Friday, November 28

Religion: a poisonous paradox

I am a Christian. But before my parents had me baptized, I am born human, more than anything else. Being born in a country blinded by the doctrines of religion, I have fallen victim of such misfortune of having been baptized even before the dawn of my consciousness. As a kid, like anyone else, I was fed with an idea that my guardian angel will cry whenever I do something bad and that I will not enter heaven. My youthful innocence had me asking countless of questions which were satisfied (and poisoned) by witty stories of the mythical cherubim, golden gates of heaven and the eternal damnation.  Growing up, I had my own spiritual journey guided by reason. And by reason itself, it became clear how humanity poisoned itself into believing that a book written two thousand years ago is the answer to human quandaries.
A person suffers because of his kind. Being a collective whole, humanity aims to avoid suffering which leads to creating dogmas that invites suffering per se. Consensual ideologies were formed that discriminates those, whose non-conformance, does not even harm nor injure the integrity of humanity. For instance, sexual bigotry has brought suffering towards homosexuals whose existence is not to shame humanity but only to promote freedom of expression and diversity. Because of such mentality, sexism and equality in terms of the right to marry members of the same sex is still an ongoing battle (that should have never been there at the first place).  Also, despite the psychologically counterproductive effects of slut-shaming against unwed mothers, it is still existing because the right-wing conservatives finds these unwed mothers an abomination to their teachings. For instance, a local priest in Cebu shaming an unwed mother and judging an illegitimate child as a product of sin- it becomes evident then that these moral principles were manipulated by the influential robes to serve their interest.
 Perhaps religion is the biggest paradox that ever existed. For centuries, Religions claiming to be a congregation of love has always been planting the seeds of hatred by providing the guidelines that leads to the discrimination against the nonconformists.
Instead of promoting love and forgiveness, people learned to loathe those whose actions are against a twisted interpretation of a specific verse. Their religious teachings per se, contradict their goals which lead to further confusion and emergence of the lefties. Then comes this assembly of interpreters who shared a common exposition, created a church of their own, proclaimed themselves as high priests declaring that theirs is the only way, and those who do not agree will burn like the rest. Here comes a god, whose persona is painted so perfect that even the most unforgivable sinner is forgiven; a paragon of love, patience, humility, peace, justice and respect; and whose idolized image is placed on a pedestal by some, and adorned with gems and holiness – yet whose followers gossip against one another, discriminates those who do not share the same belief, and donates to charities in exchange of an entrance ticket to an imaginary heaven.
 In the Philippines alone, the paradox is an understatement. The church commands its followers to strictly abide to its doctrines. Some would even require its followers to religiously pay the tithes, preach against the ungodly acts, and spread the good news with a hateful interpretation. The church had been very enticing and influential to have its followers abide to the established dogma that even the constitutional laws is continually violated. The law clearly stated in Article 6 section II of the 1987 Philippines constitution that ‘The Separation of the church and the state shall be inviolable’. Apparently, the said article is nothing but a constitutional ornament and is just placed there as an imitation to every other independent government. Whether we like it or not, the sad fact is, the Philippine laws are continually drafted out of the holy book. Lawmakers, whose selfish concern is to win the votes of the religious nation on the next election, are bound to put up a persona of a religiously faithful public servant. By that, these public officials submitted house bills and ordinances that were carved out from gospels of so-and-so. In the same manner, proposals (such as the RH Bill) that bears a great potential for national progress and citizen welfare development are continually being scrutinized using illegitimate and religious standards. To top all these, here comes the unsolicited participation of different churches whose primary arguments are based on ancient parables. The illiterate majority are then partly to blame. A political candidate whose credential is incapable for public office is voted for, because of his notable church participation. Worse, a religious leader (perhaps a priest) winning the elections because he is backed by a supernatural being. You may call it a joke, but it has been happening and will continue to happen unless humanism will prevail, especially in public office.
Perhaps the greatest paradoxical feature of religion is its unrealistic goal of creating unity among people under one god. A highly ambitious goal, and yes! That’s impossible. The human flaw that yearns for perfection created a psychological need for a supernatural being that personifies human ideals, and perhaps perfection itself. Due to the cultural differences, the image of perfection became diverse. Different forms of gods rose up with characteristics that are based on how perfection is defined by their cultural origin, thus defeating the goal of universal unity. Even under one god, unity is still barely impossible. The human mind will always create an image of a supernatural being based on one’s personal interpretation of the scriptures that favors his needs and personal ideals. People who share the same ideals and personal values would interpret a scripture the way that favors them, then group together forming another religious denomination.  It simply gives evidence to the thought that gods are made by humans, and not the other way around. Human as we are, we tend to discover and explain the cause and effect of our actions. If the explanation goes beyond our human logic, we succumb to supernatural reasoning. Hence, it is humanity who created the idea of heaven and hell as an outlet of illustrating the consequences of every action.
Once a group of individuals disagree with the established religion’s interpretation and teachings, they will branch out and form another sub religion, then the cycle goes on.
Through the history of major religions, Jihads and Crusades had unnecessarily claimed thousands of lives in the name of their respective gods. Pagans were either converted or beheaded, temples and statues of gold were built and burned, martyrs and saints were hailed- out of the purpose of creating a peaceful world under a universal belief on one god. People forgot their humanity, killed others out of an admiration to an image of his self-perceived perfection. Societies attained golden ages in exchange of another society’s downfall, all attributed to the guidance and aid of a supernatural being. People worshipped mythical bulls and dogs, sacrificed virgins and allowed suffering- the kind of human suffering caused by human himself. Up to this day, such are still present, though in a different form. People are forbidden to do things just because a certain verse says so. Gay couples are forbidden to love and marry because the bible says so. Eating the meat from certain animals and saving lives through blood transfusion are forbidden because the scriptures said so. People made to starve for a certain number of days, because god says so.  But are these practices really necessary? Do these restrictions really lead to a better life? Or are they just conservative traditions that restricts the human potential- out of the fear of a heavenly wrath (from a god who was supposedly perfect and full of love and forgiveness)?
Some may question my Christianity. Some would even wonder why I am a humanist when I am not even an atheist. For heaven’s sake (assuming it exists), I don’t equate humanism with atheism. Personally, I am against the idea of an organized religion- whose unfair doctrines affects even the nonbelievers. Christianity for me, is an individual spiritual journey and has nothing to do with my humanism. My actions are solely my own (and are not fueled by a desire to go to heaven).  
I give, I give freely because I have something to offer and I know how it feels like to have nothing. Before I became a Christian, I am human, more than anything else. And nothing can change that…
I do things out of humane concern and respect for life and diversity. I do humane things because I can and I want to; not because of spiritual reward (I’m not a spiritual bounty hunter to begin with).

