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Does 'God' exist?
2008-03-12 15:07:00
In my former post "A religionless society?" I proposed an alternative to the misuse and abuse of religion in the realm of politics and other social affairs--that alternative is a society free from religion.To clarify this proposal, I do not really mean the abolition of the sense of mystery between divine and human. What is to be freed from is the 'organized religion' that became a tool to oppress lowly individuals in society.I am no religionist, neither a scholar on religion. I am not an expert. But I do have some insights about the role of religion in Philippine society.First, in the Philippines, it was the Church that exploited the pre-Hispanic Filipinos, one can read the abuses in the novels of Jose Rizal.Second, the Church acquired vast lands free from tax.Third, the Church demanded a corruption-free politics in which most of those who are in politics are Christians and they are members of the holy Catholic Church.Fourth, the Church opposed contraception and population control...
More About: Christianity , God , Exist

Constructing God
2008-03-11 13:34:00
This afternoon I was invited to give a lecture on the Koine or popular Greek that was used in the New Testament in a conservative theological school somewhere in Quezon City.The room was crowded with 50 students, and they were eager to know what would I say. Many of the students were in their 30's mostly Koreans and a handful of Filipinos. They were missionaries, pastors and ministers.I was very careful not to touch on theological issues during my talk. But there was a young male student in his early 20's who asked me about how language would influence or at least relate with our theological construction, a sensitive question that made me uneasy to answer.And so I began to answer the inquirer hoping that I could not offend the 'ministers of God.' I had to make my statements personal first, so I said that for me, theology is simply a discourse that uses language and symbols. It is a human construction about Charlie Brown's the Great Pumpkin. When I mentioned the word "constructi...

A religionless society?
2008-03-10 06:05:00
"Freed am I, O Bhikkhus, from all bonds, whether divine or human. You, too, O Bhikkhus, are freed from all bonds whether divine or human," said the enlightened one.The human instinct, when confronted with natural phenomena, was to attribute those unexplanable experiences to something or someone that is beyond the natural. People since the ancient times, particularly the Hebrews, called this someone El or YHWH. The Greeks called this mystery Theos, while the pre-Hispanic Filipinos called the unknown being Bathala. I am certain that other people groups from various cultures have different names given to the so-called Supreme Being too.There is always, in human sensibility, a sense of the Sacred that contrasts with the realm of the profane. When faced with death, danger, supernatural forces or invisible powers, the basic human tendency is to worship and to pray to the powers. This sense of the sacred is the beginning of the invention of religion.Humans invented religion to explain unex...
More About: Society , Spirituality

Making sense with biblical myths
2008-03-09 11:46:00
Growing up from a Christian home is not a guarantee that a person can be indoctrinated in Christianity for life. My parents were Christians--they're good Protestants. Every Sunday I had to go to church for a Sunday school. There I was taught bible stories, and Christian doctrines.But as a little boy, I always had questions to my teachers in the church. What was God like? Why was the figure of Christ so powerful? Why were the pastors and elders powerful in the church? How did Jesus Christ become God? Was resurrection true? If it's true, then why was that God could not raise my dog to life again?All these questions were left unanswered. And no one actually gave me honest answers.When I was in grade school, the nuns taught us how to pray using the rosary. Back home, my parents taught me to pray directly to God in the name of Jesus Christ; and I could not reconcile the Protestant teachings with the Catholics. I was confused. The nuns taught us to pray to God through the interventions ...
More About: Sense , Myths , Biblical

Why I am not a 'Christian'?
2008-03-08 06:27:00
When I asked Christian s of fundamentalist conviction about why should I be fascinated with Jesus of Nazareth, their usual reply was that, "You have to receive Jesus Christ in your heart as personal lord and savior." But when they were not able to convince me of accepting Christ, in which I really had been a believer and follower of Jesus, fundamentalists would say, "Do not focus on people but on God and in his Christ."This reminds me of my reading in the gospels that Jesus of Nazareth preached about the kingdom of God where there was that vision of peace, justice, mercy, love, and the overthrowing of the powerful in favor of the lowly.Jesus did not preach, "Hey man, receive me as your lord and savior, and I assure you of heaven." Rather, this lovely man from Nazareth preached about repentance and judgment against the oppressive systems of society. Jesus rebuked the politically and religiously powerful Pharisees, High Priests, and Sadducees.The mission of Jesus was simply to serve, t...

