Wonderful Year-end; Even Better Year Ahead

It was wonderful. It will be more wonderful.

Celia Rodriquez (no less, four-time FAMAS best actress and best supporting actress) was there to worship with us. Her daughter Camille, from MCC Los Angeles, gave us an inspiring, authentic Gospel message.

Nearly 5o of God’s beloved people, some with HIV, some with diabetes, some with arthritis, some with alcoholism, some with wholistic well-being praised God in song and heart-felt worship.

Yes, that is a quick glimpse at the MCC Philippines year-end worship service in Makati on December 30, 2012.

And why was my heart leaping with love and joy? In 1991, in our first Christmas we had 5 MCC people worshipping (the other 10 had gone home to the province). Today we have 5 MCC communities.

I wonder what wonder and love was in the heart of Rev. Stedney Philips as she attended by Skype from LA.  Special to us this day was this attendance of our supervisor, advisor, and friend, well-loved by all much-appreciated for her constant concern and attention.

This authentic Christian community in the heart of Makati is the fruit of the untiring and loving labors of Pastor Egay Constantino. He constantly reminds his growing flock that the growth of this family of friends is happening because they are sincere friends of Jesus, making sincere friends in their daily environment, and introducing their friends by word and example to their Friend Jesus in the family of friends. His witness is an amazing evidence of the power of Jesus to work through the loving and sincere ministry of a caring pastor.

So, of course, I give thanks to God on this last Sunday of 2012 as we look forward to what God has in store for us in 2013.

Something very important to me, I am thankful that the faithful members of the five MCC Christian communities in the Philippines have a deep love and appreciation for our beloved founder, The Rev. Troy Perry and for the world-wide MCC authentic Christian community he brought into being, with the power of the Holy Spirit, for our good and God’s glory in 1968. Since his retirement our love for MCC continues under the inspired guidance of Rev. Dr. Elder Nancy Wilson who in a way we can be proud of carries the banner of MCC, not only to us, but to the United Nations, the White House, and around the globe.

And most of all, we love and appreciate and are thankful for MCC itself, an awesome world-wide model of authentic Christian community.

If my ministry were to end with 2012 I can give thanks to God that MCC Philippine, in 5 communities continues the authentic Christian community that this world needs and God’s beloved LGBT people are thankful for. I received a text today from one Bible-loving person who was present today, “MCC has done so much for me. It tamed my roaring soul into a joyful lamb.”

All this happened today on Rizal Day, the anniversary of the martyrdom of our national here. In a Rizal Day column in the Bulletin today, President Ramos declares that Rizal living among us today would indeed be pleased by the passage of the Reproductive Health Law.

Likewise I think our national hero would also be proud of MCC Philippines. He vehemently disliked phony religion. He repeatedly denounced hypocritical, un-Jesus-like behavior of religious leaders he could not respect. He said, “Humanity cannot be redeemed so long as there are oppressed people.” He called for liberty and equality. He cherished virtue and in the 35th and last year of his life taught in his school in Dapitan not only English and Spanish and Math, but honesty and integrity as well.

He blamed the woes of the Filipino people on “false prophets.” But he admired religion that was authentic, as taught and practiced by many of his Jesuit friends (including those with whom he worshipped every Sunday for his final four years in Dapitan and who walked with him to his execution).

Why is this important? Why is this the main thought of my discussion today? The world has seen too many false prophets who lead unsuspecting followers away from the Way, the Truth, and the Life offered by Jesus, sometimes to physical and/or spiritual death.

In MCC we are certain of authentic Christian community through the guidance of Rev. Perry, Rev. Nancy Wilson, Rev. Ken Martin, Rev. Stedney Philips,  and dozens of Elders and sincere pastors over the 44 years since 1968. That includes pastor Regen Luna now in far away Dasmarinas in the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit and the 5 wonderful MCC pastors in the Philippines: Pastor Egay (Makati), Pastors Joseph and Kakay (Quezon City), Pastor Myke (Baguio), Pastor Jason (Marikina), and Pastor John (Olongapo).