Tuesday, May 14

A Nurse; your Trusted Technical Advisor

For the first time in my Call center working experience, I felt something to a customer- the feeling of compassion, the willingness to fully satisfy a customer and to meet not only her business needs but as well as her yearning for someone to talk to about her health condition and holistic being. For a moment there, I forgot about my time constraints- I deviated from the main subject of that transaction; I allowed myself to wander around things that are beyond my scope as a Technical Adviser. The customer called in to ask for assistance with regard to her internet connection, but for almost an hour, we talked about her Fibromyalgia, her compacted vertebral discs, her Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, her Diabetes, her End-Stage Renal Disease and her Hemodialysis sessions. I ended up telling her that I'm a nurse and I'm more than willing to consume my time unnecessarily if she would want to discuss about her health.


In the end, I wasn't able to resolve her Internet issue but she was beyond thankful and she cried out of gratitude that somebody cared to listen and consider her as a person, and not just a customer. For a moment there, I neglected my responsibility as a Technical Advisor and started to become a health counselor, a friend and a nurse over the phone. Though I failed in resolving her Internet issues, but I felt satisfied. I realized that despite me turning my back on my profession,- the gift of compassion, care, and humanitarian concern was still there deep inside (which I thought have long been gone). 

That call may have murdered my performance metrics and may cause me to fail my evaluation and probably lose my job, but SO WHAT!!! Afterall, that's the main essence of customer service, right? Giving them the opportunity to feel that they are not just customers, they are people.

#Before that Call ended, the customer asked for a supervisor and that became a KUDOS call in the end. 

#I am Huemer, your nurse, and your trusted technical adviser over the Phone.

