In a church of their own, Latino atheists fear no God. But Mom? That's another matter
LOS ANGELES - Once a month, a very particular Sunday service unfolds on a patio outside a Starbucks in El Monte. When jets fly overhead, members of the congregation have to shout across the table at one another.
Some days, there's a small crowd, and the conversation lasts for hours. On other days, Arlene Rios waits alone.
It's not easy being an atheist raised in a devoutly Catholic culture. But here in the San Gabriel Valley, you don't have to doubt God's existence all alone. You can head to the monthly meetup of secular Latinos and share a latte with Rios.
There are no Communion wafers at this service, just coffee and pastries, support and understanding from Atheists United Secular Latinos of San Gabriel Valley.
"Some people are afraid to RSVP, because they're afraid their family members might know they're questioning religion," said Rios, who started organizing this unusual convocation in Fresno three years ago. "I still show up just in case."
She is up against centuries of tradition.
