"What do you mean you're not a member of any church? Are you Agnostic?"

Brad Pitt is 20% Atheist, 80% Agnostic.

To appease his fans, Pitt said, "Religion works." Kinda' condescending really, considering that It doesn't work for him. I don't blame him. He might lose ticket sales and fan base.
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Because I am surrounded by Catholic and Christian friends and family, I am a bit guilty of keeping quiet with how I feel about Religion in front of them because I do not want to alienate them. Although they have a feeling that I am either an Agnostic or an Atheist, they are afraid to ask me pointblank because it will confirm their suspicion.

Last week, an aunt from the Philippines called and asked me to pray for ex Philippine President Cory Aquino, who is suffering from stage 4 colon cancer which had already metastesized to other parts of her organs. She said that almost all Catholic and Christians in the Philippines are being asked to pray for her to be healed, for a miracle or for her not to suffer too much. They need prayer warriors!

Damn! I thought to myself, stage 4 cancer? Metastesized to other organs? Prayer warriors hoping for a miracle? God needs a million prayer warriors so their prayers can be heard? Deaf...maybe??? WTH???

I thought to myself, lest I be labeled as having a callous attitude toward the sufferings of others, I should just keep quiet and say, "Amen!" But who am I kidding? I am an Atheist and certainly do not believe in prayers. I think it is a waste of time and energy. (...and she wants me to be a prayer warrior) Anyway, I didn't want to sound insensitive or unsympathtic by saying that, so I told her "I really hope she does not suffer too much."

I thought it would stop at that. Instead, my aunt said if I could arrange and ask MY priest if he could have a healing mass for her on Sunday.

"I don't have a priest," I said. "I am not a member of any church." I added.

"What do you mean you're not a member of any church? Are you Agnostic?" She asked.

"No, not Agnostic. Atheist." I stated matter of factly.

Silence.

"Since when...?" She asked trying to find more words but somehow stopped short.

I replied, "I can't remember, a long time."

"But you are Catholic." Her voice a bit raising.

"Not since more than 20 years give and take." I informed her.

"What happened?" "How?"

"I woke up from a bad dream. You know...kinda' woke up from years of being brainwashed, auntie! And now I am free."

"Brainwashed? Free from what?" She demanded to know.

"Free from being bounded by an invisible eye in the sky, a book that is akin to Mythology, a God that is not there really."

"Ai, Susmaryosep!" She was aghast. (translation - Oh, JesusMaryJoseph)

A barage of more questions were thrown at me and I tried to answer without intimidating her but it seems that her brain is not absorbing anything at that point. I don't remember how the conversation ended up. Not that it was unpleasant or anything like that, just not...sweet. Last I heard, she told another aunt that she was concerned about my soul because I am possessed. Sometime soon, they'll call a priest to exorcise the menacing spirit in me. You know, like in "The Exorcist."

I wish I had the ability to turn my head 360 degrees. LOL.

~Oh well...~