Sunday, November 18

"Changes..."




"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change." -Jim Rohn


ARCADIA.With the Capitol Chronicle staffers (who I consider
 as my second family) last May 24-25, 2012 at Villa Arcadia, 
Talisayan, Misamis Oriental.
It is always amazing to see how things change. Indeed, nothing in life stays the same forever. Although change happens slowly for some people, but it doesn't work that way for me. My life has been a roller coaster ride- with all the loops, the thrills and the ups and downs. It is but a rhetorical analogy to present my life's changes in a fun-ride metaphor, because at the very least- it's not Fun all the time. However, It is just my nature to see things in my own perspective- seeing the optimistic side, the blindside for most people. 
Dumbfounded. Together with college friends in a photo-opportunity
in Lim Ketkai Center after the Mass Oath Taking ceremony 
last September 19, 2012  
Pondering. Huemer at Amara Club
House, Cebu.

                 Things happen just as unpredictable as they had been throughout the centuries. Who would expect that an oppressed Austrian boy would later become the Chancellor of Germany, leader of the Nazi and head the historical Holocaust? Nobody would even expect a beat-up boy to be a music icon and would bring the "Thriller" to the world. Or a rape victim to be dubbed as "the Greatest Black Philanthropist of the 20th centruy" and the "Only black billonaire". I know it would sound so ambitious on my part to use Adolf Hitler, Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey as an allegory of how whimsical my life is. Nevertheless, I guess what I'm trying to say here is- nobody can predict where and how far you can go if you just keep on going regardless of the circumstances.
                      Although at this point in my life, I may not be able to say that I've reach my dreams yet (as I'm not even close to discovering what my dreams are), but I can definitely shout to the world that I made it! I changed something and discovered how vast the ocean is by letting go of the shore.  Indeed, how you shape your mind dictates how you shape you life. If only you are open to changes  and liberate your mind from all the uncertainties of tomorrow, things will just fall into place like a Jigsaw puzzle showing your destiny. I would sound hypocrite if I declare that I never doubted myself and my capabilities, because honestly, I did! A lot of times! I would also appear self-righteous if I deny those circumstances when I doubted my faith and the so called "powers-that-be". But never mind all the ambiguity and agnosticism, the bottom-line is I am here now (and  no one knows where I'll be tomorrow).  And if ever a momentous "moment-of -impact" happens to me, I'd be glad to embrace it knowing that every moment that unfolds accompanies an opportunity to change- a change for the better. 

Black and Yellow. With Jeremarie Delos Santos, wearing our wave
jacket in Convergys. Photo taken by Mr. Olacao after shift in 
front of Starbucks, IT park, Cebu City.

                       Living my life one day at a time may sound like a platitude for some. Even so, it made me realize that all quotations and sundry statements born by obscure intellectuals have at least once been validated by whosoever deserves to be accounted for.  Right now , I become one of the living testimonies that life indeed changes if you allow it to be.  It is just a matter of embracing the possibilities and a proper conditioning of the mind....










Sunday, May 20

Tell the children I’m afraid to die

Tell the children I’m afraid to die 
(A declamation piece from a distant memory)


Across the  Mindanao skies,
high above the plateaus of Bukidnon,
echoes a voice scared and trembling
from a creature fearing for its life.


“I am the guardians of the mountains.
On the tallest tree of Dalwangan is my lair,
Upon the tallest tree of Mt. Kitanglad,
I’ve built my nest, maybe my last.
If I lose it, my doom is near.
The dying of the trees is killing me like a knife!
Only then be the mourning or the sunset of my life.”

“From the air I’ve watched
the children of the valleys,
playing, laughing!
I watched them keenly with my eagle eyes
and hope starts burning softly, warmly
in my breasts like a kindling fire.
They’re the future!
They are my future!

Go! Tell the children I’m afraid to die!


Tell the children my life is linked,
with all the life in my forest home,
with the boar and the wild flowers;
the lawaan and the kalaw;
 and the fishes of the forest stream!

 Tell them that each blow of the logger’s axe,
chops of a post from my mountain home
and every bullet a hunter fires,
finds its way into my heart.
Tell them that when I die,
you’ll see a cloudless sky,
where I used to fly.


