Category: Religion

Sexuality in Philippine society: imprisoned in an obsolete tradition-religion complex

April 25, 2011April 25, 2011 benign0 11 Comments

In her article â€œBetween Sensationalism and Censureâ€ (Philippine Journalism Review, April 2002, pages 35-37), Diana Mendoza observed how the bizarreness of Filipinosâ€™ regard for sexuality is reflected in Philippine cinema. Her observations are gleaned from among others, comments made by sociology professor Michael Tan of the University of the Philippines in the Sixth International congress…

Culture, Education, Lifestyle, Media, Religion, Society

The ultimate Easter reflection question: Why would the ‘Son of God’ die for us?

April 23, 2011April 9, 2023 benign0 24 Comments

In many articles all over the part of the Net I am most familiar with, there are many calls to reflect on the real “meaning” of Easter season — that is, presumably, the Catholic meaning of Easter which revolves around the “sacrifice” of Jesus Christ to redeem our sad lot of Adam’s sin. At the…

Religion, Science

The corrupt rich: Why people who are better off leaving stick around

April 19, 2011 benign0 5 Comments

Considering that even Panfilo Lacson, a Senator of the Republic of the Philippines, felt that he was better off running than subjecting himself to the whimsical world of the “justice” system of the Philippines, I wonder how dumb Jose Barredo needed to be to think he could play whistle-blower and come out a winner? Barredo,…

Civics, Crime, Politics, Religion

Holy Week! Party Time!

April 16, 2011 benign0 12 Comments

Is “Holy Week” a time to party and go to the beach? Definitely! When else do Filipinos get two week days off with a whole weekend sandwiched in between? Who wants to stay at home and watch all these bearded men walking around in sandals and robes on TV? And why (oh why!) is Holy…

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Glitz and Glamour, Religion

Has atheism become nothing more than the latest fashion statement?

April 16, 2011April 16, 2011 benign0 60 Comments

Religion is a favourite topic of mine. I find pleasure in pointing out the wonderful variety of paradoxes, incoherent constructs, and logical conundrums that tend to reveal themselves quite easily when using religious dogma and doctrine as building blocks for developing one’s thinking. An example is how one can piece together two fundamental Catholic beliefs…

Culture, Religion, Science, Society

Real advise for Filipinos desperately praying for jobs

April 5, 2011April 6, 2011 benign0 11 Comments

Joblessness is indeed a big problem in the Philippines. It is Third World labour supply on steroids — an exceedingly pathetic situation that sees the economic value of Filipino labour utterly flattened under the sheer weight of the vast numbers of warm bodies out on the streets in jeepney- and bus-loads looking for jobs. The…

Development, Economy, Education, Lifestyle, Religion

Why do Filipinos grieve noisily?

March 31, 2011March 31, 2011 benign0 12 Comments

It baffles me the way the furor over the execution of the three convicted Filipino drug mules in China reached the crescendo that we are seeing today. It’s as if this thing had not been hanging over Filipinos’ heads for the last several months. It first captured the broader public awareness when the Philippine Government…

Culture, Religion

Reform by mob: does it always work?

January 29, 2011 benign0 20 Comments

Some recent events in Egypt and Tunisia illustrate the whole trouble with street mobs supposedly calling for “reform” – that in a situation described more by anarchy than any sort of clear higher purpose, it becomes difficult to sort the devils from the angels. Reports of looters vandalising ancient Egyptian artifacts and of Tunisian shopkeepers…

Culture, Featured, Media, Politics, Religion