Now I am guessing
that most readers believe I am an atheist, for I roundly condemn the Catholic
Church for holding the Philippines back. And, indeed, a good Pastor is praying
regularly for my misguided soul, mainly because I believe God and his Son have a
sense of humor and a depth of perspective that is missing to humorless
by-the-book religious fundamentalists.
I believe in God:
the Mystery, the Power, and the
Interlinking of Souls. In different terms, that would be the Holy Spirit, the
Father and the Son.
I also believe the
ways of God's religious mankind are sinful and fraught with rules that lack
reason and good foundation in scripture. The organized church is an institution
of Man that seeks to provide order for the chaotic masses. It can be either well-intended
or manipulative, depending on what is in the hearts of its leaders. And it
relentlessly declines to credit God with giving us the brainpower to learn, to
create, and to change.
Finally, I also
believe that simply because God consigns us to the ultimate fate of the
Revelations, we do not need to speed its occurrence by unrestrained birthing
and the ignorant abuse of our planet. We are given the brains to sustain a
healthy life and ought to do a better job of applying them.
But that is just
preface to today's Bible lesson.
Isaiah
Chapters 1 and 2
How is the Bible to
be read? Literally, as truth? Or figuratively, as allegorical lesson? It is
founded on historical truths but seems detached from logic. Is God
all-powerful? Why, then is he so vengeful?
Isaiah begins in
Chapter 1 providing the time and geographical settings. It is the time of the
kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, in the land of Judah, which we might
consider as a "Greater Israel" encompassing Israel and Lebanon, and
parts of Syria and Jordon.
Now our Lord is
highly perturbed, for his children have misbehaved. Their cities are corrupt,
their land abused (sound familiar?), they have allowed foreigners to rule them,
they have offered sacrifices without meaning, and they have lived the sinful
lifestyle of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He calls for them to
straighten up and fly right. For the pious Catholics, I would cite verse 1:13.
Bring no more vain oblations. Incense is an abomination unto
me, the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies. I cannot away with,
it is inequity, even the solumn meeting.
And 15:
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes
from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full
of blood.
The constructive
guidance is in 17:
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge
the fatherless, plead for the widow.
What does that mean
to you? To me, it says consider the troubles of others FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE
and give them relief. It does not mean condemn a woman who does not want to be
a baby factory. It does not mean to indenture women to abusive husbands.
And God is ruthless,
as we find flash floods ruthless.
Consider 19 and 20:
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the
land;
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the
sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Whew! That's clear
enough! And the rest of the first chapter recites the destruction God will
bring to us, the misguided.
Chapter 2 recites
the prophet Isaiah's vision for Judah and Jerusalem. In 2:2:
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain
of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall
be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it.
And God will judge
the people, and there shall be no more wars. He warns of outsiders who bring
their sinful ways and idol worship to Judah.
Material man is
roundly condemned in verses 20 and 21:
In that day a man shall cast his idols of sliver, and his
idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles
and to the bats:
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the
ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he
ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
And I don't know
about you, but verse 22 strikes the fear of God in me. It says (to me) that
maybe I ought to be responsible to the Truth of God. Not the wayward ideas and
ideals of mankind:
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for
wherein is he to be accounted of?
The rest of the Book
of Isaiah continues to recount the punishments and glories that await,
respectfully, sinful or obedient man.
I recommend you read
at least Chapter 4, which includes the sledge hammers of 20, 21 and 22/23:
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and
sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in
their own sight!
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of
strength to mingle strong drink; which justify the wicked for reward, and take
away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
I frankly don't know
what God some Filipino leaders worship, or which Bible they read. I've observed a lot of double-speaking, vain,
less than righteous Filipino leaders. Corruption doth not grow in a bed lacking
nutrients.
Perhaps they skipped
Isaiah, eh?
Or maybe they don't
believe God will punish the sinful, or they can trick God with a death's day
appeal for forgiveness?
That suggests an Ego
bigger than God's . . .
Perhaps they just
skipped Isaiah . . .
Salvation is available for everyone dear brother. Even for the likes of you or Ilda.
ReplyDeleteWe must never give up hope.
Praise the Lord!
Well, Pastor, I somehow expected more from you than the same old concern for my soul. Certainly you must be able to shape my interpretation of Isaiah, add to it, correct it. You know, educate those of us you consider heathens and lost in the world. Is there no depth to your preachings at all?
ReplyDeleteWell the Bible serves many good and noble purposes but it's not the first thing I would pick if I were looking for a pillow to rest my head on.
