Showing posts with label creation. Show all posts

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Ang Mabuhay in this World (fusion poetry in Tagalog and English)

Posted on Sunday, 6 August 2017

Fusion Poetry….
(here’s one sa mga mahilig mag-slang kung mag-Tagalog)

Ang Mabuhay in this World
By Apolinario Villalobos

Ang mundo is not really full of roses
Not every moment is with happiness
Makulimlim din minsan ang paligid
Nagbabadya ng lungkot nitong bahid.

Maganda na sana noong unang time
When paradise was there yet…sublime
But, mahina si Adan, bumigay kay Eve -
Pinalayas tuloy, napatira sa mga yungib!

“Maghirap upang mabuhay” was the sumpa
Nakatatak sa dugo, one painful na pamana
Kasalanang tinubos naman by  Christ Jesus
When on Mt. Calvary, he died on the cross!

As we live in this slowly dying world, tiis lang
Not only humans suffer, marami ding nilalang
Nandiyan also ang mga trees, fishes, at hayop
Lahat tayong mga nilalang, hirap, nagdarahop.

Walang magandang gawin but to say, “salamat”-
Salitang ulit-ulitin mang ilang beses ay ‘di sapat
Hintayin lang our last moment sa planetang ito

And, where we’ll go, depends sa ating pagkatao! 

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Ode to Mother Earth

Posted on Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Ode to Mother Earth
by Apolinario Villalobos

Looking back when time began
God said the words
Giving life to all
That He desired,
The endless expanse of the void
Was filled with motley specks
That moved with harmony -
A prodigious task
Of the Almighty.

A tiny dot in the universe
Mother Earth throbbed with life
As God made her a living sphere
Covered with green and blue
All part of God’s grandiose plan
Done in a few days of divine toil,
Though, He rested finally,
Being satisfied at last
On the seventh day.

Out of a handful dust from her womb
God made Adam, by such name he was called
And with God’s breathe of life
What was once a lump with limbs
Has become like Him in image
And let to roam the Garden of Eden.
But then, loneliness soon had its toll
Which when God has perceived -
From Adam’s rib, He made Eve.

Alas! Mother Earth now nurtured
Not only lesser creatures
But the pair that God made
In His own image;
A paradise, Eden was supposed to be
But to it, a serpent found its way
Tempting Eve to have a taste of ecstasy
And, no sooner than she did have a bite
She made Adam commit the same apostasy!

The blunder made by Adam and Eve
Instigated the misery of Mother Earth
As they opened the floodgate of afflictions
That soon blemished her once pristine face;
Greed and selfishness, for long led lives -
Cain putting to death his own brother Abel
And many others whose names are written
On the sacred pages of the age-old Book
And all it needs is for us is to take a serious look.

And it is so sad,
As warnings that Mother Earth belched
In her effort to wake man up with a jolt
Did not budge him even just a bit…


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Ang Tao Bilang Nilalang ng Diyos

Posted on Wednesday, 13 January 2016

ANG TAO BILANG NILALANG NG DIYOS
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

PAALALA: Ang blog na ito walang layuning magpasimula ng pagtatalo tungkol sa iba’t ibang paniniwala sa Diyos lalo na sa relihiyon at tradisyon, kaya WALANG KARAPATAN ANG IBANG KWESTIYUNIN ITONG MGA PANSARILI KONG PANANAW. Walang karapatang magbigay ng paalala ang mga nagmamaangan-maangang maka-Diyos daw. At, dahil wala akong binabanggit na relihiyon o tradisyon dito, ang pakiusap ko ay huwag ding magbanggit  nito ang sinumang gustong magkomento. Ituturing kong pansariling pananaw ng nagbasa ang komentong sasabihin niya, kahit hindi umaayon sa mga inilahad ko, kaya hindi ko rin dudugtungan ng tanong o komento. At, lalong ayaw kong ipilit sa iba itong mga pananaw ko.