A thousand trees unmoored,
hauled by the greedy demons,
in shapeless coffins,
And a million creatures,
great and small, baking lifeless
 under the hostile sun, barren valleys,
 arid plains and waterless riverbeds.



Tell the children I’m afraid to die!
 Their hearts are soft,
their minds are young!
We must live together,
or together perish under the sun.
Tell them, that each tree they plant
becomes a new pillar of my mountain home
 and helps to make the rivers stay.
 Tell them that rivers water the land
and let it bear fruit for birds and man.

Tell them that clean air,
bright sunshine and cool refreshing rain
 gives life to everyone.



Let us teach the children
to build a world
that is safe for life.

A world, where we can live together,
you and I.



So speaks the eagle of Dalwangan and Kitanglad,
the eagle of Mindanao
with misty eyes.
We must let the eagle live and fly.









Wednesday, May 9

Life less Ordinary


 
Facing the public, I fear
And it all started from there
With a bold dream to conquer
An intellectual fighter

With hope, I start my journey
Of wit and audacity
Seven minutes, my speech shall take;
With a hard stand, I shall make.

I speak on behalf of them,
Whose justice is but a dream.
For those oppressed and helpless,
Every round won’t be pointless.

I will bluff when I need to
To convince them, I must do
In defending what I know,
It’s a chance I must not blow.

Matter, method and manner
As my weapon and armor
Aided by Athena’s wisdom,
Shall I stand in the podium?

“Hear, Hear!” That’s what I should hear,
It boosts me to hear that cheer.
“Shame, shame!” to a speech so lame,
Faulty logic is to blame.

I clap at those who beat me,
Proud to lose honorably,
Debate, you’re a vagary,
A life less ordinary.

Had it not been for Religion

 
If there were no religion, only humanity, the world could have been a better place. If there is only Humanitarian justice, no faith could cause biases and inequality. There could have been no faith to impregnate religious delusions which misled congregations.
If there were no religion, only humanity that uplifts the human instinct of self preservation, there could have been no holy wars to ignite terrorism- No Jihads, No Crusades.  There could have been no Al Qaeda to feed terror and trigger uncertainty in the middle of peace.  There could have been no sane person who got persuaded to be a suicide bomber and sacrifice himself for spiritual salvation.  There could have been no brotherhood (by faith) whose aim is to bring fear among innocents. Should that be the case, there will only be unity towards survival and prosperity. There could have been no global terrorism, had it not been for religion.
If there were no religion, only sincerity to serve humanity, there could have been no religious hypocrites in the politics, whose aim is to use religion as a way of winning the votes of the people.  There could have been no lay ministers whose actions contradict what they preach. There could have been no priests who assert that politics is dirty yet they engage into it.  There could have been no impostor who uses God’s name as an instrument to allure people, had it not been for religion.
If there were no religion, only exclusive humanitarian-statutory sovereignty, countries could have imposed laws that meet the needs of its people.  Had it not been for religion meddling with state affairs, the government could have approved legislations and actualized its full potential in serving the interests, safety and preservation of the citizens. There could have been no religious officials who take part in law-making while mitigating a potentially effective policy. There could have been a legal support towards capital punishment, euthanasia, divorce and contraception in the constitution to solve the quandary of overpopulation, crime, felony, hostility and poverty.  Death penalties could have minimized the overcrowding jails and made criminals hesitate to commit felony; Euthanasia could have cut down unnecessary medical expenses; divorce could have reduced a hostile family environment; and contraception could have prevented the birth of unwanted babies, reduced the number of hungry children and eventually, minimize poverty.  These dilemmas could have been solved long ago, had it not been for religion.
If there were no religion, there could have been no division among people. There could have been no confusion as to which belief guarantees salvation. There could have been no opportunistic individuals who establish their own religion to make money from while taking advantage of its followers’ twisted judgment.  There could have been no contradiction in ethical perceptions and a universal principle could have long been established, had it not been for religion.
If there were no religion, there could have been unity. There could have been no religious prejudices and no religious discrimination. No Muslims, no Christians. There could have been global cohabitation, just human beings living together in a society, had it not been for religion.


