This is only true of the majority of middle class and/or vaguely intelligent people. The majority of the proles may not actively practice religion but I have found if pushed they believe in something.

Still, there's a big difference between Europe and the USA though, damn that Bible Belt.

My memory is hazy but at primary school, I remember all the stuff being taught as "Christians believe..." and the implication - though I'm not sure how it was made - was that we were Christians. I found this lack of explicitness confusing as a child, especially since I'd never been told before that this is what I should believe.

Anyway, my dad cleared it up for me shortly afterwards. He told me that he is not a Christian, I don't have to be a Christian either and there's ne need to believe in God and stuff.

My parents never had me or my siblings baptized, which is getting more normal now but most of my peers would have been. Really baptism is seen as a good excuse for a party by most that still do it, at least as far as I can tell. I don't really know anybody that has religion playing an active role in their lives.

I think my dad would laugh if I told him I was religious. I doubt I could convince him I was serious.

My parents took my brothers and I to church like half a dozen times at most, as far as I can remember. Usually with other family members for stuff like Easter. Like a year ago they said offhand that they really didn't believe in a god - which was in a way influenced by my dad losing his brother to a brain aneurysm in his mid 30s. I've never really had a reason to discuss religion with my family.

I dont remember the context but at some point my mum referred to me as Christian, i said i wasnt, she then asked flippantly "what was i then, muslim?", and i was like "nah, im atheist". That was basically it, never mentioned since that i recall. I guess its just the cultural thing to do for my parents generation to self identify as Christian and never ever pray or attend services outside of weddings, funerals and christenings and even then none were particularly preachy due to them being church of england. My cousin died young and at his funeral in the church they played metalica because it was the last CD he had in his hifi - which was completely badass. But id be surprised if any of my family is religious with any dedication of belief.

It's on my facebook page ... so the literate ones know.

Ive told my parents and it was hard. Just today I told my mom about a guy I work with that very much reminded me of myself. I explained how he was very intelligent and open minded. Things started out good with her being happy about me having a mutually pleasant conversation with a coworker. As i went into how he was also raised in a religious family yet still had the courage to think logically and rationally and go through the "pain" of looking through evidence or the lack there of of things such as religion and patriotism. Then it all wwent downhill. She asks what i think will happen after i die to which i reply " i dont know". She then went on to basically say shes "freerolling" in that if she dies and is right she goes to heaven and i burn in hell forever. She also strongly believes that i perscribed to religion as a kid to which i told her " of course i claimed belief in these things, once i had gotten to that age i was the only person i knew that had not "been saved" and that it was basically a survival mechanism to conform to their expectations.

This "conversation" went on for a bit until she started throwing around things like " dont u believe the old testiment is historicly accurate" and " how do u explain smart people who were athiest that converted to christian beliefs". At this point i could see where it was going and ended it with "you win" and walked outside to smoke a cigg. I thought it was all over but shortly after she cornered me and said "u can believe what u want but dont u dare talk to ur nephues about ur beliefs. Riley (10 y/o) is very happy being a cristian and collin (7 y/o) is very impressionable ( owe the irony of teaching radical clames with no verifyable evidence to kids being good but teaching them to think rationally is bad because there "impressionable".

So basically im scared ****less of being rejected by my family now that ive solidly laid down my stance on religion (if i went into anarchism i think my mom would have had a stroke). My mom will undoubtedly tell my dad about this "conversation" and he will then threaten me with some sort of ultimatum.

sorry for the TL;DR but i had to share this with someone. any advice on anything related to this would b greatly appreciated

I find that most Christians don't know why they are religious but have been brought up in a tradition that they are keeping alive. Invite them to think freely about it themselves and examine their reasons for faith. In the mean time make sure to give your nephews this for their birthday!

Id fake it if the possibility of losing your family was high. Fighting over God or no God isn't worth losing your family.

As far as converting them. I wouldn't think that would work out well.

It couldn't be clearer with everyone in my family. I was brought up in a home where this issue was just not ever discussed or almost. My parents didn't bring me up as either theist or atheist (but I see that someone could make the point that not bringing me up as theist is the same as bringing me up atheist however I disagree) so I have never felt really much pressure at all. Note that I'm not in the USA where this is much more taboo than in Canada (particularly in the province of Quebec).

I also openly post atheist links on my facebook page even though I know it could very well offend the theists I know (including my sister which turned muslim) but I couldn't care less.