1.      Ang haharap sa Diyos pagdating ng panahong mawala sa mundo ang isang tao ay ang kanyang ispiritu…HINDI ANG KANYANG KATAWANG LUPA. Pagdating ng kanyang kamatayan, HUMIHIWALAY ANG ISPIRITU SA KATAWANG LUPA. Kaya ang mahalagang gawin ng isang tao ay magpakabuti habang buhay pa upang mabawasan man lang ang kanyang mga kasalanan, nang sa ganoon, pagharap niya sa Diyos ay hindi siya mahihiya, at makaakyat siya sa langit kung meron man nito. Ang naiwang katawan na kini-cremate o nilalagay sa kabaong upang ilibing ay wala nang silbi subalit dapat respetuhin. Kahit bendisyunan o basbasan pa ito ay wala ring mangyayari kung ang iniisip ng iba ay makakatulong ang pagbendisyon upang mawala ang mga kasalanan niya, dahil ang katawan ay itinuturing bilang “lupa” na lamang, kaya sa Ingles, ang tawag sa bangkay ay “remains” – natirang bagay.

Sa pagkabulok ng bangkay, ito ay hahalo na sa lupa, hindi aakyat sa langit o magdudusa sa impyerno kung meron man nito. Ang Diyos naman ay maaaring “magtatanong” sa ispiritu kung ano ang pinaggagawa ng katawan niya noong buhay pa ito, at hindi magtatanong kung ang bangkay ba niya ay binendisyunan o binasbasan sa isang katedral, simbahan, kapilya, punerarya, bahay, Multi-purpose Hall, o bangketa kung saan ginawa ang lamay. Hindi magtatanong ang Diyos kung mahal ba o mura o donated ang kanyang kabaong, o di kaya ay diretsong inilibing ang kanyang bangkay, o sinunog ba, o kung marami ang nakipaglamay, o kung sino ang nagbasbas, o kung may videoke ba o nagpasugal nang gawin ang lamay upang makalikom ng pera.

2.      Ang mga ispiritwal na bagay ay may kaugnayan sa Diyos o pananalampalataya kaya hindi dapat ihalintulad sa mga maka-mundong gawain tulad ng pagpapatakbo ng negosyo, gobyerno, o  organisasyon na magiging kadahilanan ng pagkapagod kaya kailangan ang isa o dalawang araw na day off. Hindi rin saklaw ng panahon ang mga ispiritwal na bagay kaya hindi dapat kinokontrol ng oras o araw, hindi tulad ng mga maka-mundong bagay o gawain. Ang pagpapahinga ng Diyos na sinasabi sa Bibliya tungkol sa “creation”, kung saan ay binanggit ang pagpahinga niya sa ika-pitong araw ay isang alamat o legend. Hindi ito dapat gamiting batayan upang magpahinga ng isang araw ang isang bahay-sambahan, sa pamamagitan ng pagsara ng kanilang “opisina” dahil nagagawan naman ng paraan upang maging tuloy-tuloy ang pagsilbi sa mga pangangailangang ispiritwal ng mga kasapi.

Kung ang namumuno sa isang bahay-sambahan ay magpupumilit ng patakaran tungkol sa araw ng pamamahinga at tatanggi sa mga suhestiyon bilang paraan kung may problema, lumalabas na siya ay makasarili o mayabang dahil gusto niyang manaig ang pansariling pamamalakad, kaya sa halip na makahikayat ng mga bagong kasapi ay magtataboy pa siya ng mga dati nang kasama…at ang gawaing nabanggit ay pagsalungat sa kagustuhan ng Diyos.

3.      Hindi nangangahulugang dahil namumuno na ang isang tao sa isang bahay-sambahan, ay marami na siyang alam at ang mga pinamumunuan niya ay wala o maraming hindi alam. Wala siyang karapatang kumilos na animo ay pantas sa larangan ng relihiyon, dahil ang kaibahan lang niya sa iba ay ang “diploma” lang naman mula sa eskwelahan ng pananampalataya kung saan siya kasapi. Sa makabagong panahon ngayon, marami nang paraan kung paanong mapalawak ng isang tao ang kanyang kaalaman sa anumang larangan, kasama na diyan ang tungkol sa Diyos at relihiyon, at hindi niya kailangang magkaroon ng diploma dahil dito.

SA MATA NG DIYOS, LAHAT NG KANYANG NILALANG AY PANTAY-PANTAY AT KUNG MAY MGA NAITALAGA MANG  “MAMUNO” KAYA KAILANGAN NILANG MAG-ARAL PA,  SILA AY HINDI DAPAT MAGYABANG DAHIL ANG MGA PINAG-ARALAN AY DAPAT GAMITIN SA TAMANG PARAAN UPANG MAKAHIKAYAT PA NG MARAMING KASAPI, AT ANG PAMUMUNO AY MAY HANGGANAN ….SA IBABAW NG MUNDO.


