Category: Religion

Can Marawi City’s reputation as a no-go-zone for Filipino Christians be changed?

May 24, 2017 benign0 11 Comments

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte finally found a reason to declare Martial Law in Mindanao, the Philippines’ second biggest island and host to the country’s most troubled flashpoints. This follows an eruption of violence in the Mindanao city of Marawi, Lanao del Sur in which pro-Islamic State insurgents based there known as the Maute clashed with…

Culture, Religion, The South

Filipinos need to lighten up about Tito Sotto’s “Eat Bulaga” humour

May 5, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

The reality is, Tito Sotto has full license to crack misogynist jokes in Congress because it was the stardom brought about by his gig in popular noontime variety show Eat Bulaga that got him the votes to begin with. In short, Sotto’s character merely reflects the character of the society that ushered him into power….

Culture, Media, Religion, Society

Bringing back the “Holy Alliance of Throne and Altar” is deadly

April 22, 2017 Carlo de Leon 10 Comments

The background The Congress of Vienna was convened in 1815 by the European nations that defeated Napoleon Bonaparte to establish a new balance of power in Europe and prevent a resurgence of Napoleonic imperialism. The secondary reason was to prevent political revolutions such as the French revolution and the preservation of the status quo.1 Shortly…

Government, Politics, Religion

Is there such a thing as a part-time Roman Catholic?

April 11, 2017 benign0 8 Comments

In the coming Easter season (“holy week” to Filipinos), there is, again, a call to reflect on our spirituality and what it means to be Catholic. To most Filipinos, being a “good” Catholic is to go through the motions of what Catholic dogma dictates. And in this season of prayers and visita iglesias and avoiding…

Lifestyle, Religion

CBCP’s “Walk of Life” stunt illustrates just how primtive a society the Philippines remains

February 21, 2017 benign0 12 Comments

As expected, the Inquirer Editor stepped up as chief cheerleader in the recent “spate” of street activity, specifically the so-called “Walk of Life” organised by, who else, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Crowing about the 20,000-strong “crowd” that gathered in Luneta to sing hymns and wax prayerful over the situation of the…

Politics, Religion, Society

The spectacle of nuns who presume to be politicians’ “guardian angels”

February 19, 2017 benign0 9 Comments

What is it about nuns and the way they play “guardian angel” to supposedly “oppressed” public figures? Back in 2008, it was star “whistle-blower” Jun Lozada — a key witness in the ZTE broadband deal — making a spectacle of himself hiding behind the skirts of a phalanx of nuns as he emerged from hiding…

Politics, Religion

Drug Wars are ALWAYS bloody. Deal with it!

February 7, 2017 benign0 12 Comments

Is there a war between the Roman Catholic Church and Duterte supporters? For that matter, is there a war between the Church and the Philippines’ trendy Church of Atheism? Perhaps. In fact the war between any Philippine Government and the Church has been raging for some time — specifically in efforts to curb the galloping…

Crime, Religion, Society

Here is why ‘fake news’ and religion are the same

January 27, 2017 benign0 19 Comments

A serious effort to understand the true causes behind the purported proliferation of “fake news” in the Philippines begins with an examination of what motivates the average social media user to click the “Like”, “Retweet”, or “Forward” buttons on their devices. Those who decry the “ignorance” of the average social media user who mindlessly contributes…

Culture, Media, Religion