 (Disclaimer: The author has nothing against God/Allah or against any religion, but just the mere existence of religion itself)


Thursday, April 19

Living History



____________________________
"...It devours every second we spend and will continue until all the future has been consumed. It flows even after all the rivers run dry and it lives so long as there is life.  It is the shadow of time and time itself cannot stop it, neither can we.... "
_____________________________
History is boring. It’s all about the past and a difficult subject as I may say. It has nothing to do with our future. Although, some insists that studying history makes us see the trend of events and foresee the future, since according to them, history repeats itself. They even say that history holds the secrets of a bountiful society and the key to powerful governance. Ironically, those effective governments and bountiful societies are now just part of what we call- HISTORY, the glorious past of the unseen future.
                        History is boring. It is all about the past but historians try to relive it. They hunt manuscripts of reformists, decipher the deepest of thoughts and interpret the ancient works of arts. From the golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamen to the disappearance of the Mayans and Incas; from the Spanish colonization to the mystery of the Cojuangco’s wealth- looking for possible links of one event leading to another. Yet at the end of the day, all they have is the knowledge and the truth of the past- not even relevant to solve tomorrow’s uncertainties.
                        History is boring. It is all about the past yet many have the passion to discover it. Truly, it is but a human nature to dwell on the memory of the past just as though reminiscing the presence of a parted loved one. Keeping the memorabilia of what has been, as if it is the greatest masterpiece of TIME- the ultimate artist whose works are divine.
       History is boring. It is all about the past and confusing names.  It made ordinary people, whose characters were seasoned by circumstances and whose names were famed out of opportunity; stand in the pedestal of heroes and martyrs.  It made us forget that we, ourselves, are part of it- a minor yet an important part of the big picture.  We might feel small compared to the names of Michael Jackson, Augustus Caesar, Joan of Arc and Christopher Columbus yet we are the reason why they are famous. By being in the dark, we made them shine. And by living the present, they became the past- the HISTORY.
                        History is boring. It is all about the past and the cultural linkages of the ages. History links Filipinos to its cultural brothers- the Cubans, Columbians and Puerto Ricans- sharing the same Hispanic fate through the grandiose of Spain’s exploration and expansion.  Yet, history itself ignited the disgust and loathe among Filipinos that lay dormant for decades making Juan de la Cruz deny its past and bond to his Hispanic brothers.                  
                     History is boring. It is all about the past yet it is living. It devours every second we spend and will continue until all the future has been consumed. It flows even after all the rivers run dry and it lives so long as there is life.  It is the shadow of time and time itself cannot stop it, neither can we. History is something that we all inevitably and helplessly fall into yet we have the power to define how to position ourselves on its pedestal.                      
                        History is boring. It is all about the past and I do not study it though many have the audacity to talk about it. All are born to live with it, many are determined to discover it, and a few are called to teach it while I am destined to become a great part of it. 

Wednesday, March 7

My year book Picture

Pouty in Black. This is my Yearbook Photo taken at Larawan Studio last September.
This is it...

I might Graduate this March. That's if I pass all my subjects and comply all my requirements on time.


The final list of Graduating Students will be released this March 19...


...Only then will my soul be fully rested and attain sweet bliss of success...


...As of now, I'll just hope against the odds- Hope for the best and prepare for the Worst....


 This is it! I'm facing the Final Curtain! And beyond that curtain, is the reality called LIFE.

Sunday, February 19

NO to Five-point-Zero!

Graduating in college with flying colors is probably a dream-come-true for some students. However, for others, just being able to pass each subject and move on to the next is already an achievement. Nonetheless, we have one goal in common- to have a presentable transcript of records with no failing grades at all.
Some say that having a failing grade is inevitable and is part of the learning process, but to those who aced their way through college, avoiding failures means avoiding these...