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The Agony of Mother Nature

Posted on Thursday, 7 January 2016

The Agony of Mother Nature
By Apolinario Villalobos

Her womb brought forth life of many sorts
On top of the list is man – wise, clever, shrewd
A creature so sharp, with ego that knows no bound
He, whose selfishness, lifted him up from the ground.

At the start, his simple desire brought him food
Also, skins and leaves to cover his bare fragile frame
Then, his carnal yearnings brought him abundant broods
Who later inhabited vast lands – plains, valleys and woods.

Man’s desire has no end, never satisfied, not a bit
He not only breached, what to others are sacred realms
Unmindful and blind to whatever will be the consequence -
He even dares to break Mother Nature’s idyllic, blissful silence.

Greed drove man to scalp mountains of their trapping –
Verdant and lush forests he fell by indiscriminate burning
Reverberating scream of his chainsaw fill nooks and crevices
That drowns panicky calls of birds and their desperate screeches.

Immaculate white and sandy beaches strewn with shells
Though, still practically fringing undiscovered islands and coves
They may no longer be what they are now, as found by those lucky
For their days are numbered just like the rest, now drowned in misery.

Islands pockmarked with diggings for much-coveted minerals
Pitifully belch residues to rivers, lakes, coves even gurgling springs
While man grins his widest for the cash, illicitly and cruelly-gained
Mother Nature just cringes in agony, abused, that for long she’ll pain.

The air that man breaths for whiffs of comfort, relief and dear life -
Now has become a mist of poison, the scourge of his irresponsibility
For bringing forth metallic contraptions belching toxin just everywhere
And even break auditory succor, shaking the world with so much clatter.

With Mother Nature in agony -
man is left…alone,

to determine his destiny!

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On Extra-Terrestials, Man's Evolution,His Toxic Food and Self-Destructive Habits

Posted on Sunday, 25 October 2015

On Extra-Terrestials, Man’s Evolution,
His Toxic Food and Self-Destructive Habits
By Apolinario Villalobos


I believe that man went through evolution to become what he is now, but via genetic manipulation by the ET’s who came to earth thousands of years ago, and not through the “natural” process as Charles Darwin alleged. When before, scientists were skeptical and avoided discussion about the issue, today, they are more than open and willing, even going to the extent of bringing out to light long-kept dissertations and clippings. Even the Vatican has dipped her finger into the issue, as there are sketches and paintings with religious themes, and with landscapes that include controversial spherical objects hovering in the background. Some painted Nativity scenes are depicted with UFOs as the source of the light illuminating the manger, instead of a star. Even the “angels” whose ability to fly is symbolized by feathered wings are now presumed as ET spacemen equipped with flying gear.

Images from the past in the form of sculptures, paintings, and embossed renditions used “symbols” to indicate different qualities of leaders and gods, represented by animals, such as lion, leopard, cat, dog, eagle, bull, etc. These representations were made by early earthlings, who were artistically skilled but limited in scientific knowledge. The symbols, then, literally manifested the physical characteristics of gods being presented without the need for text in any form.  Along this line, the bull horns and lion have been, since the early time, used to represent power and strength, that is why, most gods are shown wearing headgear with horns, or whose head is that of a lion. These images purportedly represent visiting ETs.

Different ET’s that may have landed on different regions of the earth, could have “developed” their “own people” out of the upright walking creatures that they found, particularly the apes. This process could have involved the use of their (ET) own genes to modify or improve the earthlings’ characteristics. For doing this, the ETs may have selfish motives. It should be noted that apes are not just of a single kind, and their characteristics depend on the region where they thrive. The gene modification could have resulted then, to early earthlings with different characteristics depending on their region, and which have manifested in the color of their skin, height, shape of the face, kind of hair, etc. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there are mentions about races or tribes that suddenly appear from nowhere.  I thought of this because different races in the Bible kept on insisting about the power of “their own” god ….a recognition that they give to the power of their “creator”.