So while modern technology goes on with more and more iPods, iPads, iPhones, ithis, and ithat, what really builds a better world is

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM
RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED…
— Luke 4, The New American Standard Bible (©1995)

My prediction for 2013 is a year that sees the above-mentioned authentic Christian communities doing THAT.

They will dry the tears,
Erase the fears,
bring healing and joy.

They will support wholistic well-being for those with HIV and AIDS.

They will make friends and introduce their friends to their Friend, Jesus.

They will show by their life and example that Jesus is the way out of problems (addiction, trauma from homophobia, devastating sex-negative theology).

They will bring about a healing of spirituality and sexuality, with the Good News and experience of the personal Presence and Friendship Jesus offers 24/7.

What if?

What if? What if we could spend Christmas thanking the God of caring and compassion that we have a new Reproductive Health Law in the Philippines? Thank you, God. Thank you, bold legislators.  It was not a battle against the Roman Catholic Church. Lord, it was a move toward Your justice, Your Love, Your compassion.

And Senator Soto is obstructing the Conference committee to reconcile the passed Senate and House bills. What if?

If we look around, what do we see? What if we look honestly at the cold, hard, uncaring, uncompassionate milieu of our world, notwithstanding the world-wide and impressive outpouring of support for the people of Newtown? What if we open our eyes to the injustice sprayed from invisible and visible automatic weapons around the world?

The emotion that President Aquino and President Obama expressed after the Connecticut massacre was admirable and thought-provoking.

What if they would recognize and be moved by and make pledges in behalf of the killings of 265 transgender people in 2012 alone (plus all the other years before)?

Where were they in November when the friends of transgender people mourned the 265 transgender victims of 2012?

The “Memorial Booklet” of Ganda, the transgender advocates, lists the 265 “names” and recounts the grisly stories of their deaths — guns, guns, guns and burning, hanging, stoning, slashing, stabbing, throat cutting, strangling, beating, cutting the body into pieces, drowning, decapitation, buried alive.

“Each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people… [yet] even now deaths based on violence based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored.”

My friend, what if? What if the world would mourn and act upon the senseless brutal slaughter of 265 innocent transgender people — as they so rightfully did for the insane killings of 20 innocent children and their hero teachers in Connecticut?

What if? What if President Aquino and President Obama would have attended the November “Day of Remembrance” …“which publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through this vigil. We express our love and respect for our people in the face of [inter]national indifference and hatred, [remembering] that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends, and lovers…memorializing those of us who have died by anti-transgender violence.”

Similarly what if they would have been awakened by the senseless murder of my friend, Ito?

Now surely it is time to look at gun control. But what about “violence control”? Is mourning our brutally killed loved ones enough? What about action?

One action that has been languishing in the Congress longer than the RH Bill is the Anti-Discrimination Bill that penalizes behavior that discriminates against LGBT people.

All these years the members of the Congress have been shaking in their boots, quivering in fear of retaliation from those who hate condoms and would rather see people suffer and die.

Lord, thank you, I pray, that a majority of our legislators got the guts to give the people more importance than a church’s hatred of condoms. It’s so ironic, Lord — a church which claims to be Your church, which preaches love and practices prejudice and violence toward women and LGBT people.

Yes, deplorably, that’s what they do to LGBT people every day, every decade. Fr. John McNeil (SJ) tried to combat the prejudice from within. They rewarded him with expulsion. Jesus said, “Love.” Yet they influence people like Pacquiao to say, “Let them die.”

Yes, the Philippines is a non-violent culture. But today’s editorial in the Inquirer says something like, “Slow down. Don’t forget the Ampatuan mass slaughter which is having such a slow trial now.”

What about more “subtle” violence in our culture? What about the religious violence, the societal violence, the cuddling, the promoting of a culture of hate and violence toward LGBT people?

What if? What if the president, the congress and the people — is it unimaginable — what if they would love and respect women who love women and men who love men? And stop the violence? What if? Would it stop or slow down the suicides, murders, firings, evictions, senseless hate and hate crimes?

If the murders of 265 transgender people will not bring a tear to the world — what will?

