Nahhhh, I won't take out Simone out of my Avatar for anything in this world  

I don't wanna sound rude but do you not have faith in your parents and in their feelings for you? They are the people that brought you up!

I mean I can't imagine parents throwing their own child out of the house.

People can always surprise you. Don't wanna take any chances. I can't really predict how my parents will react, but I doubt they'll be happy. Plus you can hear stories about people killing their kids on the news everyday. It shouldn't surprise you that some parents throw their kids out.

On a related note, I read this week about someone that had to mention she was an atheist to her extreme religious mom. There were other issues involved, but there is a big discussion on the topic. This might help you:

http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/d216d/my_uncle_steve_is_getting_out_of_jail_and_i_could/

http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/d2oim/regarding_my_soontobe_exconvict_uncle_steve_a/

http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/d4jcy/update_about_my_uncle_steve_getting_out_of_prison/

Hope it helps in some way. You could also tell your story on reddit. They would be more helpful than a gaming website.

*rolls eyes*  I am currently parked in Eastern Othodoxy as far as a religion goes, as a convert (a bit of the last stop before I would up leaving Christianity completely).  I find it interesting that members of a religious faith would hold teachings not in line with the actual church teachings. I figured I would chime in here with that.  On this I would hold one can believe something is the best form of something, but it doesn't mean other people aren't in the the ballpark either.  For me, Othodoxy holds together better than Protestantism in that you don't get splits... but it isn't as dogmatic as Catholicism (it doesn't attempt to define as much doctrinally).  I count bonus points for not having to deal with issues around what Augustine wrote to.

Anyhow, thinking on the original poster, I don't think s/he ever had a chance to own any form of religious belief due to the sheer heavy weight of the household.  If you are pressed into walking in the beliefs of others, and never get to make them your own, it is oppressive.  It just isn't you.  I know Catholicism was like that for me. 

I find it interesting that members of a religious faith would hold teachings not in line with the actual church teachings.

Seriously?

On this I would hold one can believe something is the best form of something, but it doesn't mean other people aren't in the the ballpark either.

With religion I don't think you can really say "my religion is better than yours, but your's is almost as good as mine". It's more of an all or nothing type of thing. "My religion is right, I'll humour you, and maybe not tell you straight in you face, but your's is definately wrong". At leats that's my parents' attitude, and that of most Romanians I've met that are religious. IThis may be because Romania isn't a very diverse country in terms or religions. Something like 86% are Eastern Orthodox (and 96-99% of the overall population is religious). That could be why the very religious have such a negative attitude towards other religions (including other braches of Christianity). And while this may only be my experience the mandatory religious classes that I took where the teacher would bash Catholicism when we learned about the diffrences between Catholics and Eastern Orthodox probably further illustrates the intolerance of very religous Eastern Orthodox people over here.

Anyhow, thinking on the original poster, I don't think s/he ever had a chance to own any form of religious belief due to the sheer heavy weight of the household.  If you are pressed into walking in the beliefs of others, and never get to make them your own, it is oppressive.  It just isn't you.  I know Catholicism was like that for me.

FTR, I used to be religious myself. I didn't like the intolerant attitude towards other religions that the Estern Orthodox have over here (though I admit I was the same for a while due to my ignorance and the influence of others around me). However my becoming an atheist was simply due to the fact that I simply found no logical reason to believe anymore.

That's surprising.  I thought about being an Eastern orthodox priest.  My Orthodox priest mentor didn't mention that they were closed minded about other denomination.  totally weird.

If you wanna be an Eastern Orthodox priest you should know that you can only get married before you become one. If you're already a priest you can no longer marry. And if you divorce you can't remarry.

As for the close minded thing, well you're in America. You guys probably have some washed down version of Eastern Orthodoxy over there.

your parents sounds cool and you should not worried about that. But do you have to accept yourself as atheist? You don't have to go to church every Sunday you know (my mother just remind me every Christmas but that is not a big deal)... Usually atheists or whatever you call them, they are people who just dont want to give a damn about going to Sunday massess because they are lazy to go to church. I'd say keep your current religion but find the best way to tell them that you don't have time to go or pray and would rather play video games (which is reasonable hey if they say God is kind and forgiving I bet he understand your situation amIright?)

Its to bad you took so long to tell them. I told my parents when I became one and thought if they can't except that than i can't except them. Stand up for yourself religion shouldn't push people around and make them fell bad about who they are, yet it does and that is crap.