Asking for some personal advise.

I belong to a Christian family but I don't "really" believe in God and it's been years I've went to Church. 

I just don't buy their ideologies and teachings. Ideally I shouldn't take confirmation, because if I take it then it means I'm confirming my faith in God, Jesus and the holy spirit. 

Something which I obviously lack, but I live in a community where taking confirmation is a ritual. Those who have never been to church also take it. My family wants me to take it but they are not really forcing me to do so. 

So I'm not in a pressure. But still I feel like a hypocrite when I have to fill the mandatory religion column while filling up any form. I don't know if I'm even ready to openly call myself an atheist. Living in India, you always have to associate to a religion to belong in a society. 

Usually people take Confirmation in their teenage years and I don't want to tell my real age. Par baat yahi hain ki meri umar ab dhal rahi hain.

So it's time for me to take a decision. Should I take confirmation even if I lack faith? Do you think it's right? I don't think it's right but my life would be much more easier if I pretend to be a religious person even if I'm not.

Your family isn't forcing you, so why bother? 

But if you believe it would make your life easier, you can do it even if you don't believe in it. Who cares!

Not really an analogy, but let me give an example. 

I don't believe in standing up for the national anthem. If it's playing on TV, I would continue laying on the couch and not move an inch. But if it's playing in a cinema hall, I feel compelled to stand up because I don't want to attract unwanted attention. Does that make me a hypocrite? May be. Do I care? Not really.

I am not Christian so I may not fully understand what confirmation is but I wonder if you could think of it as more of a “confirmation” to your community than to the church? Then you might not feel like a hypocrite. My husband and I do lots of rituals we don't really believe in and I justify it by thinking 1) it harms no one 2) it’s comforting to my family and friends because they do believe and would be upset if we didn't and 3) science has actually shown rituals can be helpful - for example in times of stress and grief. Anyway that is what I tell myself and my husband (his mother is the biggest push to keep the rituals). 

When in Rome, pretend to do as the Romans do, then do your stuff. 

Wat happens if u won’t take confirmation ? Confirmation n pretend for easier life , wat are those ? Reservations , benefits in Indian society ? 

Originally posted by: Nonpareil

Wat happens if u won’t take confirmation ? Confirmation n pretend for easier life , wat are those ? Reservations , benefits in Indian society ? 

I won't be a member of the church, which means I won't be called a Christian anymore and have no right in having my religion filled as Christianity in any government record. 

My parents would get taunts from relatives for not getting confirmed. If I want to get married, I can't get married in a church following Christian traditions. Only option I would have is to get married in Court with a person who doesn't follow any religion like me. Again my parents would suffer taunts from relatives because of me doing Court marriage. 

Also in future if I have kids, they won't have a religion to follow. 

What is a confirmation?? Is it like a ritual that all Christians have to do??

Like I am a Hindu and there are rituals like mundan, naamkaran, Janeu etc..

Originally posted by: Lord_Voldemort

Your family isn't forcing you, so why bother? 

But if you believe it would make your life easier, you can do it even if you don't believe in it. Who cares!

Not really an analogy, but let me give an example. 

I don't believe in standing up for the national anthem. If it's playing on TV, I would continue laying on the couch and not move an inch. But if it's playing in a cinema hall, I feel compelled to stand up because I don't want to attract unwanted attention. Does that make me a hypocrite? May be. Do I care? Not really.

Parents don't force me but they would still suffer taunts from relatives which would make me feel guilty. 

My friends and cousins... older, younger and even of my age have got or are getting confirmed. So yeah...it is a pressure, not direct but in an indirect way it is. 

Well that's where I differ then. All my life I've been critical of God and religion. Getting confirmed would make feel like an opportunist and a hypocrite. And I would care even if nobody does. Like I would loose respect for myself if I do it. 

Originally posted by: blue-ice.1

What is a confirmation?? Is it like a ritual that all Christians have to do??

Like I am a Hindu and there are rituals like mundan, naamkaran, Janeu etc..

It would be necessary when I would have to get married. 

Originally posted by: AwaamKiJaan

I won't be a member of the church, which means I won't be called a Christian anymore and have no right in having my religion filled as Christianity in any government record. 

My parents would get taunts from relatives for not getting confirmed. If I want to get married, I can't get married in a church following Christian traditions. Only option I would have is to get married in Court with a person who doesn't follow any religion like me. Again my parents would suffer taunts from relatives because of me doing Court marriage. 

Also in future if I have kids, they won't have a religion to follow. 

So u won’t get Christian benefits from gov n society . If no pressure n u think it’s not right then don’t take it .