Thoughts and Musings....

[darth_stitch]

I am Filipino. Somewhere in my bloodlines are the Spanish conquistadors who happened upon this quiet, gold-rich bunch of islands and chose to claim them in the name of God and the Spanish King. But also in those bloodlines are the quiet, cheerful, infinitely hospitable brown people who at first welcomed them because that is our way with guests, not knowing they were coming as conquerors.

Ours is a different sort of courage. We had our Revolution, even if we did, in the end, get colonized by another Western Power. Of course, we were set free after 50 years and there remains a love/hate relationship between my country and the U.S.A. But I digress.

Ours is the courage that finds release in laughter and jokes, despite catastrophic typhoons, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Imagine, if you will, the stunned expressions on the international media news crews who came here to shoot footage of Filipinos struggling against catastrophic weather and floods. They found us, raving nutters that we are, smiling and grinning and mugging for the camera. And Filipino kids were happily swimming in the floodwaters in the city suburbs. Go figure.

Ours is the courage that finds its greatest strength in our faith - whether we are Christians of any sect or Muslim. This is the sort of courage that got millions of Filipinos on the street of Edsa, armed with nothing more than yellow ribbons, flowers, rosaries, statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ (not to mention food and water), to face armed Filipino Marines and tanks sent by The Dictator. We wanted him gone. We threw him out. After twenty bloody years, we had enough. And then later, we did it again to a man who cheapened and disgraced his office.

Ours is the courage that propels us to seek out greener pastures in alien lands, where people who have beliefs alien to ours live. This is the kind of courage that keeps us working to provide a roof and clothing and food for our families. Never mind that we run the risk of being beaten to death and raped by our foreign employers. Never mind that we might be kidnapped by terrorists and used as bargaining chips. We boldly go, trusting in faith and luck and our skills, that we might earn those precious dollars ($1.00 = P56.00) to send home to our families so they might have something to live on.

I am Catholic. That also means I am Christian. We were taught that "Catholic" really means "universal." Personally, it boils down to this bare fact - that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is my God. And that He is a loving and forgiving and compassionate God. And since He is a loving and forgiving and compassionate sort of fellow, that means, I have to be one to. Following His example, of course. No matter how hard it bloody is.

And this means I cannot look upon other people of alternative lifestyles and religious beliefs from a vantage point of smug self-righteousness. Or think that they are poor misguided souls in need of saving. I have to respect their beliefs. I have to understand that this is THEIR faith, which is worthy of thought and consideration. I have to understand that this is THEIR life, the way they choose to live. And unless this kind of belief or living inflicts direct actual harm on me or mine, then I think we can all live and let live together.

I am a human being (despite the alien jokes), who lives and breathes and bleeds just like the rest of you. I'd like to live to see a world where I do not have to be made witness to the butchery done to a fellow human being as crazed misguided fools hack off his head. I'd like to see my fellow Filipinos working abroad in the Middle East go about their business without being afraid they'll be the next ones kidnapped and possibly suffer that kind of fate. I'd like to live in a world where my gay friends can openly get married and acknowledge their love for each other - God knows they'll probably do a better job at keeping their marriage vows and raising children than some heterosexual couples I know.

I'd like to live in a world where being a Christian is not viewed with suspicion by people who have been burned too many times by my overly self-righteous Christian brothers and sisters. I'd like to live in a world where honesty and decency and respect towards one another is the guiding principle, regardless of sex, race, religion or creed.

I want that world. I think we can all work together to build it together. Let's get started right here, right now, in our personal lives. With our families. With our friends. With our neighbors. I think we can make it work, if we go to it with good will and an open heart.

Call me an idealist, but I believe we can make it happen. Let's get to it, folks.

Comments

[tanyad.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful... and well said.

thank you.

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

*blush* thank you, as well.

[jedilora.livejournal.com]

Wonderfully said. And you know, it's not really the Catholics who are all up in people's faces here in the US, it's the evagelicals, who don't like anybody other than themselves.

(I'm totally allowed to say that. My cousins are evangelical missionaries for Crusade for Christ and I'm Jewish. I see them maybe every five years.)

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

I know that it's the evangelicals who are quite vocal over in the U.S. I read someone's LJ post about that, trying to explain why they think the way that they are.

Part of it is a fanaticism that quietly scares me - because it's reminiscent of the way the Catholic Church was waaaaaaay back in the bad old times, with the Inquisition and the burning at the stake for heresy, witchcraft and oh yeah - being a Jew. Which is bloody ridiculous because JESUS was a Jew and so was the rest of the apostles AND His Mother. Not to mention that our faith sprang from yours. Good thing the Pope's doing his best to reeducate all of us on that matter.

Believe me, I DON'T want to have to live and go back through those times.

Part of it is an innocence and ignorance and sheer bloody narrow-mindedness. And again, this is not a mindset shared only by evangelicals - there are Catholics who think that way too. And remember, Catholics were simply "Christians" a long time ago - it wasn't until Martin Luther came along and started the Protestant movement that distinctions like "Methodist," "Baptist" etc. had to be made.

The LJ poster said that they believe in a fight against the forces of darkness and light. "Us Against Them." I ask the question - why fight? Why must we battle? Are "They" as evil as we think they are? Or are They merely different, which is not the same as "evil?" There are many religions all over the world with the same general principles as Christianity has - it's just that the name of God is different. Alas, there are also the same kind of fanatics - the sort of people crazed enough to commit terrorist acts. Isn't it scary to think that the only thing that separates their way of thinking from these so-called "Christian moralists" are mere labels?

