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I always remember that for every word typed there is a real person sitting behind the keyboard.
i'm hiding buddhism from my parents (who are strict catholics) and they make me do stuff like go to church and pray to jesus, alterserve, go to sunday school, etc., and i'm very uncomfortable with it all.
i would tell my parents, but they'd think i'm possessed by demons or something. (something similiar happened like that before)
its really hard to practice buddhism with my parents hovering around me like that.
Your problem is a very common one. I myself got into Buddhism around age 15, and although my family was by no means religiously conservative, Buddhism was certainly a novelty to them, and for awhile they were very concerned.
It would be wrong to point you in one direction or the other with regards to your family. Each person is different, and there is no one right or wrong course of action to take. What I would have done in my case, if I could go back six years, is simply avoid discussing it with those people who were put off by it. There is no point in confrontation. No one can force you to change your beliefs, but until you are a certain age, your parents may try to instill certain values and practices in you. The important thing to remember is that you won't be under their jurisdiction forever, so there is no point in creating conflict while you move closer and closer to independence with each passing year.
So hang in there and remember that your practice starts with the people immediately surrounding you, which for most people is their family. Nothing can stop you from practicing metta, loving-kindness, towards them.
Peace and metta,
LozangK
Beliefnet Host, Buddhist Teens