Each race even had a name of its own god. This is how I reconciled the differences of races that are populating different regions of the earth, such as the blacks in Africa, the white-skinned and blond-haired in the western and northern hemispheres, the chinky-eyed with white skin in the east, and the slightly to dark brown, short people in the south, and southeast. Obviously, they did not evolve from fish, lizards, etc that Charles Darwin had insisted in his theory of “natural” evolution, more so from apes, otherwise, today there should already be hairless, pretty and handsome apes with curly or straight hair, black or blond hair,  broad or aquiline nose, or walking fish and lizards. On the contrary, the apes of the thousand years ago are still the same apes that we find today.

In laboratories today, gene modification, cloning, and organ transplant are being done, as if scientists are dissecting frogs…meaning, the three mentioned processes are being done with ease because of modern medical technology. Where did such knowledge and ability come from? Of course, not from the early earthlings!  It is a big question that the religious and the overly skeptics still hate to hear. But for sure, they did not come from apes!

The health-conscious of today are against the scientific process of gene modification when applied to vegetables, grains, and fruits. They forgot however, that the modern fruits and grains are the result of this process to make them juicier, seedless, soft, sweeter, etc. The corn that we know today did not come in cobs, thousands of years ago. The corn of long ago had grains, instead of the big and chewable kernel. Corn is among those mentioned as food in the Bible, but they did not come in cobs, that is why nothing can be found in the Bible about “roasting of corn cobs”, but “baking of corn grits”, when what they meant actually were “corn grains”.  

Other grains that were supposed to have originated in a region, somewhere in Turkey, were developed to improve their size, and even rice originally grew in swamps not on land. It should be noted that Turkey is among the regions purportedly used by the ETs as their landing ports, according to myths in the Bible.  In some regions of America, wild rice is still being harvested from swamps. Today, there is an effort to make rice resistant to floods, short of saying that it is being returned it to its former watery habitat.

Cross-breeding is one way of altering the genes of plants and animals, and this process still fall under the process of gene modification. There are many other genetically modified organisms (GMO) that are discreetly introduced. Lately, however, just because scientists would like to make vegetables last long and resistant to pest, health-conscious groups, are overreacting by  declaring them dangerous as they could alter the “characteristics” of man, and worse, even as unhealthy. When did man start living healthily, anyway, when all these claims for healthy living are full of deception?

These western groups are the ones that flood the social media with the contra-indications of natural substances and drugs. They feed the internet with information about fruits that should not be eaten together with certain meat or fish. They even come out with “findings” about certain fish not fit for consumption, such as tilapia because of the level of toxic substance in its meat, when practically all fish that thrive in the oceans have high toxin level, especially those in the European waters that have become dumping ground of toxic materials.  Why single out tilapia? Because of their allegations, all fishes should better be banned as they are poisonous!

These groups promote “organic food” – vegetables, fruits and meat that are not supposedly fertilized and fed with the harmful synthetic chemicals, but they forgot that the air is replete with toxin. In other words, the “organic food” that these groups allege to be safe are still contaminated due to the toxin from the atmosphere that they absorb since the first day of their growth.

Ironically, man continues to fill the air, the oceans, lakes and streams with the sediments of modern technology that he invented to be used for his survival….an unconscious(?) self-destruction. No food in its “pure” state can be found anywhere on earth. The quantity of toxin, though, that is taken in by man, depends on the region where he lives, thus, determines the length of his stay on earth….of course, with special consideration to available modern medical technology. In this regard, the third-world countries that have become the “catch basins” of these toxins, but without modern medical facilities are at the mercy of the highly progressive nations due to their factories that spew toxins in various forms …while their people enjoy the protection of their modern medical facilities.

This blog is not meant to destroy the faith in God. I believe that the universality of God is such that whatever faith we have in Him, could have just been passed on to us by the “better kind” of visiting ETs thousands of years ago. And, as regards the issue on creation, the ETs could also be the creations of God and who just delved in science to modify other creatures to suit their needs, hence, the evolution of the earthlings from the modified ape. This is what the highly intelligent earthlings are doing today…modifying creations to improve their “quality” and maximize their usability. So, why make the issues on UFOs, ETs, God, Creation, and Man very complicated that just result to unnecessary confusion? Are the religious and scientific authorities hiding information from the rest of the earthlings….though, may be divulged at the most appropriate time?


