Be Free from needless Religious Regulations by Pastor Ed Lapiz

Magnanakaw! Magnanakaw!

COMPULSIVENESS

                                                 Have you
                                     experienced
                                   doing something
                      you did not intend
                           to do in the first
                place and then regretting          
         it later? Halimbawa, hindi
                           naman nyo balak
                               mag-walk out on
                              somebody, pero
                           bigla kayong
                   napikon at nagawa ito.
       O, may kausap kayo sa
        phone, at bigla nyong
       ibinagsak, Ah! Ganyan pala!
       Blag! Or you slammed the
   door on someone. Kung
minsan, kabaligtaran pa nga ang
pinaplano nating gawin. Nanood
ka ng isang pelikula. It was a very nice love story at naalala mo ang pagkukulang mo sa
iyong sweetheart. Hindi mo siya
                                                                                        kasamang nanood. Talagang
balak mong maging nice sa kanya. I will make-up for all my pagklagang narealize ko ito.
Nang magkita kayo uli, may pinag-awayan kayo at lumabas na naman ang pagka-terror mo sa kanya. Nararanasan nyo ba ito kung minsan? What happened was exactly the opposite of what we actually planned to do.


          Do you sometimes experience repeatedly doing an unreasonable act out of habit?
Katulad ng paulit-ulit na pagsusugal. Minsan naman, pag engage in immoral sex acts.
Mayroon naman, sa over eating. Kahit sumpa nang sumpa sa lahat ng kalendaryo na hindi na sya kakain masyado, nag-o-over eat pa rin.
Or in dringking alcohol or taking drugs for instance. Nobody who take drug is convinced that doing it is good. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his or her mind, alam nyang masama pero ginagawa pa rin out of compulsion. Nararanasan ba natin na kung minsan ay lumalabas ang pagka sadista natin and we always punish children? May ganun─ compulsive na namamalo. Yung kayanin ang kaya nila. Hurting animals for instance.
Sasadistahin ang mga pets. Terrorizing people, especially those na kaya natin, or walking out of our responsibilities.
     
           If you have experienced any of these every now and then, or in an ongoing basis, you may be a victim of compulsive behavior. Most probably you are miserable and may not be even aware that you are being robbed of happiness by such compulsions.

           Ano ba ang compulsiveness? The word compulsive is defined as an irresistible repeated impulese to perform some unreasonable acts. Alam na mali pero ginagawa dahil hindi matanggihan ang alok ng mali. Is there anyone who can say, "Everything I do is reasonable, acceptable and definitly the right thing to do"?  Marami tayong ginagawa na unreasonable at alm nating mali. Isa na dito ang tantrums o sumpong. Ang sumpong naman ay namimili ng pagsusumpungan, di ba? Ano ang laging object ng sumpong? Di ba ung mga nanay, mga boyfriend, o mga kuya na pinagbibigyan tayo parati? Mayron ba dyan na may sumpong pagka ang kaharap ay maton? Biglang nagbe-behave lalo na kung yung isa ay may hawak na biente-nuwebe, diba? Pero sumpong ka lang nang sumpong, dabog ka lang nang dabog, kahit alam mong mali, dun sa tao na kaya mo. Tantrums is an example of compulsive behavior.

           There are also the so-called impulsive actions. These are sudden, spontaneous inclination to do some unpremeditated  acts. They are usually the opposite of what we have planned to do, tulad ng nabanggit na. Gusto mong makipag-kaibigan; nagkagalit kayo at gusto mong makipagkasundo. Sabi mo, "Hoy! Bati na tayo." Sagot nya , "Eh, bakit ako makikipagbati sayo? May kasalanan ka naman." Ikaw: "Sige na sorry na." Siya: "Anong sorry, sorry!" Ikaw: "Ah, kung ayaw mo, huwag!" At nag-walk out ka na uli. Nang malayo kana, naisip mo, Hindi naman yon ang purpose ko ah. Gusto kong makipag-peace. Bakit ako naging impulsive? We act in ways that are exactly opposite of what we intended to do. Impulsive acts also fall under compulsive behavior.

         Some compulsive habits habits may appear to be good. Over-working, halimbawa. May kilala ba kayong tao na napaka-hilig mag-work? Umagang umaga pa lang ay nagwo-work na at di mo maabala. Hanggang gabi ay wala nang ginawa kundi mag-work. That's compulsive behavior because there are many things to do aside from work. But a lot of people live to work, and that's compulsive and unreasonable.

         Mayroon naman, over-studiying. Hindi na nakipag-sport, hindi na nakipagkaibigan, wala nang ginawa kundi mag-aral na lang nang mag-aral. Minsan ay graduation sa UP Diliman at may babaeng nag graduate after three-and-a-half years. Dapat yata ay four-and-a-half or five years pa yung course nya. Sabi ng mga tao, "Abnoy siya. Hindi yan nag-enjoy sa buhay eh. Nag-aral lang yan nang nag-aral." Siyempre, may inggit na yung mga nagsabi nun dahil summa cum laude yung babae.

         May tao na over-saving. Pagkayaman-yaman na, pero binibilang pa ang patak ng mantika. Kung pwede ay ilagay na lang sa hiringgilya bago ilagay sa kawali para tamang-tama! Akala mo ang palaman ng tinapay ay blade, yun pala ay keso! Ang husay niya talagang maghiwa ng
keso. Ther are
people who really
are overly thrifty.
But our point is this:
Many of us are
either doing
compulsive acts or are
overdoing something.




        May negative fruit when we became unnaturally concentrated on something. Ang compulsive behavior ay walang reason. Hindi ba unreasonable for a wealthy person ang maging kuripot? At unreasonable din naman sa isang maralita ang maging extravagant, di ba? Kung ang mga taong walang kapera-pera ay puro pa-party, puro pa-blow-out, puro paganito, compulsive behavior na naman ang ang nag-o-opress sa kanila. Anything that's against reason is compulsive behavior. Marami kaya tayong maa-identify sa buhay natin na compulsive activities? Halimbawa, kung sino pa yung taong mabuti sa iyo, siya pa ang lagi mong binubuska. This is against reason. Ganyan ang ginagawa natin sa ating magulang, di ba? Binubuska-buskahan natin yung family members na tumutulong sa atin. Pero kaybuti nating makisama sa ibang tao.



How does compulsiveness rob us of happiness?

     Unang-una, compulsive behvior takes control of our lives. Di ba nakakalungkot na yung gusto mong gawin ay di mo magawa? At yung ayaw mo naman gawin ay yon ang nagagawa. Pagkatapos ay lagi kang nagsisisi. Your life then becomes a series of what-could-have-beens. Puro sayang. Compulsive behavior takes us to where we don't want to go or we don't need to go. It robs us happiness this way.

       Compulsive behavior creates difficult situations for us. May masama siyang ginagawa. Ikaw naman, sa pagtrato mo sa kanya compulsively ikaw ngayon ang humihingi ng sorry. Halimbawa, may sinabi syang pangit, at bigla mong sinampal. Ikaw na ngayon ang magsasabi ng, "Sorry ha." Nabaligtad na. Siya originally ang gumawa ng masama, pero ikaw ngayon ang humihingi ng tawad. Kasi yung wrong na ginawa nya ay tinapatan mo rin ng another wrong. Ikaw ngayon ang huling nagkamali; at ikaw na ang humihingi ng tawad. Sabi mo teka-teka... Ako ang pinagsabihan nya ng masama. Eh bakit ako ngayon ang nag-so-sorry? Kasi naging impulsive ka. Siguro, sa pagsabi nya ng masama, minura mo o sinumbatan o ginawan sya ng mas pangit. Ngayon ay nagmumukang ikaw pa ang mas masama. Impulsiveness, as part of compulsive behavior, creates difficult situations.