This whole thing makes me sad because this is NOT what being a Christian should be about. I don't want people to think that "oh god, here's a moralistic fanatic freak who's going to pass judgement on poor unbelieving me" when I state my religious choice. It makes me sad to see people who say "if this is the way your Christian God is then He's not my God."

My faith is just simply a part of me. I don't want to force it down people's throats, force EVERYONE to march to my beat because I believe that this is The One True Way. Because others believe that THEY have their own One True Way and how can we be absolutely, positively sure that we're the only ones correct and they're wrong? I'd be delighted if others chose to follow my faith simply because of my example. But it's just like what the Great Teacher and Storyteller said - "if they will not accept you, simply just shake the dust of that place from your feet and leave." Respect their beliefs - as we wish ours to be respected.

[jedilora.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. While I am not a Christian, I am religious. (Jewish, so imagine what our family reunions are like on the weekends. Eesh.)

Fanatascism, no matter what particular brand it may take, can only be unhealthy for humanity as a whole. Whether it be fanatical Christians, Muslims, Jews, or even just fanatical conservatives or liberals as a whole, it can only hurt others. Fanatascism divides too much.

[ajmckay.livejournal.com]

Hello, I just want to say that I've been following your journal since the start of "As You Wish" to see updates there and now in some of your other stories.

I just want to say thank-you for posting this. I'm also a Christian and a Catholic with some clashing mixture of liberal and conservative views.

I'd like to be in a world where the two main parties in my country can live together with respect and dignity because they've both got some awesome ideas. I'd like for neighbors to trust each other and to treat each other well without basing it on anything except they're humans no matter how different they are from themselves. Having two people totally opposite only serves for a fair system of checks and balances to keep everyone in line.

I do believe I'm right in all cases (they're my beliefs and choices), but I also believe in the probability that I could be wrong. That I could make it up to heaven or hell (if those are even the correct terms)and some being will tell me I've made thousands of mistakes and errors. If more people would just understand that they could be wrong I believe that could be a starting place. People need to be considerate, but you don't see that much these days at all from any one. Everyone (and I do mean everyone) has got an agenda.

I want that world. I think we can all work together to build it together. Let's get started right here, right now, in our personal lives. With our families. With our friends. With our neighbors. I think we can make it work, if we go to it with good will and an open heart.

This should be a creed no matter what you believe in or what choices you've made.

(On the thoughts of you actually being a human being, I must digress, no human would create the manner of fics you have. You are an alien, but you seem to be quite a friendly one :).

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

I'm also a Christian and a Catholic with some clashing mixture of liberal and conservative views.

Heh. I'm EXACTLY that. There's some issues that I'm not going to budge on. But that doesn't stop me from allowing other people and their opinions their say. That also doesn't stop me from looking on them with compassion and RESPECT.

A kid once said that Jews, Christians of any sect, Muslims, Buddhists and whatnot simply had "different ways of voting for God." *grins* This is why The Great Storyteller and Teacher loves kids - they're smarter than we poor adults a lot of times.

(On the thoughts of you actually being a human being, I must digress, no human would create the manner of fics you have. You are an alien, but you seem to be quite a friendly one :).

*giggles* I come in peace. May the Force be with you. :P

[kokopoko.livejournal.com]

A lot of Catholics forget that part that Jesus is loving and compassionate. I cannot stand the holier than thou that look down their noses and judge. The Catholicism I grew up with was a God of wrathful vengance if you miss Sunday mass, if you disagree with your parents, etc.

I always wondered how a life of no mortal sin but one mistake of one missed Sunday mass damned you straight to hell. That's not a very forgiving God. That's seems a very mean God. He has to know we're humans.

[darth-stitch.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, there's still a generation of Catholics that still see their relationship with God as a sort of balance book between sins committed/the Catholic sacraments you are required to do and ten thousand other silly superstitions.

But that's not what we're all about. Not all Catholics and Catholic priests/nuns believe in that anymore. The Pope (despite my own personal disagreements on some of his stuff on homosexuals, family planning and sex) has seen to that. As well as the teachings brought forth by the Vatican II gathering.

It is true that we do have many beautiful and elaborate rituals such as the Church sacraments and the Holy Mass. The Sacrament of Confession or the confessing of one's sins to a priest for absolution, is no longer referred to that way. Instead, we refer to it as the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we repent of our sins and ask God's forgiveness for them and the priest facilitates that - he listens and he offers advice and he helps you out. Your religion probably teaches a different way to do that but this is how we do it.

But the most important thing that we're taught with all this pomp and ritual is that these things are NOTHING without our faith and sincerity driving them. We may go to Mass but if our heart's not in it, we might not as well be there at all.

So no, we're not told that we'll be going straight to Hell for one missed Mass. Mass is like a feast, a gathering, a breaking of bread. It's like a party - we're invited to go there. Just one hour, which isn't much to ask. And if we can't, for some pressing thing or the other, then we're secure that God's not going to throw us into Hell over that.

Yes, I've lived with "Catholic guilt." But I am fortunate to have encountered many people and books and teachings that have made me realize that there is more to my faith than this eternal balance book of mortal and venial sins.

There is no such thing as a Catholic God. Or a Protestant God. Or a Muslim God. Or a Jewish God. Even a Hindu or Buddhist one. There is only God. And He, by whatever Name you call Him (or Her), is a loving and compassionate and just God. He is as passionate over us as we over Him.

(I say Him....but really, how does one imagine The Infinite, right? God is all things and everything and Himself/Herself, isn't he?)

He gives me a reason to celebrate. Why must I mourn, when He has saved me? When He is already here, only waiting for us to welcome Him?

*grins*