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Ang Pagmamalasakit ay Hindi lang Dapat Para sa Tao

Posted on Thursday, 22 October 2015

Ang Pagmamalasakit
ay Hindi Lang Dapat Para sa Tao
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang sabi ni Francis, ang santo papa ng mga Katoliko, dapat magmalasakit ang tao sa kanyang kapwa….maging compassionate. Sa opinion ko naman, hindi lang sa kanyang kapwa dapat magmalasakit ang isang tao. Lahat ng nilalang ng Diyos na may buhay, kahit nga ang mga walang buhay tulad ng kalupaan, kabundukan, karagatan, at mga ilog ay dapat pagmalasikatan. Kung ang may buhay ang pag-uusapan, dapat kasama ang mga halaman at mga hayop na malaking bahagi na ng buhay ng tao. Samantala, ang mga hayop na sinasabing nananakit o mababangis ay hindi papalag kung hindi sila pinapakialaman ng tao.

May mga taong mahilig mag-alaga ng mga “laruang” hayop o pet, lalo na yong may lahi,  hindi lang upang makaaliw sa kanila kundi upang maging palamuti din sa bahay. At, dahil mamahalin, ginagamit din silang palatandaan ng karangyaan ng isang tao. Nagagamit na rin sila ngayon bilang therapies o pampagaling ng sakit, lalo na ang mga psychological. Sa mga taong talagang taos sa puso ang pag-alaga, okey ito. Ang hindi tama ay ang ginagawa ng mga taong nanggagaya lamang dahil sa inggit sa ibang meron ng mga ito. Bibili sila ng mga nabanggit, subalit dahil likas na walang hilig talaga, ay napapabayaan kaya nagkakasakit hanggang mamatay.

Ang kapalaran ng mga halamang pampalamuti ay hindi nalalayo sa nabanggit na mga hayop na binili ng mga naiinggit sa kapitbahay, kaya napabayaan hanggang mamatay. May mga tao kasing dahil naiinggit sa malagong halamanan ng kapitbahay ay nagtatanim din ng mga ito sa bakuran upang mapantayan o malampasan pa ang nakikita sa kapitbahay. Subalit dahil wala rin talagang hilig sa tanim kundi naiinggit lang, ni hindi nila pinapansin ang mga halamang nagkakandalanta dahil hindi nila nadidiligan.

Ang mga kahayupan sa gubat at kalawakan ay ginagamit na target ng mga mangangaso, pampalipas ng oras lang nila, kaya maraming endangered species ang nawala na talaga. Bandang huli ay nagtuturuan ang mga NGO at pamahalaan kung saan nagkaroon ng diperensiya sa pagpapatupad ng alituntunin.

Ang ibang mga nature lovers kuno, tulad ng mga scuba divers, snorkelers, trekkers at mountaineers ay nagmamalaking mahal nila ang kalikasan. Subalit kung umakyat ng bundok ay nag-iiwan ng basura nila sa camping sites. Hindi man lang nila naisip na magbaon ng trash bags upang lagyan ng basura upang mahakot pagbaba nila, kaya maraming kabundukan sa Pilipinas, na ang mga trails ay maraming candy at biscuit wrappers, aluminum cans ng softdrinks, upos ng sigarilyo, satchet ng instant noodle, sanitary napkin at toilet paper. Ilang taon na ang nakalipas, ang Mt. Everest ay isinara ng kung ilang linggo upang malinisan ang mga trails at camping sites sa kapatagan hanggang sa tuktok na tinambakan ng mga empty oxygen canisters, mga bote, at iba pang klase ng basura.

Ang mga dalampasigan o beaches, tulad ng mga kabundukan ay nasasalaula din ng mga burarang nature lovers kuno at mga negosyante. Ang isang halimbawa ay isla ng Boracay na puno ng mga naglalakihang resorts at hotels na ang septic tanks ay tumatagas sa dagat kaya tinutubuan na ng mga lumot ang ilang dalampasigan, tanda ng pagkakaroon ng mikrobyo sa tubig-dagat. Hindi sapat ang sinasabing paghakot ng basura at sinipsip na dumi mula sa septic tanks at dinadala sa Caticlan, na ginagawa ng gobyernong lokal, dahil hindi naman perpektong nakakalinis ang mga ganitong mga paraan.

