by J.B. Baylon
Malaya
This holiday season has allowed me to do something I like doing a lot – and which costs very little.
I refer to my habit of going to a bookstore, and staying there for an hour or two, sometimes even three – while I browse the many books available, taking my own sweet time paring down the purchase options to one, or two, or three, sometimes even five books I would finally go home with.
And so, over the last five days I have visited the different branches of Fully Booked daily, and the National Book Store in Greenbelt 1 twice as well, as a result of which I now have seven books added to my list of “next to read” tomes.
The first batch of these “next to read” books were the four golf instruction books I ordered through Amazon, plus the memoirs of Ted Kennedy and “White House Ghosts,” a book about the speechwriters of US presidents.
Depending on my mood I pick up one or the other and proceed reading where I left off a day or so earlier. So far this method works for me and unless I really have one book I don’t want to put down I find myself finishing two or three books in this admittedly seemingly haphazard manner.
Two days ago, while standing in the section on Religion (which would have caused those who know me to raise their eyebrows) I came upon a couple of books that discussed the Bible in an attempt to straighten out a number of common questions about the Holy Book, the first and foremost being whether the Bible is a work of fact or fiction.
One of these books, “Don’t Know Much About the Bible,” had a couple of interesting sections that made me grab a stool and sit and read. One section discussed the real date and place of Jesus’ birth – was he really born on December 25? Was his birth really a virgin birth? And what’s the difference between the virgin birth and the Immaculate Conception?
As it was December 26, I found it interesting to read that the date of Christmas is apparently not the real date of the birth of Jesus Christ, but was selected as a date to mark that all-important birth because it helped the newly established Roman Catholic religion co-opt one well-established “holiday” of the pagans.
I was also amazed and amused to find out that our calendar may even be wrong, based as it is on the assumption that Jesus Christ was born in year 1 A.D. Biblical scholars point out that since Jesus Christ is supposed to have been born during the reign of King Herod, then this must have been before the year 4 B.C, since King Herod died in that year. Ergo, the new year, 2010, should really be 2006, but since making this correction would result in so many other inconveniences we just simply learned to gloss over the error and move on.
To go into issues more central to the thinking of Roman Catholicism, there is even conjecture that Christ’s birth wasn’t really a “virgin” birth in the sense that we are made to believe it to be – than an Angel (Gabriel?) simply informed Mary that she was to be with child and that this Child was to be the Son of God. Scholars say that there was a substitution in translation of “virgin” for the Jewish word for young lady. But since pagan religion (Roman and Greek, for example) did accept that gods could, in their impishness, take on human form and actually engage in sexual relations with humans, then again as part of the co-opting of pagan belief to make the new religion more acceptable the story developed that God through his Infinite Powers and Wisdom had implanted in the womb of Mary the Son of God, something which her betrothed, Joseph, simply accepted.
Obviously, as one totally impertinent author put it, not all unwed mothers are equal.
While pondering the importance of understanding the difference and finding the balance between legend and truth, I not surprisingly found my thoughts veering to politics, because in the realm of politics we, too, are bombarded by the clash between legend and truth.
History is replete with legends being developed around leaders both living and dead, as a means of buttressing their places in the pantheon of the political gods. Once in a while, though, events happen that allow the people a peek into the truth behind the legends.
In the latter half of the 20th century some of the greatest legends have been built around the lives of leaders such as Lenin, Mao Zedong, Stalin, Kim Il Sung, even John F. Kennedy in the United States and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk much earlier. But even among a number of still-living political leaders, including those no longer in power, legends are still being erected; it is all part of providing the people something to believe in.
Our recent history has seen a clash between two legends – one built around Ferdinand Marcos, and the other around his political rival Ninoy Aquino and Ninoy’s widow, Cory. With their families still very much in politics, how the legends survive will greatly determine the political fate of their scions.