"Light a Candle for Truth and Justice"
2008-03-07 06:34:00
I find it necessary to post the call for truth and justice of three Christian organizations namely, The Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, Christian Convergence for Good Governance, and Alliance of Christian Development Agencies:Light a Candle for Truth and Justice All societies need a minimum moral sense in order to survive. The crisis that grips the nation over revelations of high-level corruption in the National Broadband Network?ZTE deal is only the surface of a deep rot at the center of our failing state. It is primarily a moral and not just a political concern when governance ceases to be an instrument for good but instead uses its awesome power to suppress the truth and obstruct justice. When truth has fallen in the public square, it is a sign that evil has grown strong in the land. ( Jeremiah 9:3 )There are moments in history when the state ceases to be a servant of God as in Romans 13 but turns into a Beast as in Revelation 13. In such moments, the people of ...
More About: Society , Philippines , Spirituality

Three major reasons why Gloria Arroyo should be removed
2008-03-06 13:26:00
James (not his real name) is one of those unheard voices in the streets and street corners of Metro Manila. He's been selling cigarettes, candies and newspapers for six years now. He started working when he was seven.James lived with his grandmother in a slum in Mandaluyong when he was four. Unfortunately, in April 7, 2007, the slum where James and his grandmother lived was destroyed by fire, an incident that forced the boy and the old lady to live in the streets.The 13-year old orphan complained that he had only eaten 2 times a day--breakfast and dinner. He earned 70-120 pesos a day. With his daily income, he had to feed his sick grandmother.James is one of the 27.6 million Filipinos who are living below the poverty line.While the poor are scavenging everyday for food, Mrs. Gloria Arroyo and her minions still stay in power and continue to do everything to protect her administration. On the other hand, with clinched fists, political opportunists are like crocodiles waiting under th...
More About: Reasons , Major

How did the Church lose its moral authority?
2008-03-05 01:14:00
In the Philippines today, as the Church continues to claim its moral authority, the more I become cynical of its dark past. And I think it is necessary to provide a sketch of my cynicism against one the most unholy institutions on earth, Christianity.The impact of the early Christian communities as social movement led into the formation of a council in Nicaea. It was an indispensable consequence of the political implication of the growing movement. Constantine had to do something in order to keep the empire intact that resulted into the Christianization of the entire empire which was also the beginning of making the church as a state apparatus for control and repression. Because of a single letter attached to 'homoousious' (same substance) that made it ?homoiousious? (similar substance) there was created a great division between the East and the West. The condemnation of homoousious happened in the Synods of Antioch in 264-268; but it was concluded in Nicaea in 325. The East was t...
More About: Authority , The Church , Moral

Raging for justice
2008-03-03 08:44:00
Today is Monday, and what have I done? What have I learned from last Friday's inter-faith rally? It's now time to reflect.Well, I still fight for the rights of the victims of abuses.What motivates me to continue to rage against the present administration of Gloria Arroyo is the principle of respecting the dignity of human individuals. Every individual has the right to express his or her own thoughts, beliefs and convictions. Every person has the right to live a decent life. Every Filipino has the right to exist and to enjoy life in a free society.Yesterday, I went to a supermarket in Cubao, Quezon City. And I still saw street people. They seemed hopeless and robbed of their dignity as human beings. In a country like the Philippines , the poor become poorer and the rich richer; journalists and activists disappear; witnesses to corruption linking powerful politicians are executed extrajudicially; and the guilty are exempted from the punishment of their crimes.What makes me intense ab...
More About: Justice

