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Atheists Searching For Their Place in Heavily Catholic Philippines

Manila. Marie Kristine Gumapac used to fight with her family because they could not even set aside one hour each week to attend Mass.

Now, the 29-year-old engineering student fights with her family because she no longer believes in God.

“It’s hard sometimes. I don’t really talk about it much,” she said of her non-belief. “But if people ask, I do tell them that I’m an atheist.”

Gumapac, who once sang in a church choir and was born on Christmas Day, said she left the faith in 2009 after being turned off by disturbing and tasteless practices in Catholicism and years of questioning.

“Now if I want something, I don’t go asking God to please give me this and I promise to be like this. When I want something, I work to get it or ask help if I need it,” she said. “If I have questions, I don’t look up, I search on the Internet.”