Awkward situation with my parents as a recent college grad
My parents recently found out (by asking me and I answered honestly) that I have been sleeping with my boyfriend of 3.5 years. This may not sound like a big deal at all, but my parents are very religious and relatively strict. Even though I am 21 years old and a college graduate, they don’t really view me as a “real adult” (at least I don’t think they do). Because of this, they are still a bit overbearing at times. My boyfriend and I both consider ourselves Christian as well, but I don’t agree with everything my parents believe based on my own critical thinking, analysis, and exposure to other people and churches during my time in college. I also differ from my parents politically, which is another small point of contention. This whole situation has just been awkward and tense and I don’t know what to do, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. My boyfriend and I struggle to see how sleeping together is wrong because we are in a loving and committed relationship of several years and plan to get married within the next few years. We feel like God has brought us together and blessed us with each other. This whole thing might seem silly and ridiculous, but it’s causing me anxiety and I’ve always had a hard time with disappointing my parents. I guess I’d just like some advice on how to move forward, and repair the relationship with my parents while maintaining age appropriate boundaries. TIA