       Compulsive behavior also causes trouble with other people, or drives people away from us. Maraming tao ang malulungkot dahil wala naman silang kaibigan. Maraming tao ang hindi masaya kasi wala namang tao ang close sa kanila. The deepest source of our happiness, aside from God, ay kapwa tao, hindi things. Nakita ninyo yung mga batang maraming toys? Malungkot na bata sila. Yung mga bata sa West at sa mga developed economies, ang kalaro ay toys at computers. Pero tingnan nyo ang mga masasayang bata na nasa estero at mga abryo ─ ang kalaro ay tao. Yung iba ang kalaro ay bagay. Kaya malungkot at lumaking abnormal. Kaya lumaki na maraming mental at psychological imbalances. This holds true in the developed economies. Nuon, I was in Germany as an exchange student at tinanong ako: "What do the average Filipino children plays with fellow children." Sino ang nakaranas sa inyo na magpiko? O mag-taguan at kung anu-ano pang mga laro? We usaually play with fellow children. Makikita natin na yung mga tao at pamilya sa provinces na wala pang kuryente ay masasaya. Kasi pagkakain nila ay daldalan nang nang daldalan, kwentuhan nang kwentuhan sa balkon, di ba? Nagkukuwento yung lolo o mga lola at mga nanay kung anong nangyari sa kanila nung panahon ng Hapon o nuong ganitong taon.

       Eh ngayon sa city na may kuryente at may TV, people don't talk with each other anymore. Lahat ay nakatunganga sa TV. Sasawayin kapag kumibo ang isa, "Psst, huwag kang maingay." Very little communication is happening. At hindi ba napakalaking crime naman yung nakabukas pa ang TV habang kayo ay kumakain na? Panahon na nga para magkwentuhan at mag-fellowship ang pamilya pero sa TV parin nakatingin. Yung iba ay naka Walkman pa ─ talagang they're in a world of their own! Wala silang pakialam sa mundo. Here, things are ministering to us, not people. That's why the developed economies have the highest suicide rate. Sa developed economies ay very lucrative ang hanapbuhay ng psychiatrists, psychotherapists at counselors. Sa America, magbabayad kayo por hora para lang kayo pakinggan ng therapist. Hindi pa siya magpapayo, but makikinig lang. In America, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Germany, people are so busy that they have no time to listen to you. Para sa kanila, ang time ay pera. Bakit sila mag-aaksaya ng panahong makinig sa'yo? Mapalad pa din ang mga tao sa bansa natin dahil nakakapag-telebabad oars-oras. Pipi na ang tainga pero nasa telepono pa rin, di ba? Marami pa rin tayong nakakausap kaya masaya tayo. Kung kayo'y nalulungkot, subukan na makipag-kwentuhan at mawawala ang inyong lungkot.
 
     

Scorpio

Reputed to be the "most powerful" sign of the zodiac, Scorpios lead fate filled lives and have intense and dramatic personal relationships. Even as children Scorpios are often found to be wise beyond their years. Many astrologers call this the sign of the "oldest souls". Old and wise beyond the average, Scorpios often know all the answers, except sometimes; they too often have difficulty finding what they need to develop their own happiness.

Passion, desire and power go hand in hand for Scorpios. Their biggest challenge and test in life is choosing between the power of love and the love of power. Coming to grips with their extraordinary emotional depths and sensitivity isn't easy for those around them. They are different from all other zodiac signs and this difference has them walking, working and loving to a different beat. Others can often live with a Scorpio partner for years, but not really know them. Much to do with a Scorpio remains ever secret. Their eyes often blaze with feelings that words never express, and beware on the days or nights they hide their feelings behind dark glasses, there is likely to be a storm of some kind brewing. When you deal with a Scorpio you have to always deal with them on a psychic intuitive level. They often wear a mask. Too often they say "no" when they really mean "yes". They have contrary natures. Once they find true love they can be the most faithful dedicated of all partners but fall out badly with a Scorpio and you are likely to find they will never forget or forgive.

Most Scorpios are winners. The main thing they have to worry about is their attitudes, which make up their mind powers and can either make or break them. When they are negative about something or someone, or critical of themselves, they can tend to get in their own way.

Scorpios operate on three levels of soul evolvement; adding up to three distinctively different types of Scorpios. The first level is the Scorpion. This is the least evolved and most drawn toward using their powers the wrong way. The criminal element of Scorpio comes under this level. Then there is the eagle - the highflying, entrepreneurial, successful Scorpio, who seems able to rise above adversity and transform bad-times into good. Then the highest expression of this sign is the Phoenix Resurrected. These Scorpios are detached and extremely powerful. They are wise beyond their years and act as leaders and are an inspiration to others. Quite frequently a Scorpio goes through the three levels of evolvement in one lifetime - but the levels can operate out of sequence

Isang Tanong Isang Sagot

Q - Tito para sa inyo po anu ang:

-paguugali

-pananalita

-paiisip

-paggawa

ng isang compromised "christian"?

A - 

Actually may aspect ng "compromised" Christian na gusto ko: 

yung diplomatic, hindi dogmatic, polite, at open-minded. hahahah

Mas tolerable pa ang "compromised" kesa "dogmatic" hahahaha

Q - May mga boring pong tao pag kausap mo. Ano po ang common qualities ng mga boring?

A -

1. Monotone ang voice?

2. Isa o very limited lang ang topics na gusto/kayang pag-usapan?

3. Puro salita, ayaw makinig.

4. Puro pakinig, ayaw magsalita.

5. Sobrang opinionated.

6. Wala man lang opiniion.

7. Hindi nakikinig talaga; walang kino-contribute sa discussion.

8. Walang bagong alam; yun at yun lang ang range.

9. Ang haba ng sentences; walang breaks, hindi ka makasingit.

10. Verbose: ang daming words na sinasabi kahit pwedeng konti lang.

11. Ang tagal ng gaps between words pag nagsasalita.

12. Isang tanong mo, isang daang sagot.

Q - Tito parang gusto ko pong magpa-abort. 

Ang dami ko na pong naging bf pero walang tumototoo sa akin.

Binubuntis lang po ako at iniiwan.

Naka-ilang abortion na rin ako.

Kasi ano naman ang magiging future ko kung single mother?

A -

Huwag kang gaga pamangkin.

Abortion is a crime under the law of God and of the Republic of the Philippines!

Kung walang tumototoo sa yong lalake, mas dapat mong ituloy ang pregnancy mo. 

At least magkakaanak ka na!

Wala ka mang maging husband, may anak ka naman.

Posibleng magka-manugang, apo, etc. ka pa.

Pag nagpaabort ka pa ulit, baka hindi ka na magbuntis pa ever,

kahit pa may magpakasal sa yo.

Baka sobra nang nagasgas ang matriz mo hija.

Preserve, conserve whatever else is left of/with you.

At huwag kang tihaya nang tihaya para di ka mabuntis-buntis ng mga lalakling lasing!