Unfortunately, a majority of our voting population today can only view these figures based on the legends built up around them – for those who lived to see the truth behind the legends are either unwilling or are in no position to speak up and tarnish the images. We all know that many of the Marcos medals weren’t really earned the way they were earned, but very few dispute the fact that Marcos was an anti-Japanese guerrilla in World War II. On the other hand, very few nowadays talk about which side of the war Ninoy’s elders found themselves on, first because it would hardly be of interest to the young people what Ninoy’s father did during the Japanese times, and second because you can easily stand accused of engaging in mudslinging and black propaganda if you bring up something against Ninoy, but not against Marcos.
Marcos, who after his ouster was virtually stripped of many of his pretensions, was once so strongly vilified for being the brains behind the dastardly bombing of Plaza Miranda in August of 1971 that almost wiped out the senatorial slate of the Liberal Party; yet years later it was the leader of the Communist Party who admitted that it was they who had bombed Plaza Miranda in the knowledge that they would be hitting two birds with one stone. But there is more to the Plaza Miranda bombing that is no longer talked about: the puzzling absence of Aquino at the event that saw many of his colleagues badly maimed and some even killed.
I suspect that one of the reasons the Philippines continues to remain in the dark ages is that our politics is so full of myths and legends that our voters are unable (or unwilling) to strip bare to expose the truth. Each one of us has a complex set of beliefs we would like to hold on to, for various reasons including sanity, that to engage in a search for the truth behind the legends will simply be too painful an exercise for us to engage in.
And so we endure the pain in a different way, by ending up with the government that we always deserve, be it a government headed by the dictator Marcos, the naive widow Cory, the kanto boy Erap, or the more Marcos-than-Marcos Gloria.
Because we decide to live blindly with our legends, we end up sacrificing the truth!
Pilipino tradition — “Ayyy, nakalipas na iyan, bakit pa uungkatin ulit??? Babalik lang ang sama ng loob, aksaya lang nng panahon. Look forward to tomorrow, God will provide.”
Que sera sera… what has been, will be.
…Because we decide to live blindly with our legends, we end up sacrificing the truth!
Propaganda promoted by few in government and written by so called journalists that makes hero of a nobody for money at the expense of many.
Jesus could not have been born in December. Baby Jesus was naked in a manger. And according to biblical accounts, the shepherds were out taking care of the sheep. This could not be possible in a very cold season. Jehova’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas believing it was a pagan tradition. The Catholic Church coincided it with the celebration of God the Sun “Sol Invictus” to attract more members. If you look at the definition of Christmas in the dictionary, it says it’s a pagan practice or tradition. Pagan is un-Christian. Why Christians or those self-proclaimed Christians practice a pagan tradition should pose a question to those who truly believe in God. Together with Christmas comes Santa Claus, Christmas tree, exchange gifts all these according to bible experts and scholars have pagan origins. The truth is, the ones really benefiting from Christmas are the church, the toy manufacturers, merchants that take people’s money, rich or poor.
Speaking of Marcos, many believed history would be kinder to him after his downfall and death. Indeed, we’re beginning to see this. Thanks to Gloria Arroyo…she saved Marcos for being portrayed as the most cruel and evil leader of the country. Can anyone disagree that Arroyo is worse than Marcos? Yes, Plaza Miranda was blamed on Marcos just like the December 30 bombing to Erap. Both were the handiwork of their enemies including the Yellow Brigade and FVR-Almonte gang. The similarity is too obvious. The events were staged to make way for the eventual ouster of the two leaders. No wonder this Noynoy is taking advantage of his late parents that even his campaign poster resembles that of his parents. Among the presidentiable candidates, I have to pick Noynoy. But the people surrounding him, the elite and Civil Society, scare me.
“Because we decide to live blindly with our legends, we end up sacrificing the truth!”
Like the The truth about the role of Noynoy’s grandfather during the Japanese occupation.
The truth about the puzzling absence of Ninoy during the Plaza Miranda bombing where many of his colleagues were maimed and killed.
