So I find myself at a crossroads. As you may already know I've been an anti-religion activist for some time now. Well, not so much anti-religion as I am anti-church or anti-organized religion. Anyway, splitting hairs aside I feel that the churches of the world enforce discriminatory policies that promote hate. The ban on same sex marriages and attempts to make abortions and contraception illegal for instance. I've come to realize that while religious people are oftentimes working hard to spread these policies they are really only doing what their leadership tells them to do. So I decided to focus my efforts on religious leaders and religious politicians who are usually the ones drafting these policies in the first place. This naturally, lead me to criticize the Pope and my parents decided that where I had to draw the line. I fought back against them and the battle only got nastier and nastier. Now we're pretty much no longer on speaking terms and I have a very important and heart wrenching decision to make.
Do I give up my activism and repair my relations with my family or do I continue and possibly loose them?
I don't really know for sure if they would just drop me that easily, they honestly aren't your typical Catholic parents but they can only take so much and I sense we're nearing the breaking point. This fighting has been going on for months and while I've tried to explain myself and why I react the way I do they just aren't having it. To them I'm out of line when I criticize the Pope plain and simple. They have also accused me lately of joining the "war on religion" that the GOP has been screaming about. To them it seems my lack of respect is getting unacceptable and I'm having a hard time trying to find some kind of compromise. I just don't think there is one anymore.
So I'm forced at this point to try and consider other avenues to promote my Youtube channel and my blog other than using Facebook which they also have. Since all the fighting has been over news articles that I've posted on my page I have to also find new ways to post those. Maybe I'll use the forums here.
I know it probably sounds like I'm bowing to my parents wishes but hear me out. With the exception of my wife and daughter they are essentially the only family I have left since my dad and my grandma died. My relationship with them is very important and while I am not going to change who I am for them I can find new ways of doing what I do that they aren't going to get in the way. I love my parents even though we drive each other up the wall, across the ceiling and down the other wall.
If you have any ideas let me know, I'm stuck.
Do I give up my activism and repair my relations with my family or do I continue and possibly loose them?
I don't really know for sure if they would just drop me that easily, they honestly aren't your typical Catholic parents but they can only take so much and I sense we're nearing the breaking point. This fighting has been going on for months and while I've tried to explain myself and why I react the way I do they just aren't having it. To them I'm out of line when I criticize the Pope plain and simple. They have also accused me lately of joining the "war on religion" that the GOP has been screaming about. To them it seems my lack of respect is getting unacceptable and I'm having a hard time trying to find some kind of compromise. I just don't think there is one anymore.
So I'm forced at this point to try and consider other avenues to promote my Youtube channel and my blog other than using Facebook which they also have. Since all the fighting has been over news articles that I've posted on my page I have to also find new ways to post those. Maybe I'll use the forums here.
I know it probably sounds like I'm bowing to my parents wishes but hear me out. With the exception of my wife and daughter they are essentially the only family I have left since my dad and my grandma died. My relationship with them is very important and while I am not going to change who I am for them I can find new ways of doing what I do that they aren't going to get in the way. I love my parents even though we drive each other up the wall, across the ceiling and down the other wall.
If you have any ideas let me know, I'm stuck.