'cute', which irks me to no end, but at least it's better than hysterics.
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Elani Temperance

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2012, 05:42:21 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

 
My parents don't really like religion and although they are vaguely supportive of my choices, they don't repeat it to anyone. They used to click through the magazine, at least my mom did, but I don't think they do anymore because they don't know what to make of it. When I tell my mom a little about my religion or witchcraft, then tends to change the subject.

Now, my parents and I don't have a close bond but they want to see me happy. My mom can see that this makes me happy and so she goes along with it but she doesn't understand and she will not discuss it. It's difficult sometimes but I understand. Perhaps things will change in the future, who knows. I try to give her space to address it every now and again. We'll see what happens.

I think it would be difficult for any parent who is unfamiliar with paganism to fully embrace their children's choice to be involved in it. There are so many false and laughable things said about it, I would be shocked if they just went 'oh well, I heard you work with ghosts and sacrifice small animals to the devil but go right ahead, we love you anyway.'

I think my parents are doing relatively well, considering.
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Charlie Dee

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Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2012, 01:17:11 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

I was born and raised a catholic. When I grew up I grew distant from the religion and lost all faith in it and it's people. I dropped it, proclaimed myself atheist for a few years. I stumbled across paganism and fell in love with it. I kept it from my parents in fear of their reaction. They got suspicious and asked and I figured be honest with them. My mom flat out hates it and assumes I'm a devil worshiper. My dad doesn't like it and says its because he doesn't know anything about it. They asked for me to put all my stuff in a box and forget about it till I moved out because they didn't want it in their house. I flat out refused and told them it makes me happy. I don't go around flashing it so I don't see the problem with it. They ended up dropping their complaints and here and there ask me if I've dropped it uet

Nyktelios

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2012, 05:54:51 pm »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?


When I was a teen I asked for a bunch of fluffy "Wiccan" books by authors like Ravenwolf and DJ Conway for Christmas. For some reason I didn't think it would be a big deal, and for the most part it wasn't, but my parents (mostly my father) did mock me a bit. It bothered me a little, and since then I haven't felt the need to be open about my religious views and practices.

Luckily, my father's family is pretty liberal, and though my mother is a bit more conservative, she's really into things like astrology and going to psychics, so they didn't accuse me of devil worship or anything like that.

randomheathen

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Re: Parents and their reaction to your path
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2012, 01:02:42 am »
Quote from: PlaceboArtist;49695
This SIG looked fairly empty, so I figured I'd liven it up a bit by posting a thread.

So, I'd be interested to hear about different people's experiences with their parents. Do they know about your religion? Are they accepting? Do you have Pagan parents?

My mother is a Christian, but not very religious, while my father is an atheist. They found out about my religion when they walked in on me doing a full moon ritual. While they thought it was a bit weird, they were content to let me continue, with the proviso that I wasn't allowed candles, incense or ritual knives. So it was overall a good outcome.

Although I've been keeping my rituals smaller and more private since then, and I don't really talk about religion with my parents, so I think they think it was just a phase and I'm not doing it any more.

How about you?

 
I wasn't raised with any particular religion, even though I was baptized catholic by my grandmother's insistence. My Dad's atheist, and likes to keep religion in general at arms length, so we don't really discuss it. My mom's pantheist, and is also a philosophy, mythology, and history fanatic. Funnily enough, she figured I would end up heathen before I even researched the religion, so no problems on that front. Honestly, I'm probably a lot more conservative than she is anyway, which seems to be opposite from the norm on this board.
That awkward moment when someone calls you a godless heathen. :hdsk:

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