· Being a “YES” man…
            It is difficult to say “NO” to a friend. Right? Especially if it involves beer houses, disco bars and other barkada gigs. As they said, “That is what friends are for… for good times and bad times”. But it does not have to reach bad times if you only know how to say “NO” especially if you have pending homework and quizzes in queue.   After all, if they are really your friends, they will understand. So start saying “NO”. It might be just a two-letter-word but that is all it takes to start the difference.
· Shopping schedule unwisely…
            Although most subjects in this university are already pre-arranged for the students to avoid conflicts of schedule, some students are just unwise enough to pick the schedule they feel they are comfortable with. However, while in the middle of the semester, they just realize that their chosen schedules gave them a hard time to comply all the requirements due on the same day.  Hence, they fail to submit one or two requirements because of the lack of time to complete an array of homework.
            So, if you are wise enough, try to weigh each subject and consider the time it might require. Adjust your schedule based on the subject and not based on your comfort. After all, college is not about balancing things to become comfortable but rather, it is about being comfortable at balancing things.
· Being a escape artist…
            Dealing with the headache brought by piles of paperwork and pillars of books to read is very draining. Hence, we tend to avoid the psychological distress by diverting our attention away from our tasks. But running away from our responsibilities will only temporarily relieve us from the stress while new tasks are adding to the pile. And since these tasks will not complete themselves, we will have to face them eventually.  And before we know it, we become more stressed after finding out that our original hills-of-paperwork became mountains-of-overdue- projects. Getting rid of procrastination means getting rid of the “manyana” habit and balancing responsibility with leisure.
· Taking things for granted...
While some students exert effort to impress people and reach the class’s spotlight, some are just contented with being an ordinary student- having outputs that are hastily done, quiz results that are just at the borderline and everything done out of mediocrity. Although it is not wrong to be contented with what you have, but knowing that you can do more and not doing it makes you wrong.
While some people say that education is not a race. In the end, it is still a race against time, quality and yourself. So start beating them up!  Outrun quality by soaring above the standards, transcend time by beating the dead lines and defy yourself by being extraordinary.
· Hating where you are…
            Students claim that they fail because they were just forced by their parents or relatives to take up the course they do not want on the first place. Hence, they rebel by creating an impression that they do not fit the course, by failing their subjects. If this is your case, then doing so will only waste your time. As a student, you have two options. Either you talk to your parents, follow your calling and change your course or start loving the course they want for you. Who knows? It might be the calling you ignored for quite a while.
· Having a wrong priority…
             As a college student, we experience new things- get into relationships, be caught in the insistence of peers while meeting the demands of the academe.  We sometimes get confused when we try to weigh things and realize that some things, which were wrong by nature, feel so good and seem so right. Hence, we make wrong priorities and neglect our studies. Nevertheless, doing well in college requires proper judgment and sound decision since not everything which seems right would yield the outcome we intend.
· Having too many commitments…
            One good thing about enrolling in a good university is the influx of opportunities- opportunity to join organizations, meet new people, form new habits and experience new things. These opportunities are overwhelming and entail a good time management to cater them all. However, as students, the main reason why our parents sent us to school needs to be prioritized. Since the reason why these opportunities are called extra-curricular activities is that they are not originally part of the curriculum and are just added services to make the students’ development more holistic.
· Skipping classes and being late…
            It might be very tempting not to attend a subject or two and have some time for yourself especially if there are no scheduled quizzes for the day. Spending time window shopping at the mall or playing DOTA at the internet cafĂ© may sound better than attending a boring discussion throughout the afternoon, right? Think again! Because some experienced instructors have mastered the psychology of college students. Some of these instructors give quizzes in times when they are least expected.  If you skipped their classes, then you will surely miss those simple surprise quizzes which you can surely ace, if only you were there to take them.
· Hopeless Cynicism…
            Students fail not because they cannot but because they would not and they would not because they think they cannot.  They feel inferior about themselves because they think that their inadequacies are beyond their control. Doubt is what consumes them and they rely on luck to bring them success. However, in a dynamic society where being doubtful is a setback to ones success, optimism is need to make us bold. Hence, we dare because we think positively. And only then will we achieve something. After all, you will never know what you can do and how far you can go if you let yourself hindered by your pessimism.
· Feeling bored all the time…
            You cannot study because you are bored. You do not attend classes because you are bored. You do not finish your homework because you are bored.   Hasn’t it occurred to you that you are just burned out?  You feel that everything you do makes no sense. You come home tired yet you feel unproductive. And this happens if you spend so much time on things which will not bring you any closer to your goal. Or if not, you feel tired because you lose the sense of direction. Either way, reorienting yourself back to reality and meditating will surely help you realign your actions with your goals.
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*Subject for editing*
*Not yet Published*