When your family are anti apologetics help!

[BibleReader1985]

I am Sarah. I grew up in an atheist household, with little to no spiritual guidance. When I became a Chrisitian they became extremely hateful and aggressive. Someone made a derogatory comment about the bible that was inaccurate and I stated a very relaxed answer and no way insulting and I was told Not to talk about the bible at their house again. I didn't bring it up at all. I didn't drown on and I don't try and convert them. It has gotten really hard to be around them. Them constantly are posting anti chrisitian things on social media. On a regular basis and posting memes that are very very hateful. DO I draw back from my whole family? Not sure what to do. I would try to explain some of the incorrect perspective of the posts but I read Dont throw pearls before swine. Feeling very alone in Christ.

 

[LoveDivine]

I am Sarah. I grew up in an atheist household, with little to no spiritual guidance. When I became a Chrisitian they became extremely hateful and aggressive. Someone made a derogatory comment about the bible that was inaccurate and I stated a very relaxed answer and no way insulting and I was told Not to talk about the bible at their house again. I didn't bring it up at all. I didn't drown on and I don't try and convert them. It has gotten really hard to be around them. Them constantly are posting anti chrisitian things on social media. On a regular basis and posting memes that are very very hateful. DO I draw back from my whole family? Not sure what to do. I would try to explain some of the incorrect perspective of the posts but I read Dont throw pearls before swine. Feeling very alone in Christ.

That is a really tough situation to be in. My advice would be to block their updates on social media. You don't have to defriend them, but you can limit what shows up in your news feed. It isn't mentally or spiritually healthy to have to read that anti-Christian propaganda regularly. I've had to do this several times with certain friends and relatives.

I'm not saying you should completely cut ties with your family, but I'd definitely pull back a little. There isn't much you can say to influence or sway a person if his/her mind is made up against Christianity. All you can do is pray for them and hope that in time, God will work in their lives. If it is any consolation, Christ stated that this would happen to his followers. Your situation is not unique or unusual. The gospel does bring a sword between friends and family. Perhaps, you can try to find some fellow believers to fellowship with. Having a couple like minded friends can be a great source of strength.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I find when talking to atheists, it's helpful to just focus on the basis ideas. Don't cite bible passages, and when using passages from memory don't hint that it came from another source. The foundation of the teachings are in the bible and it is helpful if you know them by heart.
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The foundation passages relate to how love sums up the whole law, (and all the teachings) so all you need to talk about or exemplify is treating people with respect. If people get this point, then the rest doesn't matter, it's the Father who draws people's hearts to Jesus anyway.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Another good way of talking about faith is addressing "trust issues" because an acceptable translation of the word faith is also trust, and is more conducive to relationships which are the best parable.

 

[Soyeong]

I am Sarah. I grew up in an atheist household, with little to no spiritual guidance. When I became a Chrisitian they became extremely hateful and aggressive. Someone made a derogatory comment about the bible that was inaccurate and I stated a very relaxed answer and no way insulting and I was told Not to talk about the bible at their house again. I didn't bring it up at all. I didn't drown on and I don't try and convert them. It has gotten really hard to be around them. Them constantly are posting anti chrisitian things on social media. On a regular basis and posting memes that are very very hateful. DO I draw back from my whole family? Not sure what to do. I would try to explain some of the incorrect perspective of the posts but I read Dont throw pearls before swine. Feeling very alone in Christ.

Hello,

It seems to me that there is something that caused your family to go from being neutral to Christianity to being antagonistic towards it. This is often an emotional reason such as being hurt by a Christian, though they might try to cover it with intellectual objections. If their reasons for being antagonistic towards Christianity is rooted in emotional reasons, then they aren't really looking for intellectual reasons. So you could spend all day answering intellectual objections, but it likely won't do you any good until you get at the heart of the problem. It's kind of like trying to alleviate the symptoms rather than trying to cure the disease. This is not necessarily what you are facing with your family, but it is something to watch for.

On the other hand, someone can be antagonistic towards Christianity simply because that how they were taught to behave. They might be interested in a meaningful dialogue about why they are antagonistic and about why you believe, so it is important to be able to discern what type of conversation you can have with them. However, if you are having a public conversation with them on social media, then there might be many other lurkers who would benefit from reading what you have to say even if your family doesn't.

 

[JAM2b]

It sounds like your family is emotionally abusive. That is not healthy for you regardless of what the issues were that triggered it. I'd keep distance with an open line in case they want to be nice. You don't have to allow them to mistreat you or attack your faith. When people in my life don't behave well I put up strong boundaries and don't back down. It is important to tell them why, and tell them how you expect to be treated if they want to interact with you again. If they don't, then they are choosing to loose contact with you.

 

[JAM2b]

I just wanted to revisit this. My oldest son, who just turned 18, has been going through years of spiritual flopping around, ranging from radical Christian to Paganism/Wicca to Satanism to Humanism and now landing on Atheism.. I don't believe he is finished yet, mostly because I don't believe God is finished with him yet.

I'm explaining this to share that I struggle with my faith and Christianity being attacked in my home. I am the only parent in the house. It often feels that it is me against them. My son has become arrogant, rude, and down right insulting about the Bible, God, and Christians in general. Now, other than this one issue, he is very respectful, helpful, honest, and a good example setter at his school.

I have told him that I will not force Christianity on him, because in reality it can't be forced on anyone. God doesn't even force it. He allows everyone free will. Who am I to take away a choice God granted? BUT I have told my son he has to be respectful about my faith. I am the head of the household, and it is a Christian home because I said so. He does not have to believe or participate, but he has to be respectful. When he gets arrogant, combatant, or insulting, I shut the conversation down and he retreats to his room to brood and rant to himself about it. These conversations are almost always brought up by him. I rarely mention it because it is fruitless. ...funny, he likes to participate when it involves celebrating Christmas.

My point is you don't have to allow people in your life to mistreat you. You get to say when something is disrespectful or hurtful to you as an individual and to your belief system as a whole. You can stand up for yourself, and enforce that.