Should I go to church for my family even if I don't believe?
Attending church for the sake of your spouse and community often backfires because sitting silently through services you disagree with does not actually improve your relationship with your children. At the same time, your presence can unintentionally pressure your kids to adopt beliefs you don't share.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Attending only for special occasions or when supporting children during specific performances
- 2Participating in ward or community activities and social clubs without attending regular religious services
- 3Building community networks and friendships outside of the religious organization
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I'm debating returning to church consistently despite not believing as a way to support my wife and kids and be involved with my neighbors/community.”source ↗
“I don't want my kids feeling pressured to believe a certain way because of my attendance”source ↗
“I don't get anything out of church attendance and sitting silently by my kids and occasionally shushing them (while we listen to things I disagree with) does nothing for my relationship with them.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 4What to do when your best friend won't come to your wedding