Romans 13 and Revelation 13
2008-03-02 01:36:00
Yesterday I attended a Bible study with my friends that are not typical Evangelicals. In fact, they are formerly jaded Evangelicals who tried to make sense with the naiveness of Evangelicalism.The Bible study leader, himself a theology professor, discussed Romans 13:1-7 about the notion of submission to governing authorities, which is the favorite hiding place of the Fundamentalists regarding civil duty.Romans 13 is always taken out of context. The author of the letter St. Paul should be understood in the light of the context of his time. Paul benefited from his Roman citizenship when he received an assassination plot from the Jews. On taxation, the citizens of the Roman empire should pay tributes and taxes in order to sustain the empire. And the Jews during the time were so cunning that they did everything to evade taxation in the belief that they do not honor the authority of the Gentile emperor who called himself 'Son of God.' For the Jews, the Son of God title should only be g...
More About: Philippines , Revelation

Public's silent expression of outrage
2008-03-01 00:41:00
Yesterday ( Friday, February 29, 2008) the public expressed their outrage against the Arroyo administration in the country's business district in Ayala Ave. cor Paseo de Roxas. Of course the police counted only up to a crowd 10, 000. In the Philippines , the police do not know exactly their statistics. During the 1986 EDSA revolution, the police counted only up to 10, 000 gathered at EDSA. The rallyists yesterday estimated the crowd to be 50, 000 but the organizers estimated around 80, 000 people.This number of people who joined the rally is indicative of the public's anger against the gangster administration of Gloria Arroyo. Businessmen, workers, students, and concerned citizens gathered together under the leadership of the bishops of different religious denominations and convictions in the country including the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Aglipayan Indipendent, Islam, and a few Buddhists and other religions. Yesterday's inter-faith prayer rally must have build a momentum for a...
More About: Silent , Expression

More images of public outrage
2008-03-01 00:25:00
Thousands of people express their outrage and protest against the Arroyo administration. This is a call for more protest and for the whole nation to express their outrage against the illegitimate administration of gangsterism, corruption and murder.
More About: Philippines , Public , Images

Images of silent public outrage
2008-02-29 16:24:00
Good thing is that an estimated 80, 000 people participated in the prayer rally protesting the Arroyo administration today. The call was 'Gloria, step down!' The bishops from different denominations and religious affiliations joined the rally. There was a call for public outrage for honest justice. I'll be posting my reflections on the street protest tomorrow morning.
More About: Philippines , Public , Images , Silent

Conditioned to be weak and helpless
2008-02-29 01:15:00
A couple of weeks ago, I visited the city of Tagum in Davao del Norte. Tagum was a new city but in terms of economy, it was next to Davao City compared with other cities in throughout the island of Mindanao (southern part of the Philippines ).I stayed in for two nights in the house of a peasant who happened to be one of my relatives. (In the Philippines we have extended families and relatives that are close to us). On the next day, I also visited the neighborhood, and there I found the girl named Ana (not her real name). Ana's father Lito was a farmer, a small scale farmer. In the Philippines farmers are poor; they have no enough capital for the development of their farms. Information on farming was limited. Besides being a farmer, Lito belonged to an indigenous group that vowed to protect their ancestral land in Davao del Norte. Lito fought for the protection of the trees. Illegal logging was a common practice in Davao del Norte under the protection and control of a few powerful pe...
More About: Society , Conditioned

A call for public outrage
2008-02-28 09:20:00
This morning I was with a group of professors and students in a graduate school talking about reflections on the present political condition of the Philippines . The attendees of the gathering were from different institutions of higher learning in Metro Manila. We discussed about what actions to take given the fact that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo admitted that she's culpable of all the alleged corruption and bribery in her administration.This is no longer about whether the whistle blower of graft and corruption was believable and credible or not. The fact that Arroyo admitted the allegation, she's already guilty. Sadly, the response of the Church on the issue was to let Arroyo form an independent body to investigate her unlawful acts. This appeal is tantamount to asking a criminal to investigate herself, which is a total foolishness I may say.Arroyo was allegedly involved in the Joc-joc Bolante fertilizer scam, the "Hello Garci" election scandal, the abduction and liquidation of journ...
More About: Public , Call

