Ed Pontaoe
20 Mar 2008

 

 

Well, we are bombarded with phrases like meekness, which to some jerko equated it with strength.

The taking of Pacquiao by such foolishly inclined observation that kneeling before the fight against Marquez showing meekness as a tool of success, is the most obdurate and insensible perception since Joe Louis and Max Schmeling.

Did Pacquiao win? No, not even kneeling for the world to see showing that his God is involved in the fight. Split decision showed the prejudice of that official who gave Pacquiao a point over Marquez… though Marquez threw more punches than Pacquiao.

Was the power of the sign of the cross made Pacquiao more powerful than Marquez, which we all knew the Mexicans are more religiously observant than Filipinos?

Which it comes to this Holy Week? What’s holy about this week? Was it because those were the days when Jesus was forced to walk to his crucifixion?

The story of Jesus on this day finally came to an end. Convicted of resistance to lawful authority, his hands spiked to the cross Jesus submitted his fate to all he could to the Romans. No resistance. Meek like a lamb. None the fury he showed when he thrown out the gamblers from the temple.

On his last breath of life, he repeated a verse of the 22nd Psalm, a passage 1st century Jews were aware of: “My God, my God why have you forsaken me”. There was a final cry from him and then eerie silence.

Why have you forsaken me? In the confusion after his arrest, his followers scattered to the four winds scared of being implicated. They expected success if Jesus were as they believed, the Jewish Messiah, and then his victory would be the inauguration of the kingdom of God on earth.

An age supposedly will be marked by eradication of evil, the appropriation of justice and general resurrection of the dead. Wishful thinking.

On the Friday of this Passover, the moment the disciples were expecting the arrival of heaven on earth, Jesus, far from leading the forces of light to conquest . . . went MEEKLY with a heavy cross on his back . . . and died a criminal’s death.

Jeremias Andrade Carrera
20 Mar 2008

 

 

Gentlemen, show meekness when they are proven wrong.

One poster I know always argues to show that he is right and everybody is wrong no matter how ridiculous his argument is.

Ms. Ric
20 Mar 2008

 

 

This week’s discussion is making it really hard for me to be meek, and I do mean the dictionary.com kind, in observance to Holy week.

This notion that an athlete shows meekness because “When he (Paquiao) entered the boxing ring, he went to a corner, kneeled down and submitted himself to his God through prayers. He had shown us that he is submissive to his God and is not afraid to face his adversaries.” has to be the most callous statement made so far, and we’ve had our share of callous statement lately.

First of all, how in the world can Mr. Oriel know what was going on inside Mr. Paquiao’s head as he kneeled?

Second of all, if I was given a nickel each time I saw an athlete kneel or make a sign of the cross before a game or a match, I’d be enjoying a cruise to the Bahamas right now!

Third, does this mean that those baseball players who kneel in front of their throng of screaming fans, make the sign of the cross, then walk over and spit before they position their bats are showing “meekness to their God?”

That those wrestlers at the WWA after entering the ring, they kneel in their corner, clutch and kiss their crucifix, then face their opponent and curse like it’s going out of style are showing “submissiveness to their God?”

That those Olympians who declare their undying gratitude to their Almighty with outstretched hands facing heavenwards, only to be stripped of medals after news leak of drug use are submitting themselves to God? These are the same athletes who get slapped with paternity suits, battery, and even rape charges.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves shall we?

Jose Ceralde
20 Mar 2008

 

 

Mr. Oriel,

We are still posting back and forth because you continue to post contradictory statements. You do not have faith in a pastor you quoted but you said in the same breath you believe in him.

You post events like Manny entered the ring and knelt down and told us he submitted himself to his God. How do you know what he just knelt down to, pray to, and for what? For all we know our hero might be asking to who ever anyone who could deliver to him a win.

Did you see Manny thanking his God after the win in humility who gave him the strength to win and in meekness or before the fight?

Just like David praised God after the Holy Spirit helped him knocked Goliath down. David knows himself that he is weak and that God gave him strength so he could knock Goliath. He could not proclaim that he alone killed Goliath so in meekness he thanked God.

I pray the Holy Spirit enlightens you and the rest of us this Holy week. Happy Easter kabaleyan.