Hindi lang natural beauty and value for money ang dapat i-consider pag may lugar na pupuntahan para mamasya o magbakasyon:

CONSIDER THE AVAILABILITY OF MEDICAL SERVICES should emergencies arise.

Mas exotic, mas "natural", mas "away from it all",

mas mahirap makpagpagamot pag may emergency.

Don't only go to a beautiful place; 

maximize the possibility of being able to go back home 

alive and well

by choosing places with hospitals, medical services or at least efficient, available and reliable transport to medical facilities when need arises.

Just recently, a tourist died for lack of medical services in a very beautiful place. He stepped on a sea creature, got poisoned and died without getting medical attention.

Ang ganda-ganda ng lugar pero walang medical services for emergencies.

Q - Tito para sa inyo po anu ang:

-paguugali

-pananalita

-paiisip

-paggawa

ng isang compromised "christian"?

A - 

Actually may aspect ng "compromised" Christian na gusto ko: 

yung diplomatic, hindi dogmatic, polite, at open-minded. hahahah

Mas tolerable pa ang "compromised" kesa "dogmatic" hahahaha

Q - Di po ba ang symbol ng crescent moon ay ginagamit ng mga occult at ng ibang relihiyon at kung gayon ay nabahiran na nila? Pwede po bang gamitin yon ng mga Christians?

A -

Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 (NIV)

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

Lahat ng nasa langit at nasa lupa ay gawa ng Diyos,

pati na ang buwan at lahat ng phases nito, ke crescent/bago o full o 

o palusaw.

God's people inherit God's creation.

Marapat lang at siempre puedeng-puedeng gamitin ng mga anak ng Diyos ang lahat ng nilikha ng Diyos ---kahit sino pa man ang nakikigamit sa mga ito.

Kaya nagkaka-iskwater ay dahil hindi ginagamit/tinirhan ng tunay na may-ari ang lugar/bagay na bigay sa kanyan ng magulang nya.

SAKIT NG LIPUNANG PILIPINO --- AT GAMOT

Q - Ang dami po nating social and governance problems. Ano po ang major cause ng mga social ills natin? At ano po ang solution?

A -

CAUSE OF SOCIAL ILLS:

Lack of national /nationalistic /community spirit.

Kanya-kanya as 

- individuals

- families /clans

- tribes / ethnic groups

- regions

- religious groups

- etc.

pero kulang na kulang sa sense of community and nation.

Kulang na kulang sa nationalism.

National vice: hamakin ang sarili at sambahin ang foreign / foreigner.

Alipin ng "imported".

SOLUTION:

REEDUCATION

..... Dapat magturo ang family, church, school, media and the government ng

- HISTORY : "Ang di lumingon sa pinanggalingan, di makararating sa .......paroroonan."

- GOOD

MANNERS

CITIZENSHIP

- PRODUCTIVITY /SELF-RELIANCE (Huwag tamad at umasa sa iba)

- JUSTICE: Punish the bad, reward the good.

- DISCIPLINE. "Sa ikauunlad ng Bayan, disiplina ang kailangan."

- GOOD GOVERNANCE.

.....Implement the Law: Punish lawbreakers

WAKASAN ANG SOBRANG PAGLUHOD SA ELITE:

namely the religious, political and financial ruling classes.

Dapat lumaya ang isip.

Sobrang medieval / backward and lipunan natin: 

Dominated by the religious and political elite.

OA ang dating ng mga amo; at ang daming busabos.

Mis-education, under-education or non-education had created a nearly mindless citizenry.

Ang daming isip-busabos, asal-busabos at kung hindi nagpapabusabos at sya namang namubusabos sa kapwa Pilipino.

KAILANGAN NG

- PAGNINILAY-NILAY / PAGMUMUNI-MUNI

- PAGBABAGONG-LOOB

- PAGHUHUNUS-DILI

- PAGBABALIK-LOOB SA SARILI AT SA BAYAN

dahil tayong isang bayang NAWAWALA SA SARILI.

Q - Ano po ang pinagkaiba-iba ng body, soul and spirit?

A -

One way to define those words/ ideas:

Spirit comes from God. It is eternal. 

Soul is personality / emotion/etc. it is only earth-bound; not eternal. 

Body is physical; it comes from the earth

TO HELL?

Q - Totoo po bang pupunta sa hell ang sinumang

1. Hindi member ng totoong church? o

2. Member ng totoong church na 

a. tinanggal o itinakwil ng church? o

b kusang lumabas / umalis sa church?

A -

1. 

Alin ba talaga ang TOTOONG church? Lahat naman ay yan ang claim, na sila LANG ang totoo.

2.

Kung (current/active) membership sa "totoong" church ang ticket to heaven o daan para di mapunata sa hell:

a. 

Suriin ang DATE na nagkaron ng/ natatag ang "totoong" church na yan.

Ibig sabihin, BEFORE that date ay WALANG totoong church?!

So, lahat ng taong isinilang at namatay bago natatag ang "totoong" church ay napunta sa hell kasi nga wala pang church?

Sa ganyang pangangatwiran, kasama na sa pupunata sa hell ang lahat ng tao mula kay Adam hanggang kina Peter, Paul, Mary the mother of Jesus, etc and even after, kasi sa panahon nila ay waya pa sa mundo ang ni isa sa mga existing churches today that claim na sila ang totoong church!

(Of course they would all claim to have descended from the original first-generation believers! But that's only a CLAIM that cannot be historically proven. And even if those original believers were the "true" church, simple historical descent from or connection to them does not make one church today "true". Hindi naman namamana ang pagiging totoong believer. Personal yun.

So puede kang maging totoong believer/church kahit wala kang membership in any existing organized religion! 

Jesus said in

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Basta may 2 or more believers, naron si Jesus therefore mayrong church!

Wag padala sa mga nagtuturong outside of them, there is no church/salvation!

b.

Suriin kung BAKIT makakaya/masisikmura ng church leaders na magtanggal o magtakwil ng member kung iyan ay maghuhulog sa tao sa hell.

Ibig sabihin wala silang love?

Si Jesus nga namatay para magligtas,

sila naman magtitiwalag para sadyaing ihulog ang tao sa hell?

SINIKAP NILANG RECRUIT-en at maging member nila para "maligtas"

tapos pag nagalit sila sa tao, sila rin mismo ang magtatanggal ng kaligtasan at maghuhulog sa tao sa hell?

Bakit pa nila inakit sumali sa kanila kung ganito lang ang kauuwian?

May kapangyarihan ba talaga ang tao na magdala sa heaven o sa hell sa kapwa tao?

At bakit ka naman aanib sa church na kung ayaw na nila sa yo,

kung kapusin o magkamali ka,

ay sila mismo ang magtatanggal ng "kaligtasan" mong ipinillit nilang makamit mo noong una at matapos ang lahat ay sila rin ang magtutulak sa yo sa hell?

MAG-ISIP-ISIP!

MONEY OR PEACE AND HAPPINESS?

Q - I have a very good high paying job. The past year, I have been extremely stressed and have been unhappy with the people I work for. I have been loosing sleep and gaining so much weight. The challenges of the job used to be rewarding for me but not anymore. I am scared that I won't ever find a job that would pay this much but I feel that the job has become so emotionally unhealthy for me. Pastor I have been praying and consulting with my family and elders at the Church, sa mga sitwasyon po na ganito ano po and tamang way na sa palagay nyo na makakatulong pa sa aking decision making?

A - 

The Arabs have a saying: "Close the door that brings in the draft."