Politics of impunity
2008-02-27 00:18:00
Impunity, according to my Webster's Desk Dictionary, is an "exemption from punishment or detrimental effects." It is a total exercise of power--religious or political--that defies the culturally sanctioned laws of the community.In the record of the ancient kings of the Hebrews, King Saul of the first Israelite monarchy defied the religiously sanctioned law. He became too proud of himself and his achievements that he bypassed the role of the prophets and the priests.King Saul thought that he was above the law; but the prophets, especially the last of the Judges, Samuel rebuked the king of his wickedness--that the king, no matter how high and significant is his political office, could not be exempted from justice.The second king of the united Israelite monarchy, David, he too tried to get himself rid off of the punishment of his crime. He authored the murder of one of his valiant soldiers Uriah in order to get the soldier's wife Bathsheeba. But Nathan the prophet rebuked the king th...
More About: Politics , Philippines

Culture of lying
2008-02-25 23:35:00
In Hebrew mythology, lying follows the creation of human beings. In order to explain the origin of evil, the Elohists told of the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Elohim warned the first humans, "You shall not eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The time that you will eat it, you will surely die." But the craftiness of the serpent was blamed by the story-teller; the serpent lied to the woman by saying, "You will not surely die. For Elohim knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened." Lying was the first injury that was inflicted on humanity. It was the first injury that was also inflicted to the Filipino nation. When the Spaniards came to conquer the islands, they presented themselves not as enemies but as friends. Americans came and they did the same.Adding insult to the patriotism of Jose Rizal, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared in Rizal Day of 2002 that she would not be running for presidency in 2004. That was the first lie that she...
More About: Culture

Losing my identity
2008-02-25 02:17:00
In the discourse of postmodernity, the notion of identity is of significance. It is the question of uniqueness in the midst of pluralism that is being posed. However, in Asia, identity is not so much of a problem in terms of religious conviction. We have Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and many local religions. These religions provide Asians unique identity.But once a person is caught between the discourse of public responsibility and social action, we seem to loose our Asian identity. Perhaps we are identified as the haven for corrupt politicians.This issue of identity reminds me of the story of the Hebrew prophet Hosea where he was commanded to take a prostitute wife to illustrate the unfaithfulness of Israel to its 'God.' Yahweh rejected Israel because of the nation's corruption, unrighteousness and injustice. And the prophet Hosea had to deal with the sins of Israel at that time. When Yahweh rejected Israel, Israel had lost its identity as a people of God.When the Phi...
More About: Identity

Confession of a heartless young man
2008-02-24 03:42:00
Last night, I hanged out with friends in Morato, one of Quezon City's night life destinations. The place was lined with barbeque bars and grills, restaurants, clubs, coffee shops, spas, and sports bars. And I tell you, the price was quite expensive and affordable only by the middle class and up. While we were eating our late dinner, three street kids entered the restaurant. They begged from the customers for food. But the customers just ignored them, instead the children were dragged out of the restaurant by the security guard.And me, I was struck dumb and I was coward enough to tell the officer to just leave the children.I simply ignored the incident. I was heartless too. Though my heart bled, I did not do something.Street children are increasing. They have no opportunity to study and to live in a decent shelter. And the local government has no program for them. Instead many of the street kids were put into prison to keep them away from the sight of the public.I was sad of last ni...
More About: Young , Confession

Where's my old Cabinuangan?
2008-02-23 02:14:00
Last January 17-28, 2008, I visited the town where I grew up as a child. The town's name was New Bataan in Compostela Valley. When my family left there in 1992, the town was part of Davao del Norte province. But in 1998, local politicians were so enticed into power, they separated Compostela Valley from Davao del Norte. Compostela Valley is composed of 13 tiny towns and one of these towns is New Bataan.The early settlers of New Bataan were the Mandaya tribe. They were close to nature, and they cared their forests and rivers. After the War, Christians from Luzon island migrated to Compostela Valley, and many of them populated in the barrio named Cabinuangan. The number of Christians grew, and they civilized the Mandaya. This 'civilization' of the indigenous tribe was political of course. But the Mandayas refused. And so Christians, who were strangers in the land, slowly drove these Mandayas into the highlands. Christians occupied the lowlands.And finally, in 1965, Christians creat...

