Religious Freedom?

Freedom To Practice Your Religion

Religious Tolerance

   We as God children are told, not to adopt any of the Heathens traditions nor duplicate their religious practices. Because of these commandments, Early Christians were greatly persecuted because of their disagreement with pagan or heathen practices that surrounds them. Although generally Christians would not initiate an argument but at the same time would never compromise their faith…

   Truly, it often causes their life to obey God. Many were fed to the lions, made as Gladiators for spectacle, crucified, burn at the stake, or stone to death…

   Yet today, I constantly observe Christians doing and observing the way of the Heathen. Are they afraid to be persecuted? or simply trying to adopt with his unbeliever neighbor? or they just want social acceptance? It may not be popular because you would either be called trouble maker or be accused of extreme religious zealot. After all, Christians should be peace-makers.

   What are God’s expectations? Up to what level of tolerance can children of God extend that he or she does need to compromise their faith? 

The Critical Mass

    I sometimes do sideline job as a photographer on wedding ceremony. I have been in to different kind of churches and religions…was it a sin to kneel in the altar of unbeliever? Personally, I don’t consider myself bowing to idols inside a Catholic church…but for the sake of meekness I join the crowd to kneel but if there’s a chair around I opted to sit down. In the first place, I was there as guest. Being disrespectful isn't a godly virtue…I was there to work and not to worship idols anyway. I know God would understand.

   Right now, there is a bill in congress under stipulation whether a public or private establishment should remove religious icon or not?  I forgot the name of the politician lobbying this into law but some of the suggested provisions would include removal of religious activities inside government facilities.

   Now if my bosses worship Buddha or even the Devil, what can I do? I’m just an employee. If you’re not comfortable working there, then leave…

   I’ve never been into a Muslim country so I can’t tell if they push anyone to worship Allah. Anyway the Koran speaks that all unbeliever should be destroyed…(that’s another story)

   Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything.

   Respect is vital in any relationship. We are told by Jesus to love our enemy and those that persecute us.   

   But there are limitations. We should learn from Daniel how he acted inside the Palace of the Babylonian king. He excuse himself from eating food that the Hebrew was not allowed to eat. But today, Christians would even practice ritual that we are not suppose to be doing…

   One of them is Chanting that the unaware Christian adopted…they have no idea at all that it is an Occult practice related to Demon worship since Ancient times, practiced by the Babylonian, Egyptians, and Canaanites in worshiping their gods. 

   You wont find any law that requires people of God to chant His name. In fact, there was no proper name given to Israel how He was suppose to be called…the Bible was said to have around 72 titles for God like Adonai or I AM. Jesus instructs us to simply call His Father as Father. Not even an adjective of Holy before the name, which was often sacrilegiously practiced by RCC to call the Papal seat as Most Holy Father or Holy See.

   Chanting is invoking spirits to overtake an individual into a trance state. Often this meditation practice is followed with breathing exercises that allows the brain to enter the Alpha or Delta state, depending on the guru you are dealing with. Which practitioner claims they become more relax and enter into a state of Blissfulness. I doubt the calmness because Satan can transform himself into an angel of light. In fact, he was chief angels before his fall bearing the title “The Morning Star”.

Tolerance Can Sometimes Consume the Truth

  This is nothing new at all. When Rome declares Christianity as its official religion after around 3 centuries of trying to eradicate Jesus Christ followers, many of the new converts still can’t get away from their old practices and traditions.  To convince more converts, they allowed  practices and rituals to adapt in their new found faith in Christianity. But as years progress, paganism has already become a malignant cancer.

   If the apostle were alive today, they would not recognized the gospel this new religious leaders are teaching us.

   According to the Esoteric Religions we are on this generation into the Age of Aquarius, where similar to the water sign, humanity by the aid of cosmic forces shall be guided to enlightenment…the awakening of the soul or to the realization that we are part of god, or actually into a process of becoming god ourselves.

   The very same deception that the Serpent of old employed to deceived Eve and then Adam. “You shall become like gods…” if you eat the forbidden fruits. Generations after generations we have seen people claiming to be gods.

