Has the church lost its moral ascendancy to preach about righteousness and piety? It is a wonder why it has been silent about all forms and sources of evil in our society like corruption and Pogo or gambling, legal or illegal.
What could be the reason why the church is mum on important national issues involving depravity/demons -- unlike during the time of Jaime Cardinal Sin three or four decades ago. Why does the church seem to have abandoned its duty of exorcizing evils? I am referring not only to the Catholic Church, but the church as whole, including Protestants and all Christian denominations and other religions in the country.
If church leaders can corrupt the government and politicians, we can just imagine the magnitude of their corrupt acts over their church organization’s own money. These are those who entered a “life of mission” but due to undying love for mammon and a “good life” (contrary to Christ’s life), they ended up serving themselves rather than God and their flocks.
The Constitution is clear: “No public money or property shall be appropriated, applied or employed directly or indirectly, for the use of, benefit or support to any sect, church, denomination...” May I add, “And no church money shall be used for personal ambitions.”
Upon reading the recent news similar to the SUV scandal in 2011 that “a bishop asked the PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) for a car as a birthday gift but used the welfare of the poor as an excuse,” and upon realizing the baseness of many ministers today that use gadgets as Bibles, I was led to write this piece. By the way, PCSO cares nothing about faith and uprightness. It is mandated purely to raise (or love) money for the government -- que sera, sera. 1 Timothy 6:10.
In the same way that we can distinguish the original from fake products -- by looking at the details or scrutinizing the small, minuscule parts -- a church is known for its authenticity or hypocrisy. Ang kilatis ay nasa ditalye.
While God is in the details of Christian living and imperatives of faith, the Devil is in every side and corner, floor and ceiling of religiosity and the so-called “essentials” and “fundamentals” of (sham) faith. Since when has sanctified living and/or corruption, child abuse, human trafficking, taking drugs, drinking, smoking, gambling, adultery and the like become “non-essentials”? Why are most ministers today afraid of speaking against sin?
And how dare they categorize crookedness and worldliness as just being parts of what they call “non-essentials”? They have been so focused on their essential “theology” and “religiousness” such that they’ve been blinded to see piety and righteousness. Christ was not crucified to save religions (or “logo”), but sinners. Matthew 7:15-20.
Beware of churches that are alive and kicking to obey Matthew 28:19-20 or “Christ’s Commission” -- in their own strength and godless schemes -- using state-of-art gadgets and preaching the Bible without using the Bible. They may sound convincing behind the pulpit, but there’s more to their talks. Darkness.
But be equally watchful of “ministers” who preach the Bible with Bibles, but are actually just preaching their man-made religions and damnable doctrines. Gadgets are not Bibles and can never be replacements for the Bible. There is no Bible in gadgets, only Bible-apps. Neither is there such a thing as “digital Bible” or “audio bible.” The Bible is holy. Gadgets are not. The Bible is God-breathed and Holy Spirit-inspired. Gadgets are not. The Bible contains only the pure Word of God. Gadgets contain numberless, limitless anti-God materials. Stop devaluing God’s Word.
An amazing, wonderful technological advancement that should have been serving humanity, the Church and God -- has in fact become 90 percent evil by virtue of the addiction to and madness over them -- by “godget” users no less.
Finally, why not make a law that would stop corrupt churches from corrupting politicians during elections by prohibiting them from endorsing any candidate via “block voting,” openly or secretly? Be courageous for the good of the motherland and do this, dear lawmakers. Country first, before yourself (or your votes) and you will have the vote of God. No worries.