I'm 16, and I've been an atheist as long as I can remember. my entire family is extremely strict Catholic, and I attended catholic school until high school, so it's not as though I haven't been introduced to religion. I've been abused by my father, neglected by many of my family members for years, I suffer from severe depression and anxiety to the point where I'm on multiple medications so I'm constantly exhausted and struggle to get motivated. with that being said, I'm happy at this point in my life. I hope to be weaned off my medications, but if I can't be then ill make it work and I won't let this hold me back. okay so, now that you the background, here's my issue. my mother is extremely spiritual. I respect that and I NEVER tell her she's wrong, crazy, that I don't like her practices, because it doesn't affect me in any way and it makes her happy. I understand that. it doesn't phase me because frankly I don't think about god so why should I care if someone believes in him? she's entitled to her beliefs and I respect that fully. whenever I make a passing comment about MY beliefs, however, she tells me not to say that in her house. she doesn't accept my views. my boyfriend is Catholic and I went to his nieces baptism a few months back, and when he was criticizing me for attending Catholic school if I was an atheist, I said I understood what I was being taught but I didn't agree with it. that got me some nasty looks from his grandmother and I could see he was uncomfortable. my point is, I live every single day with people who worship God, I see dozens of bible quotes or religious posts a day, and i don't mind. because other people's values and beliefs don't affect or change or disrespect mine. what does make me upset is when people refuse to offer me the same basic right. everyone else is automatically granted respect for having faith, but I'm seen as a misguided angry teenager. I'm not angry, I know who I am as a person. I have goals that I work towards every day. I am a good person. God and faith are just not things I agree with or need in my life, but I respect those who do. I just wish I received the same courtesy. does anyone else feel this way?