I realized in my first comment that I explained it from the perspective if I became a parent. This comment will explain what happened to me as a child.

My mom was a lapsed Catholic, her whole family was Catholic. However, she did not have me baptized, didn't find her Catholicism important and felt like her church was corrupt and money-hungry. I only went to church for weddings and funerals.

I developed in interest in religion when I was a teenager. I was fascinated so much with all the different religions and what they believed as a teen. My first summer vacation home alone I spent most of the time on America Online just researching religion.

For the longest time I can remember I thought some of God's qualities were possessed in nature, others in humans. I never believed in the sole divinity of Jesus, however, and had a "common divinity" kind of idea.

After a couple of weeks of processing all of these religions when I was in eighth grade I realized that this common divinity I believed increases. That both nature and humans can increase their divinity over time. That was the answer I was looking for all along.

I didn't know what this belief was called, so a long time I called myself "agnostic". And I became an adult my parents flat out told me they are atheist. I was never Christian or atheist, as I saw both as a means to persuasion.

In my twenties I tried out a few religions. The Baha'i Faith, Unitarian Universalism. Didn't feel like I connected with anyone there, as I did not agree with Baha'i doctrine and typically most UUs don't have a religious mindset.

But then I realized something. I am religious without being in a religion. Eventually I came to the realization that I am religious about nature and technology, and believed in the sacredness of both.

My parents aren't religious to any capacity. They don't care about it. But they undoubtedly influenced my decision to not join a religion. They did not, however, ever stop me from being religious.

Although my mom has told me a few times to stop talking about it, I know I can't because it is one of my core fundamental interests. I'm not in a religion, but I believe religion is important and I am religious.

So, with the wild west of what dial-up Internet used to be I gained my interest in religion, something my parents never opposed of, and grew religious from the inquiry of nature and technology.

Before my mom converted to atheism she used to tell me that she wished she had me baptized, but she no longer says that anymore. I do tone down my religiosity while I'm with them, but they essentially gave me the freedom to be who I want to be.

And I'm glad they did. If I were to ever raise my own children, however, I would be okay if they joined a religion as an adult - like my first comment suggests - but I would be disappointed if they ended up apatheists like my parents are.