I was just curious, for those of us who still live at home, of how everyone's parents feel about them following a pagan path or if they even know, yet.

I know my experience was interesting. My mom was really supportive of my choice, but she threatened me within an inch of my life if anyone else in the family found out, including my father. When I finally got the guts to tell my dad, I was woken up everyday really early to talk about religion with him. It was more of a fight for my beliefs rather than a rational discussion, unfortunately.

To this day, I hear "you'll be back," (to Catholicism that is)and I get made fun of all the time. They haven't gone as far to take anything or say I couldn't be pagan anymore; however, they have gone as far to keep me away from a few of my pagan friends (who live about an hour away).

They told me once that if I was younger when I decided to start my path that they would have "nipped it in the bud."

I've come to terms with it, thankfully. I was just wondering how everyone elses' experiences with their families have been!

Brightest Blessings all [rolleyes]

When I first told my mom, she was pissed. She went as far as to read about Wicca and paganism to find a reason to draw me away from it. Instead she fell in love with it. My little brother thinks it's neat, and my big brother doesn't know, though I know he thinks it's bull--*cough* He has said so several times, but doesn't know that I follow that path. My dad has no clue what-so-ever, and, unfortunately it will stay that way for the next little while.

My mom doesn't mind. She's the one that buys me everything [cool]. She is a christian, but shes very open to everything out there. Her best friend is even Wiccan. My dad doesn't mind either. Though, he can't help but making jokes about it every now and then [lol]

Midnightstar, you are blessed. I really highly doubt that I could tell my mom, considering the way that she feels about tarot cards...I doubt tha tI could tell her that I worship nature or that I'm a witch, and I'm not exactly a junior (I don't even live at home any more!)

My dad would think it's absolute nonsense. My grandmother is a Chhristian: a strict,conservative pentecostal minister, so forget that!

But it's ok. Everyone has their own path.

Well, I've recently come out to them, and it went very well. They're both incredibly supportive and accepting, as I knew they'd be, but they did have interesting responses to the word "pagan" or "paganism", immediately taking it for its negative connotations, but they're past that now. My grandparents are out, for obvious reasons, and my brother... in time.

[lol] YeahMoonstar, I remember the Beltane party thingy we held last year at your house. lol that was... interesting. I was happily surprised at how well your parents reacted when we told them what we were all doing! XD

Good job Adhamh. I'm sure you'll be able to tell your brother in time... Heh... Hopefully I can say the same about my own! [lol]

Everyone has their own path.

Very true. I know that even though my parents are accepting of it, the rest of my family does not. My aunt is a very, very hardcore Christian. her basic thinking is, "If you don't go to church you go to hell". She probably freak if she ever found out.((Maybe I can give her a heartattack...? [wink] )). I think my granparents figured it out sometime ago, but they don't say anything, because they know, like you said, that everyone has their own path.

I remember that Sae [lol]. Dad was making fun of it the night before everyone came over.

Yeah, same goes with the rest of my family (the ones not mentioned above). Ugh. My cousin was going on about how because she stopped going to Church, she was a heathen. She wasn't joking either. I had to bite my lip to not say something.

Lol! [lol] Yeah! You told me about that Midnight!

though i no longer live with my parents, i did for the first 3 years i identfied myself as pagan. it was tough because when i tld my mum i was reading about paganism (just reading mind you, not actually cnverted yet) she threatened me and called me foolish and stupid. she called the idea idioic and said i was smarter than to believe in such falsehoods. so i am still sneaking arund my parents whenever i visit home and hope they still think i am their slightly liberal, green, vegetarian daughter with a keen academic interest in world religions

Neither of my parents know. They're christians, but it's all very vague! Um, I don't think they'd take it too well, but I think they might have some idea as I've always been a little, for lack of a better word, hippy-ish!
I don't exactly keep it well hidden..my BoS is in the bottom draw of my bedside table and I've got my incense burner ON my bedside table!
I think I'll tell them eventually, but now is definately NOT the time!! [wink]
I just hope that it isn't met with the negativity that some others here have expirenced *hugs you all*, it's terrible!
Many Blessings,
Fa'el