Dear AnonyMouse....I feel for your situation so much. I was your age when I told my mother who was newly divorced and struggling to make ends meet that I wanted out of the religion. My reason was a boy at school and had seen a friend judicially reproved for talking to a wordly boy on the phone. Thank goodness for me I wasn't baptized, but my mom had an elder that was close to our family come over to try and speak with me. He told me that I could still date the boy and go to the meetings, that it wasn't out of the question, just kinda frowned upon. That was just one of many points of hypocricy I ran across. Anyway, when I first told my mom that I wanted out she seemed to be okay with it. After the elder wasn't able to change my mind she informed me that I would still be going to meetings. This was after she had always told my brothers and I that she would never force it on us like her parents did to her, but would allow us to make our own decisions. When I threw that point back at her, her response was basically the same as your mom's and uncle's, "My house, my rules." I couldn't fight her out of it, but when I was at the meetings I refused to raise my hand, sing, or talk to others. After the meetings were over I would head to the car and wait. I stopped setting my alarm clock on Sunday mornings and she had the extra burden of making sure I was up and ready. One morning I woke up to her and my brothers walking out the door for the Sunday meeting. When I asked her why she didn't wake me up (all very innocent like, of course) she said that she had enough to deal with without fighting to get me up and that I didn't want to go anyway. Well, DUH!!! What was it you said about a 90 point IQ? Now the difference between you and I is that I had a job outside the house, which got me the association and money I craved and I wasn't homeschooled. You do need to tow the line until you are able to go out on your own. It is very likely that if you push her too much on this issue she could kick you out and since you don't have any friends from school or other family to fall back on, you would really be stuck. She may surprise you at some point, though, and start dating once she finds a job. That is exactly what my mom did. Even though it was very hypocritical of her, she layed off of me a little bit when she started doing exactly what she had told me not to do. Anyway, I think you have a lot of good advice from all of these posts. It really sucks to be where you are, but there is a definite end to the madness when you turn 18 and it's right around the corner. Until then
Hang in there and try to be nice to her at home. In my experience having a fit about it never helped, but made it worse. Make your feelings known when she asks you about them so she is aware that you are going along with things, but that you are still your own person. She may feel guilty at some point that she's stifling you.
Get a job if you can. Stock away as much money as you can for when you are 18 or if she and your uncle decide to kick you out earlier. My mom did that to my brother when it was his turn to tell her he wanted out. He says that he thinks she was just trying to call his bluff, but he called hers and out he went. He had a harder road because he ended up getting baptized, while I never was
If you aren't baptized yet, DO NOT DO IT! That is one thing they most definitely can't force on you. How can you be baptized if you do not believe? And nobody wants to create a scene carrying a 16 year old girl kicking and screaming down to the pool.
Great on having the extra keyboard. Read as much as you can, if only to have a mental escape, but also to hopefully feel that you are not alone and suicide is definitely not the answer. Besides, that will give your mom and uncle another thing to add to their martyrdom list. Like I said, I was your age when I had that fateful conversation with my mom....to give you some extra perspective I'll be 27 in September and have a wonderful family of my own. I do not talk to my mom and most members of that side of my family. They don't talk to my brother. One day this will be you, too. Maybe not the husband and kids, if that is not what you want, but whatever life you create for yourself. Do not cheat yourself from that future.
One last thing, your mom does have a lot on her plate and hopefully she can see that you are truly a blessing in that you aren't pregnant, doing drugs, or being out and out disrespectful. Again, hang on and good luck!