Unholy vision
2008-02-23 01:56:00
I see the angels descendingInto the coldest hell,Then I see the devil welcomingBoth good and evilI see the Tiger hungeringOf the holy peopleAnd I see the Lamb murmuringWhy evil go to heavenI see God discombobulatingHumanity of all race and ageI see them a-fightingIn the name of their God(s)Then I see children a-playingIn the garden of eternal delightAnd I see the garden a-turningInto graveyard of princes, queens and kingsI see all the ministers gatheringTheir congregations a-dyingBecause the poison has spreadIn their veins creatingNumbness in their brainsAnd I see God triumphantIn killing all human beings
More About: Vision , Unholy

Silent music
2008-02-22 01:59:00
Listen, listen, O innermost beingListen, listen, to the music of the windIt blows, it blows, wherever it goesIt blows, it blows, to where it belongs.The melody flies in the airAs little children are singing thereThere in the fields and in the gardensAmong the lilies and wild flowers.The roses play their thorny harpsAnd daisies dance with their rapsThe orchids blow their horny trumpetsAnd bougainvilleas their pipes and flutes.Listen, listen, O innermost beingListen, listen, to the music of the windMusic hums and children sing harmoniouslyListen, listen, to the music played silently.
More About: Silent

A spark of life
2008-02-21 01:37:00
A spark of light is a joy of the person who is walking in the dark. Light is a symbol of hope. St. John the Apostle used the metaphor of light to describe the vision of life in the midst of suffering and persecution.This reminds me of the story of Marisa. She is in her late forties now. A psychology graduate from the University of the Philippines, she worked for a multinational pharmaceutical company as the human resources executive. Marisa's husband Juan is a visual artist, a painter who had exhibits in Manila, Singapore, New York and other parts of the world. Albert their only son, is now studying in college.Part of her job as an executive was to travel to Europe and the United States regularly every year. In 1998, while Paris was preparing for the World Cup '98, Marisa was tasked to visit the company's main office. Because Marisa loved her family, she asked for a leave from the company after her assignment in Paris. And she also asked Juan and Albert to follow her to Paris for...
More About: Life , Spark

Award from the esoterical journey
2008-02-20 14:32:00
I received this award from The Esoterical Journey . And I am very happy and thankful. I pass this award to mar's The Fearless Blog , amsotl's B.I.D.E., and jdpartosa's Poema Y Me.
More About: Award

Evangelism bluff
2008-02-20 00:46:00
Mang Fredo was a peasant from the small town of Santa Cruz. He lived in a remote village 10 km. away from the town proper.Because he rarely went to town for the simple reason that he would hike for 3-4 hours, Mang Fredo just stayed with his wife Aling Linda and 9-year old son Kardo in the village.Mang Fredo was sick of tuberculosis (TB). TB kept him from going to town hospital. He's weak. And there was no road to town. There was no vehicle for transportation.Because of poverty, Mang Fredo could not even afford to buy a horse. Kardo stopped from studying because his parents could not afford his daily allowance of 5 pesos (US$ .12). One unfortunate day, an evangelist came to the home of Mang Fredo. The evangelist brought with him the message of healing through faith in the 'trite' name of Jesus Christ. He prayed over Mang Fredo, and afterwards asked for a donation of 20 pesos (US$ .50).Mang Fredo, was not cured from TB. Instead of using his 20 pesos to buy food, the evangelist took...
More About: Evangelism , Bluff

Lola Dalena
2008-02-19 01:06:00
This old lady in the photo weaved a mat from buri leaves and sold it for 100 pesos (US$2.25). Lola Dalena had to finish the mat in three days. That means that she earned 33 pesos (US$ .75) a day. She had to survive in this highly competitive society.Her husband died five years ago. Although she had five grown up children, she's taking care of her granddaughter. She sent the child to school. She looks happy, right? Yes, she is. But deep inside is the feeling of helplessness and powerlessness. She too--like many of her fellow villagers in Campurog, Villaba, Leyte in Central Philippines--is a victim of the country's unjust political system.The poor become poorer and the rich richer. That's the paradox of life. We have to survive in this paradox.But is that so? Can we really live hand in hand with so much suffering around us? The president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still in power. And she's trying her best to remain in that presidential post. Challenges of the i...