Ang mga bundok ay kinakalbo ng mga illegal loggers na ang iba ay mga gahamang opisyal ng gobyerno at ang iba naman ay dummy ng mga foreign financiers. Animo ay minamasaker nila ang mga kabundukan. Kaya tuwing tag-ulan, ang rumaragasang tubig mula sa kabundukan na nagdudulot ng baha sa kapatagan ay kulay brown o pula, na ibig sabihin, mga lupa silang hindi na napoproteksiyunan ng mga ugat ng mga kahoy o mga damo man lang. May mga yumamang iilan, subalit ang nagdusa ay libo-libong mahirap na mamamayan, at ang masakit pa, ay mga dayo ang yumaman!

Ang mga bigtime na mangingisda ay gumagamit ng makabagong mga instrumento na kumakayod sa sahig ng karagatan, kaya lahat ng madaanan ay tangay – mga korales na kung ilang milyong taon na ang gulang, mga maliliit na isda, at mga inahing isda na dapat ay mangingitlog pa lang.  Ang ilan pa ay gumagamit ng lason at dinamita, at itong mga tao ang may gana pang magtaka kung bakit nauubos ang mga isda malapit sa dalampisagan kaya wala na silang mahuli!

Ang tao pa rin, sa kagustuhang umasenso agad ay gumagamit ng makabagong teknolohiya para sa mga pagawaan. Gagamit ng langis upang magpaandar ng mga makina, at ang latak ay tinatapon sa ilog na dumadaloy hanggang sa dagat o lawa. Ganoon din ang mga nagmimina na ang latak ng kemikal na ginagamit sa paglinis ng namimina ay iniimbak sa mga reservoir subalit ang katatagan ay hindi mapagkatiwalaan, kaya pagdating ng panahon ay tumatagas rin kaya sinisipsip ng lupa na ang resulta ay pagkalason ng mga nakapaligid na bukal. Kung ipampaligo ang tubig mula sa mga ito, sakit sa balat ang dulot, lalo na kung gamitin sa pagluto na ang dulot ay tiyak namang kamatayan. Sa isang banda, ang usok mula sa mga pagawaan ay pumupunit sa kalawakan na dapat ay humahadlang sa tindi ng init ng araw na tumatama sa mundo.


Pagkagahaman at kawalan ng pagmamalasakit ang dahilan ng lahat ng mga nabanggit, at kakambal na yata ng tao. Walang mangyayari sa panandaliang pagsasantu-santohan upang makapagpakita ng pagmamalasakit dahil sinabi ng santo papa. Kailangan nating maging consistent o tuluy-tuloy sa pagpapakita ng malasakit. Paanong maisasakatuparan ito kung ang maayos na pagtapon nga lang ng basura mula sa bahay ay hindi nagagawa kaya naaanod sa mga ilog, dagat, at estero? Kaylan tayo magbabago? 

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My dear, little ones...

Posted on Tuesday, 20 October 2015

My dear, little ones…
by Apolinario Villalobos

It pains me to see how the world
Crumbles under the weight of greed
How life buckles with the pain of despair
I am so sad that what will be left for all of you
Will be a world shrouded with the bleak sorrow.

Gone will all the birds be, that fly
Grass and flowers in the meadows
Fish in the oceans, rivers, and creeks
The butterflies and bees that seek nectar
And, so will the wind…stilled by the dire war.

All those are due to man’s greed
So ravenous are his appalling desires
But let’s not lose hope…pray, pray, pray
As the kindly Lord, to us, may again take pity
That tomorrow’s world, be blessed with His mercy!
 





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Better are....

Posted on Thursday, 2 July 2015



Better are …

By Apolinario Villalobos

Better are those born of a simple family
            For later, they shall not wallow in sinful luxury.

Better are those who grew up on simple gruel
            For later, they shall not despise a meatless meal.

Better are those who grow clothed in simple trappings
            For later, they shall not be desirous of worldly things.

Better are those whose wants are simple
            For later, they shall not unnecessarily crave for more.

Better are those who earn by dints of hard work and honesty
            For later, they are assured of unquestionable integrity.

Better are those who are not exposed to the frivolous city life
            For later, they will not be swayed by even just a simple strife.

Better are those who pray to God with private sincerity
            For theirs is a voice, pure and not tinted with hypocrisy.

Better are those who give with honest intention
            For they do not expect anything in return.

