Bibleguy, it is true that your parents will not like this…but you must understand, just as you despise the Church’s “One True Church” teaching, there are many people out there who despise Christ’s words “No one comes through the Father but through me.” The reason I point that out is so that you can understand that just because you despise that teaching of the Church doesn’t mean that your parents will agree with you, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong–you think it’s wrong, and Catholics obviously disagree. Keep that in mind so that, even as you disagree with your parents, you can respect that they sincerely believe that there is only One True Church just as much as you (and they/we) believe in One True
Lord. That does not make Catholics arrogant or overbearing, just as it does not make Christians arrogant or overbearing.
Now to more directly address the matter: If your child–assuming you’re ever a father–told you he was convinced Christianity as a whole was false, it would still be your Christian duty to continue to raise him by the Christian way of life. You might be able to accept that you can’t change what he believes on the inside, but insofar as your parental authority can be used to enforce Christian morality (having your child go to church, preventing him from committing any sin that you can actually prevent in your capacity as a parent, etc.), it would be your duty.
Likewise, it is your parents’
Catholic duty to raise you by the Catholic way of life, and as their son who is still living with them, you mustn’t make this hard for them. That means going to Mass, that means refraining from things that Catholics find sinful even if Protestants
don’t, for as long as you live under your parents’ roof. That means doing these things peacefully, not protesting, complaining, and trying to rebel everytime your parents rightfully insist that as long as you live under their house you must live in accordance with Catholic morality. You may (and should) refrain from the sacraments for as long as you do not believe in Catholicism–but aside from that, you should cooperate entirely by doing all the things your parents ask of you. If they ask you to read or listen to Catholic apologetics, listen to them. If they try to convince you of the Faith, patiently listen and do not backtalk (even if it doesn’t convince you, instead of arguing simply admit you still aren’t convinced–answer why only if directly asked by them, and even then you must be TOTALLY respectful)…if you get frustrated by your parents’ efforts to keep you Catholic, remember that they’re only doing the same thing
you would (hopefully) do if you were a parent and your child tried to leave Christianity.
They have a duty, and it is not your prerogative to make that duty a battle for them…in fact, as a loving son you should want to make this as easy for them as possible. If you are willing to respect your parents’ duty in this matter, then perhaps it will go more easily when you tell them…it will still break their hearts, as surely as it will one day break yours if you are a father and if your child professes he is leaving
Christianity as a whole, and they will probably try throughout your life to bring you back to the Church just as you would try to bring your child back to Christianity…but if they can rest assured that you’re not going to
rebel against their duty to make sure as best as they can that you live a Catholic
lifestyle (even if you don’t have Catholic
beliefs), I do indeed think it’ll make things go more easily. Remember, no matter how distraught or angry their reaction, it will be all the
worse if you proceed to make their duty as Catholic parents more difficult for them.
Again, though…think long and hard about how you would feel if your child left Christianity altogether…you might feel as if you’d “failed” your child, as though you were a “failure” as a Christian parent. Your parents, depending on how orthodox their beliefs are, may feel the same way about your leaving the Church. You can sympathize with their pain. If only for them, if only for sparing them the pain that you can probably imagine if you put yourself in their shoes, you may want to give Catholicism a fighting chance for the next couple of years at
least, even if you feel like you’ve already given it that…unless you actually believe giving Catholicism such a fighting chance could put your soul at risk, and you don’t seem the type to believe that (modern-day Lutherans tend not be of the “Catholics aren’t Christian” variety), you have nothing to lose, and this would be a loving way to “honor thy father and mother.” Just…think about it…for them…
I am sad that you currently wish to leave the Church, especially at such a young age…my prayers are with your family.
Blessings in Christ,
KindredSoul