The ecumenical church service that President Obama attended in Newtown was wonderful. We saw arm in arm, literally, Catholic and Muslim ministers, Protestant, Jewish,  Anglican,  B’Hai, Methodist — arm in arm — praying and mourning together. It was impressive.

What if? What if they would unite for love and justice for LGBT people?

What if?

In the meantime in the Philippines we have five Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) and Catholic Diocese of One Spirit who preach and practice, not only ecumenical unity, but who follow and teach Jesus’ example of love and justice for all.

And that is especially for the marginalized, like Jesus did. He loved to make the marginalized, the hated Samaritans heroes of his stories, such as the “Good Samaritan.” YET, that was in direct contradiction to the cultural practice of His “church” at the time.

Thank you, lawmaker who voted “yes.” You followed the example of Jesus — who put justice and the “right” first rather “wrong” practiced by His “church.”

What if? What if society would follow the example of  the Way of Jesus — rather than the way of hate and prejudice?

Our society could happily take a look at the way of Jesus with regard to another marginalized people in our society.

What if? What if you and I, our neighbors, our friends, and yes, our church, our whole society would stop chasing to the underground (a hidden life) people who have a certain virus?

My God, what did Jesus consistently do about the “sick” people in his life? The lame, the blind, the lepers? And what does our society do to people who have HIV? Stigma!!! The Internet paints this picture:

“Social stigma is the extreme disapproval of, or discontent with, a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society. Stigma may attach to a person, who differs from social or cultural norms.

Social stigma can result from the perception or attribution, rightly or wrongly, of mental illness, physical disabilities, diseases such as leprosy, illegitimacy, sexual orientation, gender identity skin tone, nationality, ethnicity, religion (or lack of religion) or criminality. Attributes associated with social stigma often vary depending on the geopolitical and corresponding sociopolitical contexts in different parts of the world.”

Society does THAT to LGBT people every day. God forbid that LGBT people would join society in doing THAT to persons with HIV!

I even heard of a cemetery that refused to bury a person with HIV so as “not to contaminate the cemetery.” My God, science has told us that we can drink from the same cup, eat from the same fork? Why does this hate, stigma, fear, and nonsense continue? Why does it drive so many to close the doors of their homes and their hearts?

What if? What if society would follow the authentic example of the Love Jesus (instead of inventing pseudo ways of hate and prejudice which are a mockery of Jesus by those pretending to follow His way)? Would an authentic follower of Jesus really practice “selective justice” or “selective caring” or “selective compassion”? Some get it; some don’t.

A step has been made in the fearless passage of the RH Law. The hate churches surely will intensify their campaign to prevent any more laws which are pleasing to Jesus, but not to the church.

Speaker Belmonte has already announced the next arena. The Philippines and the Vatican are the only countries in the world which refuse their people the right to divorce. The Vatican is dominated by celibate priests, monsignors, bishops, cardinals and popes. They don’t have a problem with personal divorce — only divorce for people who need it. The people who need it are human beings who are human and have got stuck in a painful shattering, perhaps destructive, unworkable marriage.

Every country recognizes that need except the Vatican and those who say “Opo” to the Vatican, that is the Philippine government in obedience to the Vatican’s bishops.

But what if?


[You can read this article and many other fascinating ones by googling Outrage Magazine.]

 

No More Opo

Let me get around to “No more opo.”

I told the community at Sunday worship yesterday (December 9) to watch for my blog, “No more opo.”

Actually I was overwhelmed by the combined service of MCC Philippines, MCC Quezon City, MCC Makati, MCC Marikina, MCC Olongapo, MCC Baguio on December 9.  I was surprised at the tremolo in my voice as I thanked them that my heart was leaping with joy for the wonderful beautiful experience of authentic Christian community – as I have always experienced with MCC for 40 years.

Yes, even that is related to “No more opo.” That’s what Rev. Perry said (in his language, probably before he ever heard of Filipino) when he started MCC.

For my readers in Pakistan and other places where Filipino is not the first language, when I talk here about “opo,” I am thinking of a slave (usually with dark skin) humbly looking up to a master (usually masculine and light skinned) and saying, “Yes, master, whatever you say.”

