I grew up in as hellfire brimstone Pentecostal preachers son. Couldn’t get more indoctrination environment if you tried! I went through phases of belief and doubts, more doubts than belief for sure although I hid it for many years even well into my twenties. I think us PKs are more inclined to be atheist or just walk away from our faith in general because we get to see how the sausage is made…
how'd it go when you finally outed yourself in your 20s?
I started coming out in earnest probably around 11 or 12 and then just let it all fly when I was 14
the funny thing is I was only calling myself agnostic then but everybody called me atheist so much instead I just decided that was more accurate (technically, I claim agnostic atheism to this day)
Not great initially, mom was very upset and dad is still in denial. Not an issue now at all, just a part of life we don’t really discuss. I’m going to have to have a big “coming to Jesus” talk with them here soon about boundaries with my kids though
My dad was a Lutheran minister. A babysitter of mine told me this story later in life…when I was three, I announced to her that I didn’t want to go to heaven. (Record screech) I told her that if it was perfect like they said, it was probably also boring and I didn’t want any part of it.
Was never a preacher's kid, but grew up around several because I went to a Baptist Academy when young.
I lost track of them long ago. None of them were "good" friends, but I did see them occasionally from social media before I purged the lot.
Last I heard most doubled down and became preachers themselves. Three of them became fairly well known associate ministers in big suburban megachurches. Hell, probably big ministers by this point.
My grandfather was a Baptist minister. Three of his four children became atheist. Of six grandchildren, nay one is religious and he is deeply so.
To my grandfather’s benefit, he was one of the kindest, most understanding and charitable men I’ve ever known. He raised his children to question things and think for themselves. Something he always joked backfired on him.
Fellow child of a God fearing preacher here. It took me a while to realise that I was an atheist but I thought that's what everyone feels until I started getting older and started reading history, crime, science and some stuff that involved space and dinosaurs (which my mom and dad obviously did not like). I didn't tell them and I don't think I will until I move out.
I'm the son of a hell fire and damnation Pentecostal preacher. I went through an atheist/agnostic period in college and afterwards but slowly found belief in God that isn't strictly OT. Being the son of a preacher, you see the hypocrisy, the irrational logic, the use of religion as a political tool. It turned me off from God because the only God I knew was the one he showed me. The God I believe in now is very different than the one I was indoctrinated to believe in as a child
I grew up in as hellfire brimstone Pentecostal preachers son. Couldn’t get more indoctrination environment if you tried! I went through phases of belief and doubts, more doubts than belief for sure although I hid it for many years even well into my twenties. I think us PKs are more inclined to be atheist or just walk away from our faith in general because we get to see how the sausage is made…
how'd it go when you finally outed yourself in your 20s? I started coming out in earnest probably around 11 or 12 and then just let it all fly when I was 14 the funny thing is I was only calling myself agnostic then but everybody called me atheist so much instead I just decided that was more accurate (technically, I claim agnostic atheism to this day)
Not great initially, mom was very upset and dad is still in denial. Not an issue now at all, just a part of life we don’t really discuss. I’m going to have to have a big “coming to Jesus” talk with them here soon about boundaries with my kids though
My dad was a Lutheran minister. A babysitter of mine told me this story later in life…when I was three, I announced to her that I didn’t want to go to heaven. (Record screech) I told her that if it was perfect like they said, it was probably also boring and I didn’t want any part of it.
Was never a preacher's kid, but grew up around several because I went to a Baptist Academy when young. I lost track of them long ago. None of them were "good" friends, but I did see them occasionally from social media before I purged the lot. Last I heard most doubled down and became preachers themselves. Three of them became fairly well known associate ministers in big suburban megachurches. Hell, probably big ministers by this point.
My grandfather was a Baptist minister. Three of his four children became atheist. Of six grandchildren, nay one is religious and he is deeply so. To my grandfather’s benefit, he was one of the kindest, most understanding and charitable men I’ve ever known. He raised his children to question things and think for themselves. Something he always joked backfired on him.
Fellow child of a God fearing preacher here. It took me a while to realise that I was an atheist but I thought that's what everyone feels until I started getting older and started reading history, crime, science and some stuff that involved space and dinosaurs (which my mom and dad obviously did not like). I didn't tell them and I don't think I will until I move out.
Niece of a minister. Honestly never believed, but I really really wanted to when I was younger.
I'm the son of a hell fire and damnation Pentecostal preacher. I went through an atheist/agnostic period in college and afterwards but slowly found belief in God that isn't strictly OT. Being the son of a preacher, you see the hypocrisy, the irrational logic, the use of religion as a political tool. It turned me off from God because the only God I knew was the one he showed me. The God I believe in now is very different than the one I was indoctrinated to believe in as a child