I fully agree with JB Baylon that bringing up these “truths” as issues will earn you a title as a black propagandist and mudslinger.
The Aquinos were “manufactured” as heroes by the yellow media, the elite and the civil society despite the facts that they committed more serious crimes than some other Filipinos, like being a Japanese collaborator, close and more than friendly relationship with the NPA or an NPA collaborator, and violation of human rights and the constitution.
Their hatred against Marcos made them blind and idolized anyone maybe even a dog that died biting the Marcoses.
There are a lot more who share your opinion today, florry. I thought it would take a longer time for people to realize their wrong hatred for Marcos and all the accusations thrown at him. Even until this day, these hypocrites still do not allow Marcos a decent burial. Will they do the same to Gloria Arroyo?
On the issue of who Jesus Christ really is, it’s easy to verify that the story of Joseph of Egypt (old testament) is exactly analogous to that of Jesus:
– Joseph had 12 brothers; Jesus had 12 disciples
– Joseph was sold to the Egyptians by Judah; Jesus was sold to the High Priest by Judas
It’s not surprising that Jesus’ birth falls on a Pagan holiday because Christianity is a Pagan Religion. The Cross is actually two sun rays crisscrossing each supported with a halo circle.
Jesus is just a personification of the zodiac sign Pisces. That’s why he is considered the “fisher of men”. The three kings are actually the three stars on the Orion Belt. Science started on Astrology. The problem we have today is caused by the tendency of some to stay that way.
The Old Testament is a hybrid of history and legends or myths. The New Testament is the work of Jesuits to put the world in slavery as it is now.
Marcos was deceived by these con men to send 600,000+ tons of OUR gold bars, not Yamashita’s, to Switzerland (Vatican Treasury) in exchange of Gold Certificates, which are mere papers that have numbers and fancy decorations on it, which the Jesuit by all indications will not honor it.
Now, they are positioning another Jesuit Puppet to become the next president. The Jesuit Council of Trent based in Makati are in full force.
So if you want real change, get rid of the religion that’s not ours to begin with. Let’s all get back to our senses (that state prior to 1521).
Well said, SumpPit. If you say Christmas is a Pagan holiday and Christianity is a Pagan religion, then the next argument would be about Christ’s deity. But remember not all Christian groups believe in Christ’s deity. So, to say that Christianity is a Pagan religion would mean all Christians are pagans. That now leaves the Jews and Muslims who also don’t believe Jesus is God and that He is just a Man, a Prophet. It would be good to just set aside this topic coming as this Christmas season when most Christians are focused on Christ and Christmas. For sure, bloggers here will give their side of the issue.
And you know what, you’re not the only one who think religion does more harm than good. Many say religion causes wars and conflicts. But without religion, what becomes of men?
IF you need one, then by all means have it. But it would be foolish to borrow one from another. If your goal is Spirituality, religion is simply not the way, Science is. You need to look inward. Look at what you are really made of.
If you study and dig deeper into Science, you will find:
Life = Energy
Energy (in the form of Electromagnetic Waves) “broadcast” itself at different frequencies (vibrations per second).
Each frequency may manifests as Light, Heat, Electricity, Magnetism, etc. Other frequencies may manifest as Matter planets, men, plants, etc), Thoughts or Intelligence.
In this case the bible is right when it said that in the beginning there’s nothing but the Thought. But in the final analysis, there’s really no beginning and therefore no end. Everything will just transform from one type of manifestation into another.
We don’t really die. We only have One Body. We all share in the divinity of Nature, the one true God that we all fail to understand.
So, to answer your question: Without religion, men will become more enlighten, progress is insured to reach great heights, and mankind will reach the stars to fully appreciate the grandeur that Nature is imbued with for all time.
Isn’t it beautiful to have no religion?
… and mankind will reach the stars to fully appreciate the grandeur that Nature is imbued with for all time.