When MCC has authentic Christian community, it lovingly says, “Yes, Lord, Your will be done,” to our Lord and Friend, Jesus. BUT long gone is saying “opo” to ways that are not the Way, the Truth, and Life of Jesus.

Manny Pacquiao, lying bloodied on the floor of the ring, knocked out cold in full view of millions, is also a reminder of “Opo.” He
“got religion” and said “opo” to the false teachings and proclaimed gays and lesbians to be candidates for hell.

The Philippine Congress (for years) has been delaying a law for reproductive health (RH) that among other things would make condoms available to the poor (and a lot of other good things for the good of women).

A much publicized Roman Catholic bishop declared (in his own words with no visible tongue in cheek) that God is sending typhoons and death and destruction to the Philippines because people are supporting the RH Bill so vehemently condemned by that church.

In short, I would say the RH Bill has not been passed (just like the bill called the Anti-discrimination bill criminalizing discrimination against LGBT people) because lawmakers fear the power of the (masculine-dominated) Catholic church and cringe in “opo” posture, fearing for their re-election. (Of course we learn all about this in our daily newspapers.)

On Saturday this same weekend we observed the 18^th anniversary of the first Gay and Lesbian Pride March in the Philippines. (The term LGBT was not yet invented then.)

Among the interviews I was given that day, one team asked me, “Rev. Mickley, why did you and Oscar Atadero start the first Pride March in 1994?”

I asked them if they ever heard of Stonewall? They shook their heads negatively. Quickly I told them that the Stonewall Inn was a gay, lesbian, and transvestite bar in New York in 1969 that was being harassed by police; people were being hauled off to jail on false charges just for being there.

On June 26^th those baklas, gays, lesbians, and transvestites turned against the police and boldly shouted, “No more harassment!” They rioted for two weeks, and that began the activist gay liberation movement. (I was not in New York, but I became a member of the Gay Liberation Movement in Detroit and worked with a group of ministers to bring MCC to Detroit.)

The very next year in 1970 the Pride Marches began in New York and other cities – which have now long since spread all over the world. MCC, which had been founded by Rev. Troy Perry in 1968,  a year before Stonewall, has always been a proud participant in pride marches wherever  they are.

Then I continued to answer my interview question about the Philippine Pride March. I said that in 1994 I was pastor of MCC Philippines and Oscar Atadero was a board member, and also a board member of Pro Gay Philippines. We realized it was 25 years since the Stonewall riots and passed time for “No more opo” in the Philippines.

It was time to confront
NO MASTURBATION with “No More OPO”;
NO CONDOMS with”NO MORE OPO”;
NO LOVING THE ONE YOU LOVE (without RC approval) — With “NO MORE OPO.”

SO I told the interviewers that the answer to their question was that it was time in 1994 (today and always) for the LGBT people of the Philippines to join the good people of the world-over and proclaim, “NO MORE OPO.”

I don’t believe God made Manny get knocked out because Manny made God mad by saying God’s beloved LGBT people would go to hell.  I think (from Twitter) that Jonas Bagas sees the irony of his losing two fights after he said that, but I don’t think Jonas would blame God for his knock out. For me, he became a loser with his homophobic “OPO religion.”

I don’t believe God killed thousands of Filipinos in the last several typhoons, even though a much quoted RC bishop seems to believe it, because the Congress has been debating in a “NO MORE OPO” posture on the RH Bill.

Among the hard sayings of Jesus, we have to remember, “Love your enemies.”

I thank God that now there are dozens of LGBT organizations and LGBT-friendly organization joining MCC Philippines (the first openly gay and lesbian oriented organization in the Philippines) in the “NO MORE OPO” fight.

We see it as a fight for the Way, the Truth, and the justice preached, practiced and championed by Jesus Himself and by MCC all these years, and by the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit – who boldly and joyfully proclaim, preach, and practice, with no more OPO!, no more moral slavery, authentic Christian community. (Inquiries welcome at email saintaelred@gmail.com or any MCC or from Fr. Regen in Dasmarinas).

Candle in the Wind in True Community

Walking home this morning from tai chi class, I was blessing all the children and babes in the mother's arms along the way.