Jeus says "Man does not live by bread alone."

IF YOU MUST CHOOSE, be happy instead of moneyed! smile emoticon

With your knowledge/skill/experience and other charms, 

you would find other fruitful things to do ---minus the hell that your present suicidal job brings!

You might make less money but who cares? 

More money does not always mean more happiness. 

And besides, when you make more money, 

other people would only spend it for you. (Solomon)

But they don't suffer with you in the workplace!

And who knows, you might even make more elsewhere?

If you can't stand the heat, leave the oven.

Joey Crespo Are you convinced na ang stress or depression na nararamdaman mo is really job related? Kelangan ma identify ang cause. Dito sa Pinas mahirap mag resign. Baka in the end, loosing your job will cause you more depression. 

1. Check your lifestyle. 

2. What do you eat and drink.

3. Surroundings (Family, Neighbohood, Place where you live)

4. What movies, sounds , games, books do you enjoy.

5. Check your personality

If you are so sure, it is your work then go. Mas magandang mag resign ka nalang magpahinga ka muna then if you are ready look for another job. Kesa kung ano pa mangyari sayo.. 

But then again. Depression comes anywhere, and anytime. You can fight depression once you identified the cause.

Q - NAIINIS po ako twing makikita ko ang posts ng cousins at friends ko na puro kain sa labas, pasyal at shopping ang mga pamilya nila! Grrrr!

Any verse I should read?

A -

Genesis 4:6-7 (CEV)

6 The Lord said to Cain:

What’s wrong with you? Why do you have such an angry look on your face? 7 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling.[a] But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don’t let it!

DON'T BE INGGIT, PUSIT!

LALALA LAng ang kaLALAgayan mo!

Q - At my middle age, ang dami ko na pong dinaluhan at tiniis na mga debut parties, kasalan, birthday parties, etc.

Parang nasasayangan ako sa oras when I could have done the things I really love to do.

A -

Be thankful that you get invited.

Do your best to really enjoy the events you attend.

If you really dislike being in such events, then excuse yourself.

Don't attend.

Use your time for the activities you really love.

But if you could, send your gift/s.

Q - Bakit po may mga Christians, especially leaders, na parang sila na lang ang tama, pure, holy, etc at halos lahat na lang pinipintasan nila.

Sasabihin nila pag 

- maganda kang manamit, puro ka fashion instead of passion.

- enjoy ka kumain, glutton ka.

- pag maganda at maayos ang bahay mo, worldly ka.

- mabunga ang ministry mo, compromiser ka kasi.

Parang wala nang tama kundi yung style lang nila ---na usually naman ay hindi mabunga at hindi effective.

A - Some people need to 

1. put others down to put themselves up.

2. make others look bad to make themselves look good.

3. make others feel bad for them to feel good.

4. find excuses for their fruitless works ("kasi pure sila") and bad reasons for other people's fruitfulness ("Kasi compromisers, etc sila")

Madalas, inggit lang or insecure?

Q - Iisa naman po ang Bible at IIsa ang Diyos, pero ang dami-daming types and styles of churches --- all claiming to be "Bible-based and Christ-Centered" and mostly each claims to be the best or the only correct one.

Ano po ang dapat kong i-consider sa pag-anib para ako lumago, sumaya at makapamuhay ng maayos? Aside from the Bible and God that all of them share anyway, what singular distinctive factor should I consider in each religious/spiritual community that could affect my church and personal life?

A -

The leader/s?

His/Her/Their

- personality

- education

- training

- experience

- values

- aspirations

- plans for the church and the individual members

- biases

-personal ethics?

God and the Bible being the same for /in all the religious communities,

it is the personality of the leader/s that shape the differences among congregations.

Q - Bakit po pag nagiging Christian ang tao, nagiging pakialamera, judgmental at unkind to people they think are not as godly as they are? And they are well-armed with verses to justify their intrusive and annoying habits?

A -

Siguro ganun na ang nature nila BEFORE naging Christian.

Kaya lang nung nakabuklat ng Bible,

nakahanap/nakadikubre ng verses na napipilipit at nama-manipulate nila ang interpretation para magamit nila as weapons in their personality-based "crusades"?

Q - Bakit marami po sa mga elders sa family ay mukhang pera?

Pag maykaya ang bf ng mga anak/apo, gusto na agad. Pag mahirap ang bf, ayaw?

A -

Marami na silang nakitang problema sa buhay na dulot ng kahirapan at ayaw nilang maranasan ito ng mga anak/apo nila?

Q - Umasenso po ako at nahigitan ang karamihan sa mga kababata at mga classmates ko. Ngayon, marami sa kanila, twing nagkikita-kita kami ay palaging yung dating kahirapan ng pamilya ko, yung pagiging karaniwan at kawawa ko ang topic. Halos di nila ginagawang topic ang progress ng buhay ko at mga accomplishments ko.

A -

1. Baka inggit?

2. They feel empowered over you by the realities of the past and disempowered under you by the realities of the present?

3. Baka nagkukulang ka ng pagpapakumbaba kaya minamaliit nila ang mga accomplishments mo?

Q - What do you think of religious home schooling?

A -

"Schooling" should broaden the mind.

"Home" is very limited and limiting in terms of interaction with teachers, fellows pupils and the world at large.

"Religious" is even more limited and limiting.

In religious home schooling, the pupil has no 

- choice what to study and learn.

- variety of teachers and learning tools.

- interaction with many people OF VARIOUS FAITHS who comprise the "real" world outside the home.

I think "religious home schooling" could complement, inform and guide a well-rounded, non-religious, "normal' schooling BUT NOT exclusively replace it

Q - Blessed na blessed po ako sa isang preacher, tapos sinisiraan sya ng isa kong kilala. May pangit daw pong nakaraan?

A -

Blessed ka pala kay preacher, just stay blessed.

1. Thank God you get blessed through that preacher.

2. Pray for him.

3. Do not problematize his past,

One: Totoo ba naman yung paninira?

Two: Kahit totoo, eh di ba past na? Tapos na?

Three: Kahit totoo at hindi pa completely past / tapos, 

eh di ba lahat naman ng tao may hindi kagandahan sa psst --and present ---nila?

What maters is, nakaka-bless sila sa kapwa.

God uses whom he chooses.

God fed Elijah using ravens, "unclean" birds, who brought him food regularly.

God spoke to Balaam through a donkey!

Now, God speaks to you through that preacher; 

be thankful and support him.

AT Sino naman kaya ang 

- kumakausap sa yo through your mapanirang kilala?

- nagsasalita through him/her?

God ba o si Satan kaya?

Nabebless ka rin ba through the mouth of that person na naninira?

Kung padadala ka sa chismis, 

kanino ka pa makikinig?

How could you stay blessed?

Jesus said:

Matthew 6:6 (CEV)

When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.

Luke 5:16 (CEV)

But Jesus would often go to some place where he could be alone and pray.

Jesus taught, exemplified and modeled a prayer life that featured being

- alone and quiet

- restful and serene.

- spontaneous.

Why do some people turn prayer into 

- grand public events?

- controlled and scripted productions?

- "warfare", even making the supplicants "prayer warriors"?]]

Proverbs 26:20 (CEV)

20 Where there is no fuel

a fire goes out;

where there is no gossip

arguments come to an end

KiLL GOSSIP! 

Do not share / pass / forward / repost gossip whether you believe it or not.

Do not dignify gossip with comment, especially denial.