   It is no surprise since many false prophet will come out teaching the doctrine of men as if they were the doctrines of God. 

The Rise of a Bully

China is bullying its neighbor and the Super powers are washing its hands on the issue.This was all part of the agenda for  world dominance...it is written and were allowed to happen. I know, it would be hard to follow the event if you are not aware of the Satanic master plan...However, you will notice that there are no real opposition right now for the rise of the sleeping giant.

 Martin Jacques, author of a bestseller on China, asks why the west continues to approach the rise of the new global powerhouse with a closed mind. We obsess over details of the race for the White House, yet give scant regard to the battle to replace China's current leadership. If we fail to pay heed to the political and economic shift of gravity, we will be sidelined by history. History is passing our country and our continent by. Once we were the centre of the world, the place from where power, ideas and the future emanated. If we drew a map of the world, Europe was at its centre. That was how it was for 200 years. No more. The world is tilting on its axis in even more dramatic style than when Europe was on the rise. We are witnessing the greatest changes the world has seen for more than two centuries. We are barely aware of the fact. (Source Here)

   Fishing inside Philippine's exclusive Economic zone, giving mandate to Filipinos not to release any harsh statement for reason that might escalate the tension, and ignoring our leaders... are some of the actions that shows China is now showing its fangs without fear. Provoking what?

   Why US and Europe is not doing anything?  This had to do with the shifting of power...to stir the Asian region to join in the war.  

   At least, if you recall that the Russians open fire on Chinese Fishing vessel while poaching on Sea of Japan...(read more)

   

   Syria's political tensions is also escalating...civil war already exploded there just a couple days ago. 

   The preparation for the purging of the world. As it is said,  world war 3 is coming to town.Are you still expecting that the tension on this region will be resolve? There is a prophetic relationship on this...on both side.  

   Speaking of bully, recently House of Congress passed into law the Anti-Bullying Bill that aims to deter bullying. 

   The House of Congress recently passed into law the bill pushing for schools to enforce anti-bullying policies. 

   Otherwise known as House Bill 5496 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2012, this bill aims to provide parents with important information about bullying, how it happens, how it can be addressed and how it can be prevented from happening in both the grade school and high school settings. The said bill was endorsed by Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III, chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.

   Is there really a need for a legislation on this matter? Anyway, its already a law but is there really such a need for these? I mean, all we need for this issue is a little common sense and parental guidance...plus a little public relation. Is our government trying to tell us how to conduct ourselves again?

   Government should face bigger issues than these. Bullying is parental concerns, the school had guidance councilor to do its part in creating a better person out of their students, how about the church role? 

   I don't think the government should dip its hand on this issue. What they can do is bring back GMRC to education. The need maybe to stress Good Manner and Right Conduct, like we use to have back when we were just kids. Someone said, there's "Values" education...if there is such a thing, then why need a legislation on bullying? 

   Are we trying to say here that bullying is already a criminal activity? What we should look into is the intra and inter-personal well being of our students and children. This is a Parent/Teacher concern...

   This will bring us back to same old problem. Lack of school facilities and resources. The teacher and student ratio...etcetera. 

   This law is a waste of time and paper when this should be basic responsibilities of parents. 

Here is my Facebook statement to summarize the sentiment:

   I thought Values are already thought in School. So what's the need for Anti-Bullying law? Can't our government think of any better law than that? Why not bring back Good Manner and Right Conduct in our curriculum? If there is, then why worry? This law is a lame excuse...returning the blame to students for our Government shortcomings:Like Teacher:Students ratio, and inadequate facilities conducive to learning. GIVE OUR STUDENTS QUALITY EDUCATION INSTEAD! 
   BLAMING THE VICTIM IS AN ARROGANT ALIBI. PARENT SHOULD BE TAUGHT WITH GMRC TOO, NOT TOO MUCH SOAP-OPERAS. 





Do These Law Work? Yes! To boost the image of our politicians as if they are really concerns.

