Well, there's always this verse:
[60:8]
Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.
So, since you're not trying to convert your family to atheism, they're not obliged to shun you.
And there's an interesting hadith given in Tafsir Ibn Kathir on this subject:
Imam Ahmad recorded that Asma' bint Abu Bakr said, "My mother, who was an idolatress at the time, came to me during the Treaty of Peace, the Prophet conducted with the Quraysh. I came to the Prophet and said, `O Allah's Messenger! My mother came visiting, desiring something from me, should I treat her with good relations' The Prophet said: "Yes. Keep good relations with your mother.'' The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith.
So, even though this person was a Pagan and an unbeliever, her family was still ordered by Muhammad to keep good relations with her.
Interesting verse and Hadith. I'm sure my dad knows all these (and many more) very well, but I suspect he knows that there is a context for every verse and Hadith, and they have to be interpreted in a certain way.
I don't know if 'shun' is the right word. We do communicate to a certain level, but they are still trying to get me to revert, and are trying to make me feel isolated in an attempt to break me psychologically. It is working a bit
, but it took 12 months for that.
What am I like?
Regarding the Hadiths, I dunno. Perhaps they feel there is sufficient evidence in Quran and Hadith to not shun (or harm me), but are doing what they think will work to get me to revert. Mind virus again!
It's ridiculous when you think about it; if I do fake a reversion, I will obviously be an extremely questioning, freethinking, secular, liberal (fake) Muslim. Do they really want one of them in their midst? instilling doubts in the minds of other Muslims?
I don't know how much of this is due to social embarrassment they will face for having an apostate son, and how much is due to trying to 'save' me from 'hellfire'.
Anyway, I'm trying to be positive and self-reliant. Hopefully things will get better.
Topic: Bored of Islam blah blah blah...