Do not forward gossip to its subject / object even just for information.

"For lack of firewood, the gossip fire goes out

Anyone who 

- hates 

- hurts 

- harms and 

- wrongs others in the name of Christ 

and teach other believers to do the same,

if not just misguided/mistaken, could only be a 

- wolf dressed in sheep's clothing.

- Pharisee masquerading as Christian.

- false prophet.

Ito ang tinutukoy ni Jesus.

Matthew 7:15-23 (Jesus speaks)

15 Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. 16 You can tell what they are by what they do. No one picks grapes or figs from thornbushes. 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that produces bad fruit will be chopped down and burned. 20 You can tell who the false prophets are by their deeds.

21 Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. 22 On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” 23 But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”

Jesus invites people to follow him to 

- find rest for their souls and 

- love others.

Organized religion could reverse that and turn members into

- warriors and 

- haters.

Pag lagi nating 

- kakalkalin ang private life,

- susuriin under the microscope ang past

ng isang spiritual leader at 

- hahanapn ng mali 

- pipintasan

ang buhay nya:

WALA NANG TATANGGAP SA HAMON 

na manguna, mangaral at magturo sa atin

kasi lahat naman ay may 

- nakaraan,

- naging mali,

- kahinaan.

IF WE WOULD PUNISH with criticism INSTEAD OF ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT FACE THE PERILS OF LEADERSHIP,

we would all be orphaned as no one is righteous enough to lead ---or follow--- not even one

Religious extremism, no matter of / by what religion, cannot be from God---

especially when it is rude, unkind, cruel, violent or murderous.

1 John 4:7-8 (NRSV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love

But note that:

Religious unkindness and violence is not committed only by followers of one religion against followers of ANOTHER religion. 

Many Christians, in 

- zealous sectarianism 

- tribalist congregationalism 

- dogmatic doctrinism 

- petrified conservatism

- insensitive modernism

also hurt, harm or demolish one another.

Q - Bakit po pag France ang nabiktima ng violence, maraming nakikiramay.

Pag ibang bansa, halos walang pumapansin?

A -

Maraming puedeng dahilan, but let me cite only one for now: FREEDOM.

People have the freedom to sympathize and to express their sympathy when, where, however and for whom they like.

You exercise that freedom yourself.

Don't take offense at how others express themselves as long as

their ways are peaceful and non-violent.

The truly godly will pity and not hate or mock the ungodly.

Luke 19:41-44 (CEV)

41 When Jesus came closer and could see Jerusalem, he cried 42 and said:

It is too bad that today your people don’t know what will bring them peace! Now it is hidden from them. 43 Jerusalem, the time will come when your enemies will build walls around you to attack you. Armies will surround you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will level you to the ground and kill your people. Not one stone in your buildings will be left on top of another. This will happen because you did not see that God had come to save you.[a

MOCKING "SINNERS" WHO SUFFER / DIE

Q - Bakit po may mga Christians na parang walang awa at mukhang natutuwa at nanunuya pa pag ang mga "sinners" ay napapahamak o namamatay pa nga, especially in the act of committing sin?

Godly po ba ang ganung reaction?

A -

Jesus teaches us to love even our enemies.

So IT IS UNCHRISTIAN TO LAUGH AT OR MOCK PEOPLE WHO SUFFER ---even if they were"sinners" or if disaster struck them while they were commiting sin.

Christians should not say "Kasi makasalanan sila kaya napahamak/namatay" kasi ano naman ang sasabihin nila pag "godly" people ang napahamak, lalu na kung nasaktan o namatay habang gumagawa ng godly activity? 

Perhaps some religious people become insensitive and mock sinners who suffer because

1. 

There are verses that say God will mock sinners when they meet disasters in the act of committing sin. But it is God who said that and God IS and CAN BE God. People , mere recipients of God's goodness, do not have that prerogative.

2.

Religious people could be so tired of being "godly" that they find comfort / amusement or BAWI when the "ungodly" suffer.

ON the

contrary, wisdom says: 

Don’t be happy

to see your enemies trip

and fall down.

The Lord will find out

and be unhappy.

Then he will stop

being angry with them.

- Proverbs 24:17-18 (CEV)

Q - Tito any tip on good manners na very important mark of civilized persons?

A -

Talk softly in public when you are not talking to everyone.

Do not be loud.

It is inconsiderate to fill everyone's ears with your voice.

Dapat yung kausap mo lang ang nakaririnig sa yo at hindi pati yung mga hindi mo kausap / kasama.

Heart-broken parent

Q - Sasabog po yata ang dibdib ko Tito.

Ang anak kong dalaga, nakipag-coffee with a guy na hindi nagpaalam sa akin!

Talagang hinart-to-hart tok ko po sya over buckets of tears!

Nangako naman pong hindi na uulitin.

A -

Hindi kaya overkill naman ang reaction mo, Motherhood?

Do not over-expect from your kids. and do not over react. 

Lumalaki na ang anak mong sinta.

Parenthood is really about letting go.

Mula nang malagot ang pusod at birth, 

nagsimula na ang paglikha ng buhay na independent from the parent.

Ayaw yang marinig ng magulang, pero yan ang Katotohanan.

If you love to keep someone, "let her go". 

The quickest way to lose someone is by holding too tightly.

"Love is like a handsul of sand; relax and it stays. 

Squeeze tightly and it slips through your fingers."

Pero tama namang makinig ang anak sa payo ng magulang.

Usually, parents really mean the best for their kids.

Yes, parents MEAN the best though their WAYS,

usually fraught with too much fear, overprotectiveness

and biases,

are not always guaranteed to be the best. 

Q - Tagal ko na kc nag bible study pero ramdam ko parang wla pdin ako personal relation kay jesus. Parang puro sa isip lang po.

A -

love people.

love yourself.

Love is the best way to connect with Jesus,

not religious study. 

What people believe in, kill or die for

is shaped by/ in their minds.

People's minds are shaped by

- nature /genes

- nurture / learning.

Imposibleng baguhin ang nature 

at mahirap baguhin ang bunga ng nurture.

Madalas pa, kung gaano mo gustong baguhin ang kapwa

ay ganun din nya gustong baguhin ka.

KAYA MARAMING AWAY.

Q - Sabi po ng ibang Christians, pinaparusahan daw po ng Diyos ang USA kasi tinatanggal ang prayer sa public schools, ang display of Christian symbols in public places tulad ng Chritmas trees at hindi na raw po masyado centranl sa publlic discourse ang God? Ang parusa daw po, bumabagsak ang economy, gumagrabe ang crime at dumarami ang broken homes, etc?

A -

Hindi naman siguro ganun ka-pikon at ka-vindictive ang Dios? Baka ang may gusto ng ganung scenario ay ang mga Christian extremists who depict that kind of image/idol of God?

You mean pag tinaggal ang prayer in public school, God would cause all those shootings? Pag walang Christmas trees in public places (Ayaw din ng ilang Christian groups ang Christmas trees, ha!), ibabagsak ng Dios ang economy ng isang bansa?

Eh bakit ang China, walang public prayer, walang Christmas trees. etc ay umaasenso? Lalu namang hindi sila Christian worshipers! Ganun din ang Japan, hindi naman Christian country pero maunlad?

God rewards economic enterprise and productivity, with or without Christmas trees. Violence happens anywhere, even in very religious states --and even inside religious congregations!

God hates idols becaus eidols MISrepresent him.