   Here's a nice conclusive post written by Margaret Wente on The Globe and Mail...she's probably right, maybe we are over-loading our schools with laws instead of education....

I feel sorry for the schools. They’ve become extensions of the nanny state, burdened with implementing every faddish notion from 100-per-cent injury-free playgrounds to healthy snacks, and a bizarre form of math that won’t teach your kid to add or subtract but will ask her to explain how she got the answer. Maybe we should blow up the giant school-board bureaucracies and the ministries of education, give the money to the teachers and let them run the schools again. The kids will have more time for learning stuff, and the teachers will have more freedom to make them behave. Maybe what we really need is a law for that. (Source)

My Indian Friends

Ms. Universe 1994: Sushmita Sen

We generally call the people of India as Bombay here in the Philippines and like any foreign nationals we have made a stereotype image of them, and although some of these images may have been mostly untrue; they at least mirrors the clashes and mingling of two distinct culture that basically ignorance of each others character spell the big differences. I'm here to reflect on why Indian are special people to us even though we have a love-hate affair with them. 

   As Filipino you can not erase to us the image of a Bombay (read as boom-bay) riding his motorcycle and sporting his enigmatic turban -- who daily would knock neighborhood's door to collect lease (we call hulog) and would in-tone underneath his curly mustache and hairy beard a unique Filipino accent, in a strange but cute intonation on syllable that was not suppose to be stressed...and that made them funny by actually sounding mechanical.

   Yes, we love them when we need them for loans and we hate them when they came to annoy us daily with collections. The child would often run to his mother "Mother, Go and hide, the Boom-bay is coming!"

   Usually these loans are not money but they would sell you there goods like umbrella, mosquito net, electric fan, towel, etc. Name them, they have them. And they would insist you these items even if you don't actually need them. And then in a rather unusual business practice would close the deal by words and promises. The catch to these is what we termed as 5-6 (five-six) or more than double the price of the goods but lower daily payments. Of course these business relationship often would end up in not so good scenario.

   So, when you came here and heard a Filipino asked you for five-six or umbrella, don't be confused that's how we greet each other.

   Well, we have similarities too even if we don't eat much of Indian cuisine. Philippine cinema like Bollywood religiously include "song and dance" scene on almost all their films. Yes, whether be it horror or drama. 

Shivaker a.k.a. Sam YG

   Lately, we had Shivaker a.k.a. Sam YG who became a popular comedian who presented to us the character of an Indian national play by a real Indian. What made him endearing to the Filipino public is how he was able to make fun of his own culture according to a Filipino perspective but still stand tall with respect and dignity.  

   Seriously now, I'm writing this because of my new found relationship with Bombay. Aside from Aladdin and the magic-carpet I have very little knowledge of India and only now I'm beginning to be aware of the beauty of these people. No don't get me wrong here, I'm not speaking of skin deep beauty. I've already found beauty in them many decades ago, especially Sushmita Sen the Miss Universe winner aside from Jasmine singing "I can show you the world..."

   So who are these people that comprises 15% of the worlds population?

   Most of my Indian friends are from the networking sites only; so the reflection on the matter will focus on this aspect. First, I've notice that they are prolific bloggers and in fact I think they now rank number one bloggers in the whole worldwide web. If we Filipinos hold the kingdom of Facebook they are the Ruler of Blog Kingdom. These blogs change a lot of my misconceptions about India. 

   I think partly I am seeing the heart and soul of the mystifying India. I see their passions and enthusiasm almost similar to our determinations to make a contribution to global wellness. There is of course yoga that we have adapted for our exercise routine. Their poetry that speaks the inner-heart of pure love. Amazing artworks too that are unique in their culture. How they embrace to their faith and practices with utmost respect, and little by little I am seeing many similarities how we both value families and friends. There are a lot of things I am discovering from my Indian friends and I think I'm only seeing a small portion...

   Oh! Before I forgot to mention, that we are both expert in riding trains. I don't know who learned from whom but we can get in and out of a jam-packed train fast and swiftly without bumping each other. 

   Till, next time...continue to mystify me INDIA.

   

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