Tia Juana will cheerfully provide advice for anyone that asks. Just mail your questions to “Ask Tia Juana” at PO Box 8, Van Horn, Texas 79855. All questions will remain anonymous unless there is a chance for extortion. Disclaimer: Tia Juana is not a licensed counselor or therapist and none of the advice should be considered professional.
Dear Tia,
My entire family has been very devout Catholics all their lives, just like generations before them. The problem is those now, some of my close cousins have become hooked on a popular tele-evangelist and have started sneaking away to a large church in another town. If my parents were to find out, it would not only break their hearts, it would cause a major division in our family. I am getting tired and nervous about lying to my parents when they ask where my cousins are when we don’t see them at church. Should I rat my cousins out or convince them to come clean and risk the wrath of the entire family?
Holy Moly
Dear Holy,
It is not up to you to come clean about the reasons for not following a generational religious following. Tell your cousins that you will no longer cover for them when they attend their church, and have them explain to you their reason for their conversion. This way, when you are comforting your wailing parents, you will be able to convey what it was that made your cousins leave the church. On the other hand, it may be safer for you to feign ignorance and appear as shocked as they are, and that way, remain in their wills.