Mayron ding thological idols: Yung nagdo-drawing ng images of God that misrepresent the Divine and his loving nature.

Q - Saan po nanggagaling ang self-righteousness, judgmentalism, kasungitan, kalupitan ng ilang Christians, sa Bible po ba?

A -

Hindi sa Bible kundi sa twisted reading, interpretation, application and promotion of some theologians from powerful / influential seminaries abroad?!

Wala naman halos original theologians sa Pilipinas; madalas ay disciples/followers/ echoes ng konting schools abroad na malawak ang influence sa mundo.

Oversimplification

- tribializes complex realities.

- makes people or ideas seem only absolutely good or bad; in reality, wala namang ganung kasimple.

There is almost always a good AND a bad side to everyone and everything.

It's the same with oversimplified THEOLOGY:

Very good or very bad lang ang presentation of complex ideas.

Oversimplified ideas are twin sisters of lies and falsehood.

BEWARE of attempts from many interest groups to 

JUDAIZE CHRISTIANITY.

Definition of JUDAIZE

: to adopt the customs, beliefs, or character of a Jew

: to make Jewish

John the Baptizer, Jesus and Paul very clearly, strongly and decisively practiced and taught Christianity as a marked departure from Jewish religious law and tradition

and very determinedly deconstructed ethnocentric Jewish doctrines of self-privilege and importance.

This same issue brought Paul and Peter into bitter opposition as Peter and James tried to Judaize the newly born Jesus movement.

See:

Matthew 3:9

Luke 4.16-29

Gal 2.11-21

Galatians, the whole book.

And so many more verses

Galatians 3:28 (CEV)

Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.

Now, there are feverish attempts at

- JUDAIZING Christianity once more.

- over glorifying Jewishness, even names, words, festivals and material culture.

- demonizing "Greek/ Gentile" culture, even names and terminologies

- conditioning the Christian church first to become an admirer, then an imitator, then possibly an ally or supporter of CONTEMPORARY Jewish agenda -- which could include VERY POLITICAL BUT HIDDEN INTERESTS.

Remember, even the Israel that Jesus enaged and criticized is gone along with the Temple and its attendant animal-sacrifice-centered function.

Jesus even predicted the stone temple's destruction and the raising up of a new temple: His Body the spiritual Church and the body of Christian believers.

(So why even think of rebuilding the physical temple? What could be done there, animal sacrifices AGAIN? That would contradict the death and resurrection of Jesus.)

Let's be innocent as doves but wise as serpents!

JESUS WILL COME

into the world

or into the hearts of believers

whether or not people became imitators of Jews and Jewish culture or of any other people.

-----

1 Corinthians 7:20 (CEV)

So don’t try to change what you were when God chose you.

Mas maraming deception, illusion at imagination

na nangyayari sa mga HYPERSPIRITUAL:

Yung mga OA sa dami at dalas ng 

- "visions"

- "revelations"

- "discernment"

at iba-ibanb pang "spiritual gifts"

that tend to make them IMPORTANT

kasi parang sila lang ang kinakausap ng Dios.

KUNG GUSTO KANG KAUSAPIN NG DIYOS,

BAKIT PA PADADAANIN SA IBA?

MAG-INGAT SA MGA GANYANG OA ANG "ESPIRITUALIDAD".

Mas maraming nadadaya sa ganyan.

Q - Ano po sa tingin nyo ang dahilan kung bakit may mga religious leaders na sobrang nakakasakal ang teachings?

A -

Madalas ay dahil sa

- mababaw

- makitid

- puta-putaki (partial and disconnected) 

- mechanically literal

- congregationalist

- hand-me-down

reading, interpretation and application of Scripture ?

Q - Ano po ang magandang gawin ng sobrang nalulungkot?

A -

1. magsaya

2. maglibang

3. maging abala

4. gumawa ng mabubuting projects; tumulong sa kapwa

5. magdasal

6. Magbasa ng Bible (Hwag na muna Lamentations!)

At pag hindi pa rin nag-click ang mga ito, eh di ...

7. Malungkot!

Ganun talaga, pana-panahon.

May panahon ng saya, may panahon ng lungkot.

Mauubos din ang lungkot na yan!

Q - Meron po kaya talagang mga taong spiritually gifted to see visions, dream dreams, etc?

A -

Puede.

AT meron ding talagang ang psychological profile ay swak sa mga ganyang pag-iisip.

Marami ay puedeng guniguni o kaya ay may deep psychological or psychiatric reasons kaya ganun ang isip at pag-iisip.

Mas unang kong kino-consider ang mental and emoitonal background bago ko isiping genuine spiritual gift nga yun.

The Spirit of God won't be offended being tested first.

Only the illusionary would take offfense at caution.

1 John 4:1(CEV)

Dear friends, don’t believe everyone who claims to have the Spirit of God. Test them all to find out if they really do come from God. Many false prophets have already gone out into the world,

Q - How do you deal with people who come up to you and say na may revelation and message ang Diyos para sa inyo na napanaginipan o nareveal sa kanya through dreams or vision or prayer?

A -

I TELL THEM na hihintayin kong sabihin / i-reveal sa akin ng Diyos

- directly

- personally

kasi kung para sa akin ang message, bakit sa kanila padadaanin?

???!!!

May mga ganyan na gusto ka lang

- makausap

- makasarilinan

- mapapaniwalang kailangan mo sya/sila sa buhay or ministry mo.

THEY NEVER GET TO BASE 1 smile emoticon

Mas maraming deception, illusion at imagination

na nangyayari sa mga HYPERSPIRITUAL:

Yung mga OA sa dami at dalas ng 

- "visions"

- "revelations"

- "discernment"

at iba-iba pang "spiritual gifts"

that tend to make them IMPORTANT

kasi parang sila lang ang kinakausap ng Dios.

KUNG GUSTO KANG KAUSAPIN NG DIYOS,

BAKIT PA PADADAANIN SA IBA?

MAG-INGAT SA MGA GANYANG OA ANG "ESPIRITUALIDAD".

Mas maraming nadadaya sa ganyan.

JESUS WILL COME

into the world

or into the hearts of believers

whether or not people became imitators of Jews and Jewish culture or of any other people.

-----

1 Corinthians 7:20 (CEV)

So don’t try to change what you were when God chose you.

Q - Ok po ba na mgkaroon ng khit 3 or 5 general questions and answers after ng sermon? Pra yung my question na matagal ng nakatago ay masagot na po? 

Q 

magmumukhang seminar ang worship!?

but a good idea. 

we have been considering that for the longest time. 

hanggang naisipang gumawa ng seekers' fellowship precisely for that purpose. 

pero naisip na incorporate na lang sa message proper ang "difficult" issues para marining ng lahat.

Q - Masama raw po ang Christmas tree according to Jeremiah 10.2-4?

A -

Huh! 

Ano ang kinalaman ng verse sa Christmas Tree eh ni wala pang Christmas nung sinulat yun?

Jeremiah 10:2-4 (CEV)

2 Don’t follow the customs

of those nations

who become frightened

when they see

something strange

happen in the sky.

3 Their religion is worthless!

They chop down a tree,

carve the wood into an idol,

4 cover it with silver and gold,

and then nail it down

so it won’t fall over.

These verses are about religous idols, not Christmas Trees!