ReplyDeleteIf the bible is literally interpreted and against reality, their advice, "do not interpret the bible literally"
ReplyDeleteIf the bible cannot be interpreted literally, why bother read the bible at all ?
God loves CRUEL and UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTs so are the believers.
ReplyDeleteHere are the most noted CRUEL and UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS:
1. The Great Flood. The Great Flood is the first ever recorded random act of cruel and unusual mass wanton act of punishment. The Great Flood is now called WATERBOARDING. Waterboarding is practiced by the Republicans in America. The Republicans loves cruel and unusual punishments because they are religious and they learned that it is religiously legal.
2. Fiery punishment in hell with no reprieve or probation. Religious people love this aspect of extreme cruel and unusual punishment. They happily tell their children about this punishment. They clap their hands. They raised their arms to heaven. They love this kind of punishment. I do not know why.
3. Another cruel and unusual punishment is for those children and fetuses that are not born yet because Adam and Eve sinned some 100 million years ago. My grandparents tells me this all the time.
Religious people loves cruel and unusual punishment. They kill and send me to hell to force me bleieve in what they believe in. There is no choice. And the only choice is their religion.
The current state of wanton corruption has its roots in religion.
ReplyDelete1. Accusing anyone thru turo-turo (point-point) justice system without evidences. Just because Mary Magdalene saw her lover rose to the sky without evidence, the Filipinos follow suit. Their imbedded reasoning is "they believe in God, therefore, they are honest, since they are honest, therefore, they should be believed without evidence and forensics reams of affidavit-of-guilt is good enough".
2. TITHING. Also called ecclesiastical bribery. The greater the tithe the more the prayers are answered. This is the reason why the religious corrupts get away with everything. The corrupts are religious, too ! Since the corrupts steals millions and millions of taxpayers money, therefore, they can afford to give 5% of it to the church. And God answers in return. Absolution of their sins. That is why there is a SPECIAL and ORDINARY mass or thanksgiving mass. SPECIAL are for prayer mass that needed special attention because they give extra money to get special mass. The Ordinary is for people who cannot afford, like me. That is why my prayers and my great-great-great grandparents prayers (may God bless their soul) died waiting for their prayers to be answered.
3. If God cannot control events, BLAME Satan. This, too, is very common among religious. They love to BLAME. They elected corrupt officials and blame them NOT THE VOTERS THEMSELVES. If there is typhoon, which is an "Act of God", the church blames not God but my bro, SATAN. If God cannot provide, BLAME FILIPINOS being low-intelligence and lazy.
4. "Ask and you shall receive" If I do not receive BLAME RENATO and his DEVIL SATAN.
ReplyDelete5. "God help those who help themselves". This is called credit grabbing. Filipinos has been helping themselves NOTHING HAPPENS. God says, "Your helping yourselves is not enough, MY PEOPLE NEEDS MONEY, TOO (See #2 TITHING, #4 and #3). If Filipinos are "successful" God grabs the credit, "See, what I can do for you if you are good?". Filipinos love to grab credit. An American with partial Filipino Blood, like CNN-Woman-of-the-Year, is not claimed as Filipino. Black Eyed Peas is claimed as Filipino. These credit grabbing has its roots in religion.
6. "It is easier for a poor Filipino to pass thru the eye of the needle than a rich Filipino". Filipinos should be happy that they are poor. Because heaven is theirs. Thank to Gloria Makapal-Arroyo for making Filipinos poor for HEAVEN IS THEIRS. No thanks to benign0-the-Tard he wanted to make Filipinos wealthy therefore they will be having difficulty squirming thru the eye of the needle. Therefore, Filipinos should thank Gloria for making them poor. God is on the side of Gloria Makapal-Arroyo and Cheap Justice Corona. benign0-the-Tard will fail in his pursuit of happiness against remnantns of Gloria's regime so Filipinos' heaven will be assured.
ReplyDelete7. "PITBULL OTHERS, DO NOT PITBULL ME, OR, I WILL PUTBULL YOU" - benign0-the-Tard to Carpio-Morales
... has its origin in religion, too. Kill those who do not believe in me but do not kill me or I will send you to everlasting hell.
In effect those under benign0's regime are now quivering in their slippers. They have to side with the regime, Supreme Court has to ask benign0 what decisions they want to hand down, else, they will be putbulled.
Aint' Religion Great ?
Now, CITING ALL THE ECCLESIASTICAL CRIMES OF RELIGION ...