Actually, we already have the technology:
– that could take us there in the vastness of space;
– that could give us physical (not just spiritual) immortality.
Mainstream TV won’t tell you that. Google can.
And you know what, you’re not the only one who think religion does more harm than good. Many say religion causes wars and conflicts.
What about atrocities done in the name of religion?
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/atrocities.html#UsIuOP7Gqa2g
But without religion, what becomes of men?
I think it is called Atheist.
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/answers.html#D9ghM7CFa8V6
It is the elitistas who control the media and education who brainwash people are the ones really responsible for it tignan ninyo yung mga characters sa mga most ng teleserye natin puro kawawa at umaasa sa iba ang bida and the gameshows encourage begging and they also control the science and the study of our history and linguistics sa ating kaawa awang bansa.
I’ve watched this documentary titled ” the pagan Christ” on the history channel. What SuMpit mentioned above was discussed in that documentary. They even said that there is no scientific evidence that Jesus existed.
Baguneta,
There is no historical Jesus. Every historian during “his time” have not written a single word about him.
ang pagka pangulo ba ni gloria putot arroyo ay legend or truth?
Religion is to reconcile with God.
Yes, that’s what the Jesuits told us.
In fact, most Catholics today are hanging on to the promise that “Blessed are the poor for they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.”
BS to all Jesuits.
Are you an atheist, SumpPit? In other countries like the West, atheists are not afraid to say they are and they are also accepted by the society. Pero para sa akin, wala man religion ay dapat maniwala ng isang Supreme Being. You seem to have singled out the Jesuits. Jesuits are just among the many priests who committed crimes (sex). Tutoo, may masamang reputation ang mga Jesuits ayon sa kasaysayan ng Simbahang Katolika.
Tama rin. “Blessed are the poor…” kaya nanatiling poor ang mga tao. On the other hand, I’m not also in favor of “Gospel of Prosperity” which many salesmen turned preachers teach.
Baguneta, of course Jesus existed. Ang tutoong hitsura daw niya maitim. People in that place then were dark skinned. Ngayon lang daw nag-iba ang hitsura at kulay dahil sa mixed race. Perhaps the logical argument is not whether Jesus existed but if He is God. He was only made God long after He and His disciples died. Ah ewan…
And if we discuss Christ’s deity, then this brings to another controversial topic about “Trinity” which Bible is silent. Trinity was invented by a certain Tertullian. Mainit ang ganitong mga topic. Kung sa bagay, related naman sa thread na ito. Pero kayo na po ang magpatuloy.
Bible shun idolatry. And yet the Vatican promotes it.
I understand this:
1. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. So is God.
2. Energy can only be transformed. So is Nature.
3. It’s easy to understand that Life is Energy.
Ergo,
Life = Energy = Nature = God
Life = God or
do we prefer, “God is Life”?
Simple.
But those with ulterior motives tried to complicate things, so that we won’t see the forest, just the trees.
In order to fully understand where the hell religion came from, try watching these movies…
You won’t regret it.
Maybe it’s better to narrow down the question to “Is there a true religion?” All churches and religions claim to be the true one. That cannot be. Kung lahat ay tunay, di wala nang tunay. One is serious in choosing the food that he eats; the clothes that he wears, the friends that he associate with. Di ba mas dapat ay piliin iyong tunay na religion?
Bible shun idolatry. And yet the Vatican promotes it…I cannot agree more, SumpPit. But when you speak of Vatican, you speak of Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholics worship idols and images. Therefore, the Catholic Church is not a good example to argue on idolatry.
Protestants do not believe in idolatry. But idolatry is not all about graven images. Worshiping your leader, the Preacher is also a form of idolatry.
And finally SumpPit, there are many similarities between science and the bible. What the science has discovered have long been written and predicted in the bible.
Agree.