Better are the couples who don’t flaunt their love for each other
            For they know that they need not be ostentatious, if they are sincere.

Better are those who readily admit their faults and failure
            For they know that doing so, lessons are learned for the future.

Better are those whose love for God is not defined by cults or religions
            For they know that God’s infinity is boundless as shown by his creations. 

Better are those whose love to others is unconditional
            For they know that they can only be just as such –
            Giving enough of what they have, and not so much.

                       

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Creation Care, Ecological Justice and Ethics by Patriarch Bartholomew

Posted on Friday, 6 March 2015



It is seldom that an Ecumenical Patriarch is given exposure for his views. During the recent visit of Patriach Bartolomew in Manila, he delivered a speech in which he shared his seldom-heard views about the most important issue – ecology, correlating it to man’s obligation for the sake of self-preservation. Though simply stated, his message is full of inspiration:

Reflections by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Forum held at the National Museum in Manila

 
CREATION CARE, ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE AND ETHICS

“Toward COP 21: Civil Society Mobilized for the Climate”
(February 26, 2015) 

Distinguished forum participants,
Many of you may be surprised that a religious leader concerned with “spiritual” values is accompanying a political leader involved with “secular” issues. After all, what does preserving the planet have to do with saving the soul? It is widely assumed that climate change and the exploitation of natural resources are matters concerning scientists, technocrats and politicians.
Yet, the preoccupation of the highest spiritual authority in the worldwide Orthodox Church, namely the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with the ecological crisis demonstrates that we cannot have two ways of looking at the world: religious on the one hand and worldly on the other. We cannot separate our concern for human dignity, human rights or social justice from concern for ecological preservation and sustainability. These concerns are forged together, an intertwining spiral that can descend or ascend. If we value each individual made in the image of God, and if we value every particle of God’s creation, then we will care for each other and our world. In religious terms, the way we relate to nature directly reflects the way we relate to God and to our fellow human beings, as well as the way we relate to the biodiversity of creation.
At stake is not just our respect for biodiversity, but our very survival. Scientists calculate that those most harmed by global warming in the future will be the most vulnerable and marginalized. It is those living in the typhoon-prone Philippines who are being forced not only to deal with the miseries of flooded homes and prolonged disruption, but to make fundamental changes in their way of life. And there is a particularly bitter injustice about the fact that those suffering its worst ravages have done least to contribute to it. The ecological crisis is directly related to the ethical challenge of eliminating poverty and advocating human rights. Food security was the foremost issue at the United Nations climate change discussions in Geneva this month.
We are convinced that Asia holds many of the answers to a more biocentric worldview; Western industrialized nations must be humble to listen and learn. Only a few days ago, in India, the world’s public health leaders concluded that fossil fuels are detrimental to human health and wellbeing. And the Philippines – already a leader in geothermal and hydropower – are committed to a path from low carbon to zero carbon in a partnership between the public and private sectors.
This means that global warming is a moral crisis and a moral challenge. The dignity and rights of human beings are intimately and integrally related to the poetry and – we would dare to say – the rights of the earth itself. Human rights in the West have long been criticized for individualism. So will we recognize the faces of the thousands – men and women, mothers and children, elderly and disabled – lost when Typhoon Yolanda hit Guian at 4.40am on November 8th, 2013? On that day, by providence or serendipity, our church celebrates the feast of the holy angels. Will we remember the haunting photographs of that nightmare? The number of deaths horrifies us – but what most painfully reaches our feelings is the individual faces of loss and terror.
And what about the rights of the earth – of which we are a part and apart from which we cannot exist? Who will speak for the voiceless resources of our planet? Who will protect the silent diversity of its species? Will we accept responsibility for pushing our environment over the tipping-point?
In the discussions about climate change, some take a fatalistic attitude, arguing that we should give up all efforts to prevent further changes and instead direct our efforts towards adapting to the inevitable. But the response from those experiencing the effect of climate change is clear: adaptation is not enough. Fundamental changes need to be made at the level of global policy making, and made as a matter of urgency.
Wealthy, industrialized countries have unquestionably contributed most to atmospheric pollution. In our effort, then, to contain and reverse global warming, we must honestly ask ourselves: Will we in the West, in more affluent countries, sacrifice our self-indulgence and consumerism? Will we direct our focus away from what we want to what the rest of the world needs? Among all the facts and statistics, the summits and debates, it is essential for us to remember the human faces of those who suffer because of climate instability. Will we recognize and assume our responsibility to leave a lighter footprint on this planet for them and for the sake of future generations? We must choose to care; otherwise, we do not really care at all about the creator or the creation.
The choice is ours! We stand at a critical moment in the history and future of our planet, a time when our human family must choose future of our earth community. The protection of our planet’s vitality and diversity is a sacred task and a common vocation. At a summit organized by our Church two years ago, former NASA climate scientist Professor James Hansen observed: “Our parents honestly did not know that their actions could harm future generations. But we, our current generation, can only pretend that we did not know.”
It is not too late to act, but we cannot afford to wait; we certainly cannot afford not to act at all. We all agree on the necessity to protect our planet’s natural resources, which are neither limitless nor negotiable. We are all in this together: people of faith must practice what they preach; citizens of the world must clearly voice their opinion; and political leaders must act urgently and decisively.
Dear friends, you will now appreciate why a religious leader is concerned with the ecological crisis. With the voices of those angels who died in Typhoon Yolanda echoing in our ears, we must make the strongest possible call for change and justice at the Climate Conference in Paris next December. This is our ethical and honorable obligation; this is our word of promise and hope to the entire world.



