On beliefs and values (and other stuff)

Okay, so todays post is going to be a bit more serious, and a bit more personal about me.

You see, I've been a Brony for about a year now i think, and throughout that time you would think that at least with the people around me they would have come to accept that. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Everyday that i go to school ends up being a day of harrasement and irritance. It dosen't help things much when even your friends wont help you when it comes to MLP.

So here's a rundown of my position at my school. I consitiently get either A's or high B's, I'm the only person in my year level that seems to like any music other than Rap, Dubstep, or Dance (Though there is someone who seems to like nothing but PoP). I currently seem to have angered the entirity of the year 8's for looking like someone else, and do you honestly know how hard it is trying to convince teachers that you are being harrased by children? (Cause it's bloody impossible). On top of all that, I'm one of only two Bronies in my year level (with about 7 across the whole school with me and him included), and he became a Brony after i eventually got him to join the herd.

So the last part dosen't sound to bad, I've managed to get someone to finally watch the show and they liked it. The problem is that the school seems to be very divided on the whole topic of bronies. Either you're with them, or against them. If ever one of my friends interjects to defend me from the accusations of "Pony*squee!*", or the less sensical "Pedophile", they find themselves the target of said accusations for the rest of the day. So they no longer actively defend me, but they encourage me where they can, and have said "Though I don't understand it, I respect what you're doing". So they've at least been there to support me where they can.

Where it's harder is at home, where what the parents say goes. The teachers at my school are open-minded enough that they haven't critiscised me for it first thing (In fact I've even had the entire english faculty read my fanfic, My Little Dashie, and my current english teacher has been checking out my stories on fimfiction). The home is an entirely different battlefield.

Let's just say that my mother isn't the most open minded of people, though the thinks of herself as being so and says that she hates people who aren't. The only problem is that my mother's definition of "Open Minded" translates in the english language to "Christian". So basically the first thing she said when i told her that i was a brony was "Does the show support christian beliefs?". I don't know what i was thinking, but the Applejack in my came out and i had to say "No."

Now hear me out here, MLP DOES NOT promote Christian beliefs, but it DOES promote Christian values. Sharing, Kindness, Friendship, all of these are good things that christianity promotes as well. The problem is that my mother dosen't quite see it like that. Rather she see's MLP as a cult that is trying to steal my soul away from christian teachings by having similar values.

So basically in order to be allowed to watch the show I've been previously trying to convince her that the shows values coincide with christian values. However, this has brought me to having to discuss something a bit further with her. The point of religions. She see's religions as something you believe in and worship and I'm not too sure on the whole details of it. I however, see religion as a way of defining who we want to be, the religion we choose reflects on the kind of person that we want to be, and so we use that to strive towards becoming that person.

Now here's the part where my mother's worry most likely lies. Basically, i don't want to be a christian, as I'm not really a fan of believing in creation or resurrection or whatever. I don't really want any religion, because I'm fine with the way i am, and whatever afterlife or whatever follows, i feel that being myself will be the best I can do till that happens. So yes, in a way the show is taking me away from christianity, as i don't really feel that I need to find happiness in worship anymore. Instead I just find my happiness in helping others, and being with friends, and just having fun in general.

So what are your thoughts on the purpose of religions, values, and any ways I could possibly solve this problem?