Q - May dating pong asawa ang ka church ko na hiwalay na sila mga 10 yrs ago na, then may Gf sya dito sa abroad magkasama na sa bahay at active sila sa simbahan, tama po ba na pahintuin sila ng churhc na magsimba dahil sa hndi sila kasal at kasal sa iba ang lalaki?

Q - 

Bakit naman hahadlangan ang pagsamba nila at bakit din pinakikialaman ang personal, private life nila? Ang puede lang bang mag-church ay ang "sinless"?

Marami pang ibang types of "sins" like pride, arrrogance, judgmentalism, lying, 

self-righteouness, stealing, dishonesty, etc. Bakit yun lang may kinalaman sa sexual /romantic life ng tao ang pinag-iinitan?

Paulit-Ulit Na Lang?

Proverbs 3:5-6
With all your heart you must trust the Lord
and not Your own judgement. Always let him lead you,
and he will clear the road for you to follow.

     Pag sinuri nyo ang ating mga ,problema paulit-ulit, pabalik-balik, iyon at iyon din. Yung problema mo sa annay mo, sa attay mo sa ank mo, sa asawa mo, sa sarili mo, iyon at iyon. Problema sa kapitbahay, problema sa kalusugan, parang wala namang bago, bakit kaya pabalik-balik? Halimbawa, bakit yung mga taong nababastos, naaapi, nasasaktan lagi nalang sila ang nagaganun? O kaya napapansin mong lagi ka na lang nilalampas-lampasan, hindi pinapansin, at kahit sino na lang ginaganun ka. Lagi ka na lang nabibiktima. Bakit yung laging nananakawan, naho-hold up, siya at siya pa din ang paulit-ulit na nadududkutan, naagawan, nawawalan? Lagi ka na lang inaabuso ng tao, hinihiraman, inuutangan, hindi binabayaran, pabalik-balik, paulit-ulit. Yung mga na 1-2-3 noon, sila pa rin yung mawa-1-2-3 ngayon at bukas sila pa uli ang madadaya na naman. Yung mga nadadaya ng mga manggagatsong nanliligaw, nakakapitong nobyo na, iyon at iyon pa rin. At kung may madadaya na namang dalaga bukas, siya na naman ang kandidatang madaya.
    If you do not like what's happening in your life, change the way you think. Because the way you think attracts the things that happen in your life. Kung hindi ka masaya sa problemang pababalik-balik, palitan mo ang pag-iisip, palitan mo ang attitude at kasama nun palitan mo ang facial expression, body language and body movement.

    At kung laging ikaw na lang lagi ang namamahala ng buhay mo, oras na para isali mo ang Dios sa usapan.

Bits

AT 

OLD

AGE

AT OLD AGE, DO NOT REGRET ABOUT HAVING REPRESSED FOR SO LONG YOUR TRUE SELF, TRUE FEELING AND TRUE ASPIRATIONS. THEREFORE DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR YOUTH TO PEOPLE YOU FEAR. INSTEAD, YOU SHOULD BE OUT THERE LOVING YOUR TRUE LOVE, LIVING YOUR TRUE LIFE, CHASING YOUR REAL DREAMS. DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF LIVING A LIE. LIFE BECOMES TOO SHORT WHEN WASTED ON LIES.

LIFE IS NOT SHORT

When lived in truth, life is not short nor long.

God ordained it's length so it must be just right.

Life becomes short and vexing only when throttled

full-speed on needles business, long and tiring

when slow-moed in idleness.

With the right deed, place, and time

there should be no big need to longingly look back

backward nor forward:

no putting on hold and wasting a very present,

cash moment

only to wallow in the very spent past

or gaze at a very distant, promissory-note future.

Living the moment would do.

So when earthly time is up,

the heart won't fear nor regret

but would only gratefully, graciously, gladly
yield this present breath
to inhale the next in yet another life
in anotherplace and time.


MINIMIZE PAIN.
MAXIMIZE PLEASURE.
DO THE MOST GOOD.
GET A LIFE!

Live life to the fullest.
Then gladly meet your Maker.










▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓♫▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓♫▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓




I thank God in the Life of Pastor/Tito Ed Lapiz for sharing his short story of his life through this book "Bits" Folks, you must buy this once in a lifetime, a limited or what you might call it hahahahh... this new book of Tito Ed is so amazing, all of us i know a 100% can related while reading this book. When ever you are, or what your gender is?! "swak na swak" for all of us. So i must say, you must! "bili na bago magkaubusan ^^"

Panalo

Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemies are hungry, give them
something to eat. And if they are thirsty,
give them something to drink. This will be
the same as piling burning coals on their heads.
And the LORD will reward you.





      Ang mga taong nagpapatawad lang ang nakakalimot. Habang hindi natin pinatatawad ang isang tao, hinding hindi natin sya malilimutan. Tayo ang kawawa. Forget the feelings. It's impossible to forget people unless you have amnesia, but you can forget the feelings. Yung feelings na masama. Be free from these. Turn them into people you could like by giving them positive influence. Nakakainis pala sila, nakakamuhi pala sila, e di subukan natin silang baguhin para maging nakakatuwa na sila. One of the greatest victories is when you are able to turn an enemy into a frriend. When we are able to turn somebody unlikeable to somebody lovable that they color and spice up our life, we really have won.
      Pakainin sila kung gutom, painumin sila kung nauuhaw. Hindi man agad-agad ang resulta nyan, pero kung lagi nating gagawin, mahuhulog din ang loob nila sa atin. Hindi na tayo iinisin at baka mahalin pa tayo. Yun ang tunay na panalo. Yung gutom, kapag lalong ginutom,babangis lang at baka tayo pa ang kainin. Gipit na ginigipit pa natin lalo at kung at kung nangangailangan at hindi natin tinulungan, magtatanim ng sama ng loob yan at maghihintay lang ng pagkakataong gumanti. Pero yung kaaway na mortal, biglang nagipit, nangailangan ng dugo at tayo pa mismo ang nagdonate ng dugo, paano pa nya tayo kakamuhian?
      Laging panalo kapag nagpapatawad at lumilimot sa hinanakit.

Heneral Luna

2nd video down there

Conspiracy Theory: Antonio Luna allegedly gave the country’s gold to the Cojuangco matriarch

In the end, Luna realized his mistake and dedicated himself totally to the cause of freedom and independence. Maybe that’s why Luna was so gung-ho about fighting—he was actually making up for lost time.

1. He was a scientist.

Antonio Luna poses with a microscope at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France (1890). Photo credit: Arnaldo Dumindin via philippineamericanwar.webs.com

Aside from his military prowess, Luna was also a very learned man. His paper on chemistry won him top prize while he was studying literature and chemistry at the University of Sto. Tomas.  After moving to Spain, he earned his license and a doctorate in pharmacy at the Universidad de Barcelona and Universidad Central de Madrid respectively.

Moreover, Luna’s scientific paper on malaria was very well-received and he was even given a commission by the Spanish to study tropical and communicable diseases. When he went back to the Philippines, he won the contest to become the chief chemist of the Municipal Laboratory of Manila.

He was a brilliant writer.

Source: The Official Gazette

Aside from being a scientist, Luna was also an excellent writer. In fact, he wrote under the pen name Taga-ilog which he used to publish his articles in La Solidaridad while staying in Spain.

One of his works, Madrid Impressions, generated controversy after it criticized the Spaniards for looking down on the Filipinos. It also nearly resulted in Luna duelling the Spanish journalist Celso Mir Deas after the latter issued a racist-filled rebuttal againstImpressions. However, Mir Deas did not accept the challenge even when Luna spat and slapped him in the face.