ReplyDeleteWho'd we want to mete out the punishment ?
AMERICAN, EUROPEAN GOVERNMENT ? Or, God ?
Here is a clue: Filipino corrupts fly to America to be tried and sent to prison than in the Philippine prison where the favorite tatoo is Jesus Christ and Crucifix; their favorite jewelry is the Crucifix; and the favorite names in Bilibid prison are Hesus, Maria and Josef ...
There will be an EXCEPTION SOON . His name is RENATO ... My Satan, IT IS NOT ME !!!! It is Cheap Justice CORONA !!!!
... and GLORIA from biblical word of GLORY.
ReplyDelete... there is no benign0 and Ilda ... therefore, they are safe from the gory punishment of God.
ReplyDelete... there is plenty of Marias in Bilibid but no Magdalenes and Judases.
ReplyDeleteThese duo have been vilified and demonized by the bible writers as prostitute and betrayor like Gloria been accused of 1,000 and one shenanigans in the papers and all they got was Political Sabotage. It's how people are mind conditioned and brain washed.
Magdalene was demonized because she was a woman and the next in power. The men at that time like in the present do not want that to happen. The "scholars" has to zap and delete her contribution. So was Judas. Without Judas betraying Jesus Christ, Jesus would have died in convalescent home and Filipino's sins would not have been absolved. Judas was instrumental in salvaging the sins of the world. Since Judas effigy is burned every year during lenten season, that is the reason why Philippines will never progress because Judas is soooo angry when he helped the absolution of the sins except Abalos which benign0-the-tard offered absolution of his sins to say something against Gloria. Since Abalos was late, got stuck in Manila's traffic, Abalos absolution of his sins bribery EXPIRED. Now Abalos in dirty, dingy jail.
Filipinos can learn dirty secrets from religion real easy and apply it to their lives.
8. "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." - MATTHEW
ReplyDeleteIf somone takes away your eye give him the other eye ... If someone throws stone at you throw him pan de sal ...
The above is why Filipinos are docile and meek. It's also the reason why the Filipinos giveth to the corrupts and the corrupts taketh away ...
benign0-the-Tard will fail in running after the corrupts because he violates Matthew. But on the other hand there is also another biblical verses somewhere in the deep bowels of the Holy book that says otherwise ....
Reading the bible is like reading the library of congress but Filipinos would rather want to hear what they want to hear because they are already confused enough. This is where the priests come in and take their money away with SPECIAL and ORDINARY mass.
Mariano, brilliant, brilliant. My favorite lines, and some thoughts . . .
ReplyDelete"The Republicans loves cruel and unusual punishments because they are religious and they learned that it is religiously legal."
Waterboarding will never be the same, in my eyes.
____________
"TITHING. Also called ecclesiastical bribery. The greater the tithe the more the prayers are answered"
God is a dependent variable, eh?
____________
"If God cannot control events, BLAME Satan"
Or Democrats . . .
____________
"Filipinos should be happy that they are poor. Because heaven is theirs. "
That is the crime of the Church, isn't it? Suggesting that to be poor is the proper way to worship God. Rather than using our God-given brains.
____________
"It is Cheap Justice CORONA !!!!"
Ahahahahah, cheap justice is very expensive, to taxpayers, I think.
____________
"Without Judas betraying Jesus Christ, Jesus would have died in convalescent home and Filipino's sins would not have been absolved."
It takes a victim to make a hero, eh?
____________
"A Filipino has to let it slide as if no wrong been done. By doing so, they thoughting that they'd go to heaven. I know it is difficult to understand. It takes a Filipino to understand this."
That may be why I simply can't grasp it.
____________
"If somone takes away your eye give him the other eye ... If someone throws stone at you throw him pan de sal ...
The above is why Filipinos are docile and meek. It's also the reason why the Filipinos giveth to the corrupts and the corrupts taketh away …"
I've come to the conclusion that power is very important in the Philippines, and the Filipino ability to read into any given situation or transaction exactly WHO is in power is positively exquisite.
_____________
"Reading the bible is like reading the library of congress but Filipinos would rather want to hear what they want to hear because they are already confused enough. "
God is a dependent variable, for sure. QED
MB, interesting, when I was researching this piece, I used my Bible as a pillow in the lounge chair. It worked great, being thick and pliable. I am confident God would take no insult in my creativity. I slept well.
ReplyDeleteI personally know a lot of good people who believe in God, but not in religion.
ReplyDelete