In fact we can summarize it this way:
Religion = Politics = (Deadly) Showbiz Entertainment
Carefully watching TV, will lead one to conclude that it’s all garbage. Not one tv program today can add something to your brain cells. Consider that fact, that everyone of us have been watching that dammed box since the day we were born.
In fact, the ultimate purpose of the “war on terror” is to confine us to our homes with that black box, so we can be brainwash more and more.
Preserve the body but take away the mind = Slavery.
If you’re a manipulator, you’ll mix the Lies with Truth.
SumPit, media has become a very powerful tool to inform or misinform the public. Remember the attack on Iraq on alleged mass weapon of destruction. The Western Media played it heavily and daily. Ngayon naman itong alleged Nigerian terrorist who attempted to bomb the plane. The day it happened, CNN reported it non-stop. Paulit-ulit at puro replay. That could justify an attack on Nigeria, Yemen and again possibly Iran.
Same is true with politics and political campaign. Take note of how ABS-CBN focuses on Noynoy. Many of the station’ staff and talents wear yellow. Kahit sa mga tulong sa mga tao tulad ng “Sagip Kapamilya”, kulay dilaw ang suot ng mga relief workers. Don’t tell me it’s just coincidence. Alam niyo ba kung bakit hindi natuloy ang pagtakbo ni Noli de Castro? The Lopezes frankly told him that they could only support one candidate, Noynoy. Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit umatras si Noli. Malaki ang utang na loob ng mga Lopez sa pamilyang Aquino. In fact, ABS-CBN refused to air Erap’s campaign ad just because there’s a portion showing Cory apologizing for her mistake in ousting Erap. Edu Manzano was booted out from his popular game show and no longer with another popular early morning show.
His fiance Pinky Webb was asked to choose between her career at ABS-CBN and Edu. That explained why Pinky was absent from her TV programs for over a month. Balik uli si Pinky minus Edu whom sources confide have already split…at least for now during the campaign.
testing….1…2…3….
There is no historical Jesus. Every historian during “his time” have not written a single word about him….SumpPit
xxxxxx
Flavius Josephus, a first century Jewish historian wrote of Jesus and the Christians:
“so he [Ananus, son of Ananus the high priest] assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before him the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others (or some of his companions) and when he had formed an accusation against them, he delivered them to be stoned.”
Cornelius Tacitus wrote about Jesus and the first century Christians in his Annals (a history of the Roman empire):
“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”
Thallus, a Samaritan historian, wrote ca. 52 A.D. attempting to give a natural explanation for the earthquake and darkness which occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus. Mara Bar-Seraphon wrote a letter to his son in 73 A.D. which tells of the deaths of Socrates, Pythagoras, and of Jesus, “What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king?…Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given.” Jesus is also mentioned by Phlegon, a first-century historian, Lucian of Samosata (in The Passing Peregrinus), and Plinius Secundus, (Pliny the Younger).
Scholars have made statements such as, “no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non-historicity of Jesus .” (11) The latest version of Encyclopedia Britannica says in its discussion of the multiple extra-biblical witnesses:
“These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds by several authors at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries.”
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibletru.html#zpq7e9JFXOQW
The Bible mentions Jesus as Son of God and not God the Son. Is there difference between the two?
Pinky splits from Edu because of pressure.
Perfect illustration of what NoyNoy said in the interview why he is still single. Filipina women can not be depended on to be loyal to their husband.
Because we decide to live blindly with our legends, we end up sacrificing the truth!
Dala na din siguro ng kahirapan… napagkaitan o hindi nabigyan ng sapat na edukasyon… may mga nakapagaral nga subalit ang karamihan walang pakialam… natutulog sa pansitan… social climber… kolonyal mentality…
Bakit nga ba karamihan pa din sa pilipino ay hindi nabibigyan ng mgandang edukasyon? hindi ginagawang prioridad ng pamahalan ang edukasyon? sadya ba nila itong ginagawa para magapos at hindi mkabangon ang ating bansa sa kahirapan?
