How do I talk to my family about converting?

[MidWestGirl]

Peace brothers and sisters.... For some time now I have been searching, so to speak as far as my spiritual beliefs are concerned.. I was raised a Christian and brought up in the Baptist church. Howerver, there are many things about Christianity that always rubbed me the wrong way; like how for instance, it always seemed to me that many (NOT ALL BUT SOME) christians, want undying respect and revrence for their faith but don't want to respect the beliefs of others.. This is something that I have noticed since childhood attending church with my grandmother, as well as attending my grandfathers chruch. I have been thinking about learning more about Vodun / Voodoo, but I am not really sure where to start.. I feel as though I will be looked down on by my family if I tell them how I feel. I have tried to talk to my mother about it a few times but she is very close minded about religion, as is most of my family..I don't want them to hate me. The christian faith is close to my heart in many ways but I still feel as though something is missing. I guess what I want to know is have any of you gone through this type of problem and how did you handle it????

[La Bella Afrique]

Originally Posted by MidWestGirl

Peace brothers and sisters.... For some time now I have been searching, so to speak as far as my spiritual beliefs are concerned.. I was raised a Christian and brought up in the Baptist church. Howerver, there are many things about Christianity that always rubbed me the wrong way; like how for instance, it always seemed to me that many (NOT ALL BUT SOME) christians, want undying respect and revrence for their faith but don't want to respect the beliefs of others.. This is something that I have noticed since childhood attending church with my grandmother, as well as attending my grandfathers chruch. I have been thinking about learning more about Vodun / Voodoo, but I am not really sure where to start.. I feel as though I will be looked down on by my family if I tell them how I feel. I have tried to talk to my mother about it a few times but she is very close minded about religion, as is most of my family..I don't want them to hate me. The christian faith is close to my heart in many ways but I still feel as though something is missing. I guess what I want to know is have any of you gone through this type of problem and how did you handle it????

My family is the same, closed minded and faithful to their unfruitful religion, but what can you do? This the affect of centuries of brain washing/white washing that has them this way..

If it ultimately comes down you and maybe only you for a long while breaking the cycle that our people needs breaking, in order for us to become prosperous in our own culture, then do what you have to do...pass on information, but I do not believe in converting anyone....or that you can...it will always come down to them, they will have to decide to and make that change.


I know I am definitely the black sheep of my family, do I care NO...because I have a sense of liberation that I could not get from doing things their way...

Spiritualism has nothing to do with religion...it is to do with the cleansing/purity/renewal of your mind, body and soul..

You love your family dearly and I am sure they love you the same...If this is true, I can not see them "hating" you because you have different beliefs but maybe they are just cautious, from all the things THEY have been taught...

[MidWestGirl]

Thank you for the encouragement La Bella......''Hate" was probably too strong a word to use in this situation but I am very afriad to talk to my family cause I know how they are... As far as opinions go, they are the only ppl who I can say I really care about what they think...But you're right, I just have to tell them and let the chips fall where they may....If they are true "CHRISTIANS" they will respet my choices..

[shakim1969]

I went through the same thing a couple of decades when I was 16. I told my mother how I felt about Christianity and told her I will not partake in a religion that has no spiritual connection to Black folks. I also told her that I will not go to church anymore. My dear momma, nearly had a heart attack, she thought I was losing my mind, she kept on trying to force me to participate in a religion that did not move me. No matter what she said or did , I just stood my grounds....You can also stand firm , don't let anyone shake your footing , stand strong.

Uhuru

[Kwilu-mibale]

Originally Posted by MidWestGirl

Peace brothers and sisters.... For some time now I have been searching, so to speak as far as my spiritual beliefs are concerned.. I was raised a Christian and brought up in the Baptist church. Howerver, there are many things about Christianity that always rubbed me the wrong way; like how for instance, it always seemed to me that many (NOT ALL BUT SOME) christians, want undying respect and revrence for their faith but don't want to respect the beliefs of others.. This is something that I have noticed since childhood attending church with my grandmother, as well as attending my grandfathers chruch. I have been thinking about learning more about Vodun / Voodoo, but I am not really sure where to start.. I feel as though I will be looked down on by my family if I tell them how I feel. I have tried to talk to my mother about it a few times but she is very close minded about religion, as is most of my family..I don't want them to hate me. The christian faith is close to my heart in many ways but I still feel as though something is missing. I guess what I want to know is have any of you gone through this type of problem and how did you handle it????

