I once lied to my parents in order to go to church. No joke.
My name is KS, and I'm an ex-atheist who's been reading into Christianity. I've always been fascinated with different religious beliefs, but because both my parents are atheists, I grew up without following a religion of any sort. I respected Christians, but I used to secretly scoff at their beliefs, calling them "ridiculous", "baseless", and the like.
A couple years ago, I heard the gospel for the first time. The friend who shared it with me also shared some experiences he'd had with God. Curious, I began reading more extensively into Christianity, looking at the reasons behind its beliefs. Surprisingly, they made sense! I realised also that those statements I'd made in the past were nothing more than unsubstantiated claims. Slowly, I began to believe in the truth of [following Christ].
This same friend eventually invited me to church. Thinking that my parents wouldn't approve of me going, I lied to them, telling them I'd be going out to do volunteer work. However, I felt guilty afterwards, so when another friend invited me to her church, I decided to be honest and ask my parents beforehand. To my surprise, they said yes!
But when I got home after that service, I noticed that my mother (a staunch atheist) was visibly unhappy with me. She never told me why, and I haven't been to church since. I just feel so conflicted. Should I go learn about God and risk my relationship with my parents, or should I heed my parents' wishes and miss out on church?
—KS - age 19
Acts 5:29 says that we must obey God rather than man. If your parents ever order you to do something that goes against God's law, then not only are you allowed to say no, but God wants you to say no. Attending church isn't necessarily a "law" in that if you do not attend for some non-heart issue, that is not a sin. However, being a part of a church community IS a very healthy thing—especially for new believers.
In this case, since your parents did not forbid you from going to church, you should definitely take advantage of that and go!
This article may also be helpful: What if my family doesn't go to church but I want to?
—Cat