But I was thinking of and praying for my new granddaughter, Zara, and my new great great grandson, Aiden, way off in Michigan.

They had just sung Happy Birthday to me at tai chi. Yesterday they sung Happy Birthday to me at two worship services -- where I worshipped with more than 50 beautiful Christians in the MCC venue in Makati.

I was thanking God for what God has done since we gathered for that first MCC service in the Philippines in September 1991.

I was thanking God that a candle in the wind was bringing a little light of true Christian Community, a candle here, a candle there, and the light was getting brighter.

As always, my colleague, Fr. John Chuchman captures the picture in one of his inimitable poems (added below). Sadly in today's email, one of my seminary friends was reported to be in bad shape with cancer, and even worse shape worrying that he will go to hell because he remarried after his first wife was declared mentally ill and incurable. Imagine a church which puts a good person in such dread.

That's the kind of moral slavery our LGBT friends are victims of every day, everywhere.

Before I came to the Philippines with the MCC message of our beloved founder, Rev. Troy Perry, there was no one telling even a fraction of the 10 million LGBT people here that God loves them unconditionally and passionately -- and that no homophobic church can take that away from them.

On Sunday when it came to testimony time, a handsome young man was speaking passionately in tears in Filipino. I asked Oliver, sitting next to me, why that young man was crying as he gave his testimony.

Then I was brought to tears when Oliver told me that the young man was testifying about how Fr. Richard Mickley had been an inspiration to him and helped him change his life to a happy life, knowing God's love. He even shared my childhood story from my blog about down on the farm in Ohio, milking the family milk cow every morning before school and every night before the evening meal when I was 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 -- and when I was 11-13 (before entering seminary at 13) after milking the cow I rushed to church to serve the parish Mass before school.

Well, yes, I was in tears as I poured out my heart in my testimony -- for what God has done in the Philippines over the last 21 years. From one struggling MCC -- before computers, before email, before Facebook, before cell phones and iPhones and Blackberries and iPads -- to a tithing church in Makati, a resolute chuch in Quezon City, a growing ministry in Marikina under the leadership of my long time co-worker, Jason Masaganda, to MCC Olongapo shepherded by John Linsangan, another long time co-worker, to MCC Baguio where another long time friend and co-worker, Fr. Myke Sotero, brings the message of true community.

And lo and behold, the Sunday worship service on this particular Sunday at MCC  Makati was led by Fr. Regen Luna, former MCC Makati pastor with his dynamic and authentic preaching of the Word. It is interesting because Fr. Regen is now a Catholic Priest of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit. Surely this is concrete evidence of the authentic Christian witness that we are all God's children, one God, One Lord, One Spirit, One Savior and Friend in-dwelling in us all, Jesus.

We have been called by Jesus to pray, pray always, so that has become a special joyful ministry of Argel Tuason and I as we sponsor prayer partners for the wonders of prayer, care, and sharing "where two or three gather" with Jesus in our midst.

So, in 21 years God has come to be known as the loving God our God is in many communities in Luzon -- and, praise God, in many individuals throughout the archipelago who read my blogs and intereact with me by email.

At tai chi they sang to me; at MCC they sang to me and prayed over me. At home I feel the warmth of the hearth and heart-felt warmth that has kept my heart warm for 14 years. I miss my children and grandchildren (who lost their unequalled awesome mother this year) and can now only be in prayer for them throughout the day.

So, today 84 years after November 12, 1928; 21 years after September 7, 1991; I have much to be thankful and joyful for. Work is not work if it is a labor of love, and I am thankful for every labor of love I am given the opportuinity to do for people with the Lord with us.

The following poem is how my fellow CDOS priest, Fr. John Chuchman, puts this into a worldwide perspective.

True Community

 

I strive for a table
where people are together
at the table of the Divine
working to contribute healing and growth
to each other's lives.

 

I abhor a table of clashing cymbals
competing for attention

each claiming to know
the "right" way.

 

Christianity seems to have lost
unity amongst diversity
because it has lost
the Way
of the Director, Jesus.

That which Jesus taught
has been replaced with creed, dogma and hollow ritual.