Edener Benitez Fabella
20 Mar 2008

 

 

Soon at your favorite theater a blockbuster clash featuring ’super giant patupats’ versus ‘kamachile queen’ down by the stinky river side’ How can she win with bilasang tilapia and borotot torotot offered by CRaul & Co.?

Bangus and bokayo win hands down! She can take that to the bank. Geez have you heard? Facing a looming rice shortage, instead of coming with a brilliant solution, leader of the pack appears ready to form a rice patrol? Imagine, while these closet hangers enjoy sinking their teeth on prime ribs and roast beef, Filipinos are told to eat kamote?

Filipinos, through their favorite turo turo and carinderias will be limited to couple spoon full of rice or face the wrath of the rice patrol. This is rich coming from a throng of supposedly well educated bunch. I guess soon the packaged noodles they promoted last time will also be cut to few strands.

My dear countrymen, pray you will continue to be patient while you are bled dry. Happy Easter.

Ed Pontaoe
20 Mar 2008

 

 

Bangus City Councilor Farah Marie Decano declaring total war on prostitution is fascinating albeit unbelievably will meet its goals.

It could be assumed, this highly press covered activity is only for political consumption, the gumption of Decano’s demand for attention.

If I am not mistaken this is the same Clowncilor Decano in that infamous rubber stamped City Clowncil of The Benjie, when they conspired to sign-on on deal after deal that stripped the city of its economic vitality.

Now, she changed course to project herself from the economic side to the human morality side of the equation. Will this concept of hers succeed?

Well, let’s dig deeper into the city political quagmire she’s in.

Prostitution . . . the oldest of civilized professions is a monster that cannot be eradicated. Looking inside intimately will give us the harrowing dark world of debasement how this social virus survives thru the millennia.

Those who proliferate this losing end of the economic spectrum are many who came from broken homes . . . homeless . . . abused as children and suffering from post stress traumatic syndrome.

There’s no dividing line where markers are striped. From the high-end that caters to the rich and famous to the lowest end that serviced the lowly rats of the night, the realities are the same. The exploitation is inhumane, no quarters given once you get yourself into sex slavery.

When this dishonorable profession becomes honorable? In simple term – survival.

That puts Clowncilor Decano in a bind. In her no surrender pursuit to quash prostitution in Bangus City, she’s not well armed to the teeth. Banners strung all over the city don’t do much. She lacked the chutzpah and the tenacity that such a crusader needs.

She doesn’t have to come to the Philippine National Police begging like a tramp for help. Is she not surprised yet that the big fishes got away every time there’s a raid?

What’s wrong with her ballyhooed Anti-Flesh Ordinance 2007? The problem with this ordinance is, it has no teeth. It does not describe what penalties can be imposed on such infraction of the law. It does not say if convicted, it is a misdemeanor or a felony?

Why not employ the Justice Department of George Mejia’s and the City Police to the hilt? Another problem arises in this venue. If George Mejia couldn’t enforce city laws to kick out those squatters at Tondaligan Park, how much more with prostitutes?

Be advised Clowncilor Decano . . . run for Mayor next time.

Rafael L. Oriel, Jr.
19 Mar 2008

 

 

Mr. Ceralde, you and the others missed the point I am trying to make. I am fully aware that different people discern the truth differently thus they have different interpretations of the Holy Bible.

Contrary to what you said, I did not put my faith on Rev. Dielman. I put my total faith to Jesus and I believe in the Holy Bible that is why I believe the examples of meek people given by Rev. Dielman in his sermon such as Abraham, David, John the Baptist and Paul the Apostle. I like also to add Moses to the list because according to the Holy Bible, Moses was the meekest man on earth. If all or majority of Filipino Christians can be like them who deserve the Holy Spirit then, definitely, the problems plaguing the country can be solved.

They are the kind of meek people that I have in mind who can solve the problems plaguing the country. They have strong faith in God. They display humility, are humble and submissive to their God.

They are completely different to the meek people that you and the others have in mind. Of course, they cannot solve the problems plaguing the country if they are overly submissive Filipinos. They should not be afraid to fight against the evils in the midst of our society. They should be like David who was meek, submissive to his God and at the same time not afraid to fight Goliath.

Believe it or not, Manny Pacquiao had shown to the whole world this kind of Filipino meekness last weekend. When he entered the boxing ring, he went to a corner, kneeled down and submitted himself to his God through prayers. He had shown us that he is submissive to his God and is not afraid to face his adversaries.