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On Respecting the Exemplar Biblical Personalities...and the non-believers

Posted on Sunday, 1 March 2015



On Respecting the Exemplar
Biblical Personalities…and the non-believers
By Apolinario Villalobos

My views about the Bible are very personal. I have always been honest about my limited knowledge of this Book, as I do not delve on “deep analysis”. For me, it is enough that I know the parables and the sayings as understood by simple lay people like me. What is important as far as I am concerned is their impact on my life so that I can put them into practice and I do not give a hoot what others say. For as long as I do something good for others, because I love God, that is enough for me. I leave it to others if they want to emulate my ways or not, as I do not perceive myself as a saint, anyway. What I am trying to share is that I put into practice what I read and such effort did not kill me or give me disease. Simply said, everything good that comes from the Bible is an inspiration that guides human actions.

If man’s faith has not been polluted by doubts because of unnecessary “analysis” of the Bible passages by “wise people”, the world would not have been divided into so many religions, sects, and occults that try to outdo each other in preaching the “right way”, based on…of all things, the Bible itself! And worst, NOBODY will ever be able to tell who among these groups is telling the truth.

So, what other things will these “preachers” still do to further pollute the mind of the faithful? Had there been respect, since the very start that the differences developed, there could have been no competition as to who has got the “best” religion. Without their knowing it, these “preachers” have caused some faithful to leave their church to become agnostics and atheists due to confusion, aside from giving rise to sects and occult groups. In other words, these “preachers” have dismally failed in many ways. And, since these non-believers have lately come out in the open with all honesty, nothing can be done about it but give them due respect for their choice.

All the venerated personalities in the Bible, including Jesus are with sins. If I say that the Virgin Mary was born with sin, I will surely earn the ire of the Marian devotees. But in my understanding, the “virgin” attached to her name refers to the “virgin birth of Jesus” which is even questioned, and not to her person who just like any man and woman born into this world has been tinted  with the “original sin”, that is why Jesus, as they say, had to die to save mankind from it. Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc….they did not lead ideal lives. However, what made all of them remarkable was their unquestionable Faith, and that is what I am trying to bring out in this blog. And, more so with Jesus who died on the cross to save mankind which then was His greatness. Why don’t we just leave it that way? Why not just respect and emulate their deeds which are not evil?

If we go deeper into the character of each Biblical personality, mankind will be left with nobody to emulate, not even God, who showed His cruelty in the Old Testament by commanding the Israelites to practically annihilate the tribes who blocked their effort in claiming the Promised Land. The “preachers” are oozing with “revelations” and “exposures” about just everything in the Bible - God, creation, Jesus, Virgin Mary, etc. The poor listener becomes the victim of these all-knowing guys, and he becomes confused, instead of being enlightened.

Rather than feel victim to these “all-knowing” guys, why can’t we just maintain, at least, our “respect” to the Biblical personages whom we have been taught early on, as the sowers of Faith? And, since the sowed Faith blossomed and bore numerous branches, why not also just respect those who prefer any of them? All branches came from just one seed, anyway.