Why I Decided to Come Out
I wanted to be honest about what I believed to my parents.
What I Said and Did
I took the head on approach, I waited until my parents were together in the living room and just told them. Both of them, weren't happy to say the least. Mom was far more vocal about it and kept asking me questions and told me outright that she was afraid for me because she didn't want me to go to hell.
The biggest question I was asked was the hardest one: "Why?" I had to sit there and explain that, even though I had been saved a dozen times, and at one point, when I was 10, wanted to be a pastor, I simply didn't believe in it. I never felt complete with it and always felt like I was bad because I didn't, but had always had an interest in the occult.
My parents pretty much ignore my beliefs, they're still uncomfortable with my being pagan, but they don't hound me to change. Though mom is still in denial I think, Dad ignores it (along with all the family that knows) and my little brother thinks I'm full of it.
I did the same thing with my friends, I got questions but except really for one friend that I met after I was pagan (whole nother story, and a much longer one) I have truly never had a friend think any less of me because of my beliefs.
Advice
- Tact, always a good thing.
- Honesty is the best policy.
- Knowledge, know what you are talking about as you will get a TON of questions and if you can't answer them, people won't take you seriously.
- If you have a very religious friend, you might lose them, and it will hurt, but don't follow them around trying to convince them that you are right and they are wrong. It won't end well for anyone.
What I'd Do Differently
I would have liked to have been more knowledgeable when I came out, as I was thrown questions I hadn't thought about at all and had a hard time/couldn't answer them.