"The Little Girl Found"
2008-02-18 14:41:00
William Blake's The Little Girl Found is a sequel to The Little Girl Lost. In this sequel, Blake wanted to assure his readers that the little girl is not lost anymore. She's found by her parents. The tygers did not eat her because they're tamed.Again, Blake simply continued his Isaiahnic vision of shalom where peace and justice reign. Human and animals live together in harmony. The weapons become plowshares. No more wars.This will not be a kingdom which entails political oppression and repression of human freedom. This will be a borderless human and animal community. Here's the sequel of The Little Girl Lost:All the night in woeLyca's parents goOver vallies deep,While the desarts weep.Tired and woe-begone,Hoarse with making moan,Arm in arm seven daysThey trac'd the desart ways.Seven nights they sleepAmong the shadows deep,And dream they see their childStarv'd in desart wild.Pale thro' pathless waysThe fancied image strays,Famish'd, weeping, weak,With hollow piteous shriek.R...

Children in poverty
2008-02-18 01:24:00
Children deserve to live decent lives; their rights should be respected. Just last year I visited the countryside, in the province of Leyte, Central Philippines. It took me 45 minutes to travel by plane from Manila. Feeling myself as a photographer, I brought my digital camera to peek into the daily lives of the villagers. When I reached a village, I saw children working in the farms and in the quarries. They are supposed to be in school than working for the family's survival.When I inquired how much they earned for a day, "40 pesos," an 8-year old boy replied. 40 pesos is equivalent to US$ 1. "What is your name?""Raymond," he answered."Well, Raymond, why do you work like this? Look at you, you're supposed to be in school," I preached.The boy looked at my eyes and answered me, "Mister, if I do not work, my mother will die. She is sick. I have a younger sister who is 6 years old. My father left us. She's with another woman. If I go to school, I will also die because in school, my ...
More About: Children , Poverty

"The Little Girl Lost"
2008-02-17 02:50:00
I am fascinated with the poems of William Blake. He seemed to speak to me directly in the eyes. Perhaps in the eyes of poetic sensibility. I do not claim to be a poet though I have written several essays on poetry. But I am sensitive to the power of words as they create images and metaphors that invite human imagination to engage in.The poet Blake introduced radical ideas to his friends and readers. These radical ideas are expressed in his poems, and also in his drawings. You could only imagine how he challenged the Victorian convention during his time in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, The Proverbs of Hell, The Tyger and his many other poems.I like Blake. I love reading his poems.Blake spoke of heaven and hell, of life and death, of light and darkness, of innocence and experience, and of good and evil. But all these duality are one. One in sense that we should transcend beyond these duality in our affirmation of life. This reminds me of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche wrote a simil...
More About: Lost , Girl , Little Girl

Sunset?
2008-02-16 00:45:00
I wake up in the morning from a deep sleep; from the bliss of darkness that is greater than light.Now I see the light; the sun shines upon my face. I see the radiance of life.I was sleeping then inside my mother's womb; naked, cold, innocent as a lamb.But when I see the light, and have seen its beauty; I cannot resist its temptation.I want to live and enjoy the light of day; I am afraid to go back from where I came from.From darkness, I came and so I refuse to return. It's so good to be in the light.Why should the sun set in the west and does not return to the east? I am afraid of the dark, I am afraid to go back to my primordial abode. I want to see the light forever.Sunset . Yes the sun sets. And so will I also set. And with Dylan Thomas I rage against the dying of the light.