How can religion not be discussed?
Posted on August 28, 2006 - Filed Under Punch Forum |
Rafael L. Oriel, Jr.
28 August 2006Mr. Ceralde, I think your cousin’s Christian forum that you participated is all about Christianity and religion.
The forum wherein I am a member and an officer in the organization is not all about religion. Like I said in my previous posting, we can discuss anything under the sun including politics, health, job opportunities, Christianity and religion, etc.
It is similar to Sunday Punch Forum except nobody complains if somebody’s opinion contains issues related to Christianity and religion most especially when they are relevant to what we are currently discussing which is mostly current events in the country and around the world that affects the lives of Filipinos worldwide. How on earth can we participate and response properly without touching Christianity and religion if the discussions are about the separation of church and state, Middle East crisis, prayer rallies of militants/leftist/political and religious leaders, taxation of religious establishments and the church’s views and participation in the impeachment process and Charter change?
Mr. Ceralde, you might be right, you will surely bore and annoy disinterested people in the Sunday Punch forum if you will be discussing those things you mentioned in your posting even if you said they are in line to history’s lesson.
One of the members of our forum said it right, “Believe ako sa FBP Forum natin,.. kung baga sa pagkain completo sa rekado. Dito sa Forum na ito completo sa drama, may posting sa latest news, may birthday greetings, may posting ng Words of God, may posting ng Prayer Request, may posting ng mga jokes, may posting ng meaning ng man vs. woman, may posting ng words of wisdom, may posting ng offering of condolence, may posting ng encouragement, may kulitan blues, mayroon din heated arguments pero walang personalan, mayroon intrigues pero brotherly & sisterly lang, halos everything and practically under the sun mapa kung anong subject pero guided in the spirit of love of country, brotherhood, camaraderie and most of all love of God."
In FBP Forum, we observe proper decorum and we do not like anybody maligning others. We have group moderators. Once in a while we encounter some problems but so far we were able to resolve them easily. Our members are Filipinos who have high hopes and dreams for a better Philippines, Filipinos who are God-fearing, just and compassionate compatriots who are willing to carry each other’s burdens and move towards One Peaceful and Better Philippines.
It is very interesting to note that there are some people who can talk eye to eye with other people about anything regardless of their political and religious beliefs not to exclude even atheist, agnostics and skeptics. They know what to say without offending other people or without hurting their feelings. I know some people here in Canada who has those capabilities. There is even a medical doctor here specializing in mood disorders who incorporated spirituality with his medical practice. In healing mood disorders, he encourages medications using modern drugs but, at the same time, he encourages counseling in Christian perspective with the patient’s permission, of course. Because of his personal experiences, he believes in the power of prayers in healing patients. He said he has full documentations of his successes in helping many of his patients getting cured with their illnesses with unexplained divine interventions.
Well, what is the use of going to Manaoag for pilgrimage if we do not have that strong faith in God?
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