Mayaman ang pilipinas sa natural and human resources… mas higit pa kung tutuusin sa ilang mayayamang bansa sa mundo… pero bakit naghihirap pa din tayo? Ang sistema ba ng gobyerno ang problema? ang mga namumuno lang ba sa ating gobyerno? tayo ba mismong mga mamamayang pilipino? o baka naman merong makapangyarihan at naghaharing uri ang pasimuno?
tingog boss, tama ka. Pinky splits from Edu because of pleasure.
xman,
Flavius Josephus did not exist himself.
You really need to watch <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-594683847743189197#"<Zeitgeist – The Movie to understand it. The explanation to your argument is all there. It is cross referenced so you can verify its sources.
Again, it’s not a coincidence when:
– Joseph of Egypt have 12 brothers, and Jesus have 12 disciples;
– Joseph was sold to the Egyptians by Judah, and Jesus was sold to the High Priest by Judas
Jesus is just a personification of the Zodiac sign Pisces – “The Fisher of Men”. Christianity is a Pagan Religion.
Virgin birth, resurrection, are common features in almost all past religions.
The New Testament is just a fabrication. Look at the big picture:
Q1: what could happen if you tell the people that even though they’re poor, they need not worry for they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?
A1: Submission.
Q2: what could happen if you encourage them to repeat the same lies over and over again thru the “Holy” Rosary?
A1: Mind Control. Hypnotism is done thru repetitions.
That’s the purpose of Religion. Preserve the Body, but Take Away the Mind.
Ooooopps!
You really need to watch Zeitgeist – The Movie to understand it. The explanation to your argument is all there. It is cross referenced so you can verify its sources.
Praying the rosary itself is a pagan practice. The Monks also have their own rosaries with big beads. The Bible is against repetitious prayers…how many “Our Father” and “Hail Mary”. Diyan galing ang salitang “dasal” from the word “dalas”. The correct term in Tagalog for praying is “panalangin”.
Correct ka uli SumpPit. Take note of the famous Preachers who use mass hypnotism in attracting the listeners. Walang iba iyan sa mga professional salesmen who conduct sales seminars and demonstrations. Magaling mambola. It’s all about power of suggestion.
By the way, uso ngayon ang tawagin si Jesus na “Bro”. Imagine calling Jesus a brother. What say now those who believe Jesus is God?
Please check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNVbNBaq0r8&NR=1
SumpPit, I think you have revealed yourself as a
scientologist. You believe that the Old Testament is a hybrid of history and legends or myths. You also believe that the New Testament is the work of Jesuits to put the world in slavery as it is now. This means there is no use in quoting the Bible as authority because you don’t believe it. Nevertheless, that was a very good discussion.
The New Testament is just a fabrication. Look at the big picture:
Q1: what could happen if you tell the people that even though they’re poor, they need not worry for they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?
A1: Submission.
Q2: what could happen if you encourage them to repeat the same lies over and over again thru the “Holy” Rosary?
A1: Mind Control. Hypnotism is done thru repetitions.
That’s the purpose of Religion. Preserve the Body, but Take Away the Mind.
xxxxxxxxx
SumpPit, the Q1 was manufactured by the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church. There is nothing in the bible that says the poor will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The Roman Catholic Church used it to deceive their blind followers.
On Q2, I think you are right on that one to hipnotized their Catholic followers.
SumpPit,
Christianity is not the Roman Catholic Church.
Roman Catholic Church is not the Christianity.
Roman Catholic Church is a Pagan Religion, not the Christianity.
So, who are classified as Christians/Christianity? Those are followers of Christ who follows what is written in the Holy Bible. Does the Roman Catholic Church follows what is written in the Holy Bible? The answer is NO, they follow Pagan traditions. Hence, they are not Christians or of Christianity. In fact, the Holy Bible describes the Roman Catholic Church as PROSTITUTE!