Prior to the outbreak of the Philippine-American War, he also founded the newspaper La Independencia and became its editor and a regular contributor. One of his fiery articles denounced the Treaty of Paris, wherein he wrote that “people are not to be bought and sold like horses and houses.”

3. He was an expert marksman and martial artist.

Antonio Luna as a fencing teacher at the Sala de Armas, a school which he and his brother, Juan, opened on Calle Alix (now Legarda St.), in Sampaloc district, Manila. Photo credit: Arnaldo Dumindin via philippineamericanwar.webs.com

Of course, Luna was no armchair general who barked orders in the safety of his office. He was an avid student of martial arts and military tactics, having practiced the art of arnis, fencing, and shooting since his college days. It is said that Luna was prolific with the gun and rifle that he could put out a candle in one shot.

Upon his return to the country, Antonio and his brother Juan set up a fencing club calledSala de Armas which was located in Sampaloc, Manila. Incidentally, one of his students happened to be none other than Apolinario Mabini.

4. He and Rizal almost had a duel.

Alas, we could only imagine what would have happened to the country if these two great patriots killed each other, and for a love triangle of all reasons.

While in Spain, both men courted the half-French half-Filipina beauty Nelly Boustead, although it was soon clear that she favored Rizal. Embittered, a drunken Luna made some unsavory remarks towards her in a Filipino party where Rizal was also a guest.

The two friends exchanged heated words, with one of them (it wasn’t clear who) issuing a challenge to a duel. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and Luna apologized to Rizal as soon as he sobered up

5. He had a badass teacher in the art of war.

ike his fellow immigrants, Luna originally favored reforms rather than revolution. Nevertheless, he and Juan were imprisoned by the Spanish but were later freed. Upon his release, Luna—repentant for rejecting an earlier offer to join the Revolution—went to Belgium and studied the art of war under General Gerard Leman.

Under Leman’s tutelage, Luna soaked up guerrilla warfare, fortifications and everything else under the subject of military science before coming back to the Philippines. Leman himself outlived his pupil and became the first hero of World War I after his forces stubbornly resisted what would have been a swift German victory and allowed the Allies precious time to mobilize their own forces.

6. He wanted a pre-emptive strike on the Americans.

Like Mabini, Luna correctly suspected that the Americans were not there as liberators, but as substitutes for the Spanish. He deduced that the only way to win against the Americans was to execute a pre-emptive attack on their troops before more could land in Manila

However, his plan was rejected by Aguinaldo and his associates who continued to believe in the Americans’ good intentions. This very unwise decision allowed the Americans to start and dictate the war on their own terms.

7. He helped establish the first military academy for Filipinos.

A company of Filipino soldiers originally in the Spanish service (1898). Photo credit: Arnaldo Dumindin via philippineamericanwar.webs.com

A precursor to today’s Philippine Military Academy, the Academia Militar was Luna’s brainchild.

Due to his desire to build a professional army, he gained permission from Aguinaldo to set up a military academy in Malolos. He recruited veteran officers of the Filipino-Spanish War as instructors and instilled a strong sense of discipline among the recruits which also included soldiers from the same war. He wanted the men to discard their clan loyalties and look beyond their regional ties. During this time, he also stockpiled arms and weapons and improved the logistics of the Filipino forces.

8. He had his own elite group of soldiers.

Although Antonio Luna wanted to turn the Philippine Army—at the time composed mostly of untrained volunteers—into a real professional fighting force, the outbreak of the Philippine-American War prevented him from training everyone.

Instead, he took to instructing a small group of soldiers into becoming his own personal professional sharpshooters. Known as the ‘Luna Sharpshooters,’ this group of deadly marksmen achieved a reputation for fighting fiercer than the rest of their compatriots.

Luna also formed similar units under his different commanders. One of them, the“Tiradores de la Muerte” (Riflemen of Death) under General Licerio Geronimo, was responsible for killing General Henry Ware Lawton, the highest-ranking American casualty of the war.

9. He created the Luna Line.

Group showing General Manuel Tinio (seated, center), General Benito Natividad (seated, 2nd from right), Lt. Col. Jose Alejandrino (seated, 2nd from left) and their aides-de-camp. Photo credit: Arnaldo Dumindin via philippineamericanwar.webs.com

With the help of his aide, the Chief of the Army Engineers General Jose Alejandrino, Luna constructed a series of three-layered bamboo trenches which came to be known as the Luna Line.

American soldiers who came upon the trenches were amazed at the constructions, which stretched for several miles from town to town. And even when they finally took the trenches, they still had to contend with the traps—which included bamboo spikes and poisonous snakes—which the wily Filipinos had carefully hidden.

10. He planned to build a guerrilla fortress in the Mountain Province.

Insurgent (Filipino) soldiers in the Philippines, 1899. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Of course, the defensive lines were just a precursor to Luna’s grand plan: an impenetrable guerrilla fortress in the elevated terrains of the Mountain Province. This fortress would be self-sufficient and serve as the rebels’ base of operations with which to attack Manila and other American-occupied areas.

With the rebels safely protected in the mountains, Luna could wage a protracted guerrilla war which he hoped would persuade the American public to recall their soldiers. Again, this was rejected by Aguinaldo. Chief engineer Alejandrino remarked that if they had built it, then El Presidente would not have been running for his life in the mountains.

11. A bag of coins stopped a bullet from killing him.

Via Wikimedia Commons.

One of the most fortuitous events in Luna’s life happened during the Battle of Sto. Tomas. Charging with his horse against the American lines, Luna fell to the ground when he was hit by an American bullet to the stomach. Seeing that the Americans were advancing, he prepared to kill himself with a revolver to avoid capture.

Luckily, he was saved by the horse-riding Colonel Alejandro Avecilla who took him to safety. Upon reaching friendly lines, he checked his wound one more time and realized that the bag of coins he had been carrying stopped the bullet from completely penetrating his stomach.

12. He was frightening even in death.

Ang pabalat ng pananaliksik ni Antonio Abad, “Ang Mahiwagang Pagkamatay ni Hen. Antonio Luna.” Mula kay Dr. Vic Torres (via It’s XiaoTime!).

Luna was right to call his murderers “Assassins and cowards.” Ganging up on him, they inflicted more than 40 bullet and stab wounds on the hapless general, causing his intestines to hang out of his abdomen. Through it all, Luna fought back and tried to aim his revolver at his assailants. In defiance, he continued gritting his teeth and clenching his fist in anger even when he slumped to the ground.

Before he finally died, he instinctively turned to his right side. The reflex scared his attackers—who thought that Luna might get up—that those in the front quickly stepped back, causing those behind them to fall down. If anything, the incident shows not just how cowardly his assassins were, but also how fearsome Luna was to the very end.

13. Even the Americans admired him.

Major General Frederick Funston

ven though the Americans had a low regard for the Filipino rebels, their generals still held a begrudging respect for Luna.

After hearing of his untimely death, many paid tribute to the fallen general. General Frederick Funston, the man who planned the capture of President Emilio Aguinaldo, remarked that he was “the ablest and most aggressive leader of the Filipino Republic.”

Another, General James Franklin Bell, said that he “was the only general the Filipino army had.” Perhaps the most fitting statement of all would come from General Hughes: “The Filipinos only had one general, and they have killed him.”