When it comes down to choosing between my brainswahed mother, sister and family and my beloved Ancestors whose blood runs deep in my vein and whose spirits give me the strength to stand proud in a White Supremacist/Racist world, I CHOOSE MY ANCESTORS. I've tried many times to educate my mother and sister about the wrongs christianity has done to us. I have made tons of copies of well explained/simple articles that they have read but they still choose the GOD of our oppressors instead of our true spirituality.

This morning my mother told me Afrikan spirituality doesn't EXIST of it exists it's the work of the Devil! I can't stand anymore people insulting our heritage. I am a MWANA YA BAKOKO (the child of the Ancestors) like they say in Kongo where I am from, I feel I was born to protect and help bring back the minds of our people to our true ways, our most powerful ways. I will let anyone insult our Ancestors anymore, that's blasphemy in our traditional society. I can't stand it period! I hung up on my mother this morning after usual argument over the phone about "jesus". Before she was the one hanging up on me, today it was me. Between a life of self-hate and adoration of the god of your slave master and honoring the way of life and the spirits of the BAKOKO, I choose the BAKOKO!

My sista or brother, your parents gave you birth that's all, it doesn't mean they will follow you to the path of AFRIKAN enlightment. Avoid them if they refuse to accept you, if they truly love you they will respect what you have become: a TRUE AFRIKAN.

Peace to you. In the name of the BAKOKO you must stay firm, strong and proud regardless.

[Warrior Princess]

If you are a size 9, is it going to do you much good wearing size 20 draws? Yes yes, I know. Mama wears a size 20 panties, but then your mama probably wears a size 20 panty because she IS a size 20. OR perhaps she too is a 9 yet wears a size 20 panty because her mother and her mother's mother and her mother's mother's mother wore a size 20 panty... At any rate, at some point you, being a size 9, felt that the size 20 panty was not the best fit for you. So hey, go get the fit with which is best for YOU. Afterall, don't nobody gotta wear dem particular drawz but YOU. (Just make sure you don't gettin' no size 0 if you're 9; wedgies are never good...)

Seriously, what everyone else is doing isn't necessarily what is best for you to do. And the real deal is that the issue isn't so much of an issue until YOU are truly comfortable with the spiritual fit you have.... Now if U are not truly at peace with your spiritual path SURE what others think (whether they passionately approve OR passionately disapprove) is probably going to be of concern to you..But when you are truly at peace with your spiritual path, it really won't matter whether ppl are for, against or indifferent... So get your fit and give thanks for your fit.

Oh and lastly, to answer your question "How do I talk to my family about converting", maybe you don't need to. But if you do feel it's necessary to do so, perhaps first you need to ask yourself what will or will not change for you if they approve or disapprove. If their disapproval will keep you from taking another path, maybe you're not ready to take a different path.. But if their disapproval will not affect you either way, perhaps the conversation is not as necessary as it seems. Strength for your journey either way.

[weusi_maliki_rbg]

Originally Posted by MidWestGirl

Peace brothers and sisters.... For some time now I have been searching, so to speak as far as my spiritual beliefs are concerned.. I was raised a Christian and brought up in the Baptist church. Howerver, there are many things about Christianity that always rubbed me the wrong way; like how for instance, it always seemed to me that many (NOT ALL BUT SOME) christians, want undying respect and revrence for their faith but don't want to respect the beliefs of others.. This is something that I have noticed since childhood attending church with my grandmother, as well as attending my grandfathers chruch. I have been thinking about learning more about Vodun / Voodoo, but I am not really sure where to start.. I feel as though I will be looked down on by my family if I tell them how I feel. I have tried to talk to my mother about it a few times but she is very close minded about religion, as is most of my family..I don't want them to hate me. The christian faith is close to my heart in many ways but I still feel as though something is missing. I guess what I want to know is have any of you gone through this type of problem and how did you handle it????

Amani Sista. I came up in the same boat myself. Born and raised in a Baptist church on the southside of Memphis, TN, I decided to drop Christianity and study Islam when I was in high school. I didn't wanna reveal my choice to my mom and everybody because I thought they was gon' trip. That whole Osama thing didn't help matters either, lol. But it was easy for my family to get used to though because I knew my Bible and I could show and prove the validity of my choices thru their own holy book, and even though I was of another culture now, I could still build with them on their plane and mine simultaneously (even got a couple family members off of that swine and them false holidays). All in all though, I guess what I'm saying is find your center and search for common ground between that and your family's. It may make things go smoother. As they say, "knowledge is power"... Peace