Fred Phelps, the infamous founder of the most obnoxious hate group in America, the Westboro cult, which picketed military funerals and promoted hatred against gays, is dead. Part of me would have wanted to say, “Good riddance, bigot” but then that would make me no different from the man whose intolerant fanaticism and bigotry we condemn.

Life is too short to fill our hearts with bitterness and hatred. Nobody’s immortal. We’re all gonna die someday. As the Bible says in Galatians 6:7 -9 , “You reap what you sow.” Or in other words, what goes around comes around.

 

  

Unchristian Christians made me turn away from organized religion for sometime. But then I realized, walking away means I have accepted defeat. There are undoubtedly bad Christians but they’re not the Church.

Using Pentecostal parlance, baka ginamit sila ng “Kaaway” to precisely drive me away from the church for sometime.

I’ve had many bad experiences inside the church. But I’ve got plenty of beautiful memories, too.

Happy Fiesta sa amin!

I was born and grew up in Project 3, Quezon City, which belonged to the Parish and Vicariate of St. Joseph. That was where I first became a Legionary of Mary. Yes, I was a Catolico cerrado (cerrado, in every negative aspect of the word), before I turned my back on organized religion and became a Christian agnostic, and now a prodigal son returning to the Catholic faith….

Anyway, Happy Fiesta, Saint Joseph!

I respectfully beg to disagree with those who claim, “Once you accept Christ into your life as your Savior and become in their words, “born again”, then that’s it, you’re a new creature na altogether, binago ka na ni Lord.” Everyday, bawat pagsubok na dumaraan, patuloy tayong nadadapa at nagpupumilit bumagon. It is a daily process, it does not come in an instant.

Faith is not the absence of doubt. He who never doubted never half-believed.

“Tita Abby”

Hindi naman nag-iisa si Abby, na tita ni Honesto. I’ve got cousins who are a generation older than me, and nephews and nieces who are about the same age or older than me. 

I took the personality quiz, “Which Zimbio or Buzzfeed Dave Tabaniag are you?”, and I got the result, “You are uniquely you. There is no one else like you and there will be no one else like you.” 

Seriously, these Internet personality quizzes could be addicting.

The reason I dislike the term “differently-abled” is because we have experienced bullying and discrimination precisely because people see us as “different”. People place more emphasis on being “normal” (which is actually a totally subjective term) rather than on being human.

We must all seek peace, peace that is based on social justice. Not the kind of peace wherein the bully oppresses the weak.Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. Not the “Keep quiet! Don’t try to fight back” kind of peace, but peace brought about by respect for human dignity, justice, and diversity.

pambansang ulam

May panukalang batas si Bohol Congressman Rene Relampagos, at ito’y naglalayong ideklarang opisyal na pambansang ulam ang adobo. Parang mas malapit yata sa katotohanan ‘yung noodles o sardinas, o kaya’y tuyo? 

Pero sabi nitong si Kuya Boyong, asin daw sa kanyang palagay ang nararapat “ideklarang” pambansang ulam. 

‘Ngapala, di ba’t pending pa ‘yung FOI at anti-dynasty bills sa Kongreso?

Democracy – good, bad, indifferent or “mediocre”, at its worst – is still much better than the “best” or ” most effective” authoritarian regimes. That is because authoritarian regimes are highly hierarchical. Even if assuming, without admitting, that authoritarian regimes could lead their country towards economic development, the fact remains that they have control over the people’s fundamental freedoms. Walang ipinagkaiba sa asong nakatali at binubusalan, sabihin mang puros karne norte ang ipinakakain dito. Hindi katulad sa isang demokrasya, na kung saan, malaya nating matutuligsa ang mga hindi kanais-nais na kaganapan sa pamahalaan. Of course, the people need bread, freedom, and social justice, but nothing is better than freedom. Because with freedom to think, and to speak what is on your mind, it just might be possible that you could still be able to achieve the desired changes in society. But without freedom, everything else may be taken away from you, including your bread – and even your life – once you have surrendered your freedoms to a dictator in exchange for temporary economic security.

Marami akong ayaw sa administrasyong ito, at sa iba pang mga post-Marcos administrations. Subalit hindi ko kailanman sasabihing “sayang ang Edsa” at/o “mas kanais-nais ang buhay sa ilalim ng diktadura.”