 

Christians these days
are not known
By Their Love.

 

Instead of healing wounds,
church rules/structures/walls
offend, exclude, abuse people.

 

Instead of nurturing people
to a higher consciousness and Spirituality,
hierarchy expend effort
in defense of dogma.

 

Instead of helping with people with rebirth in the Spirit
through encouragement, humility, and support,
church seems focused on
legalities, money, and politics.

 

It is now the time,
for the feminine and masculine Spiritual warriors
to rise up
and take responsibility
for building true community
where we can all be healed
and grow.

 

Imagine what our world would be like today
had we Spiritual Warriors
risen up 1700 years ago
to combat Constantine
and
a Roman Church.

This is not my first time here.
This is not my beginning.

 

I will no longer
sit in church singing outdated hymns,
worshiping Jesus as he never requested.
I will no longer
sit in church with people not really interested in helping each other.

 

I seek something more:
a Community of fellow Pilgrims
walking together,
working, crying, laughing, listening, learning, singing, praying,
lovingly supporting each other,

growing and sharing
our human experience.

 

Let's together explore
the Great Mystery.

 

It really is,
not up to the hierarchs
committed to protecting the institution
and their jobs in it;
It really is,
as Jesus taught,
up to each of us.

 

Love, John

A discussion with a non-Christ​ian: What is Authentic Christiani​ty?

Recently I was invited to a very lengthy conversation with a very spiritual person who had never had an opportunity to learn about Christianity. Our conversation was sensational.

I wish I could convey to you the sincerity of her inquiry and desire to learn. I sent the following email to her after she returned to her Asian country.

You showed some interest in my expression "authentic Christianity." Let me try to explain. I think it fits the vision and mission of the social justice organization you represent.

Gandhi once said that he would become a Christian if he ever found a Christian who was living Christianity, in other words, an authentic Christian, living authentic Christianity.

Nowadays Christians are too often subjected to a NO NO NO Christianity which is not authentic:

NO masturbation,

NO condoms,

NO divorce where love didn't work out,

NO love for the one you love who is not approved by the (church) establishment,

NO sex except if married and to make babies,

NO sex in your whole life in any way

if God brings you into this world as an LGBT person.

NO cultural acceptance

if the code of the dominant religion is not lived up to.

All too often, oppression by the dominant religion

As you mentioned in our talks, others are qualified to point out where Islam or Buddhism may impose unjust requirements on their culture or the people of their country when their religion is dominant in the culture.

Here I have pointed out a few instances of some form of compulsory compliance with Roman Catholic rules in a country, such as the Philippines, where Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. For the followers, I call it moral slavery if they feel bound and shackled to these rules.

For Protestants, Muslims, Atheists, people of any religion or non-religion who are directly or indirectly forced to comply, I call it cultural injustice. (Indirectly, for example, would be “No divorce” through the power of the church, by ballot box pressure, to prevent passage of a divorce law  thus imposing Catholic theology on every resident of the country. Or obstructing the passage of a reproductive health law which 70% of the citizens want because it assures sustainable human development, women’s rights, maternal and infant health, and reduction of abortion rates.)

Authentic Christianity

The teachings of Jesus make authentic Christianity.

The most basic principles of Jesus' teachings are to love and to pray.

Jesus mission was for people to have a more abundant life.

 

The dominant message of Jesus' behavioural requirements

for his followers are:

To enjoy peace and social justice,

To be agents of peace and justice for others.

Explanation of authentic Christianity

1. To love

Jesus consistently urged his followers to love, even their enemies, to love their neighbor as themselves.

But even more fundamental, is the Christian belief that God, the Maker of all people and things, IS LOVE, and those who live in Love, live in God, and God lives in them.

That belief gives Christianity a love dimension that sets it on a path where the authenticity of Christianity is measured by its love.

Furthermore, Christians believe that God became human in Jesus so that Jesus, God who became human, could show human beings what God is like. And then with the belief that God IS LOVE, that's what God is like, the very personification of Love.

Even more awesome is the belief that when God became human, divinity was infused into human persons, "and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them," as it is spelled out in the Christian Scripture. Thus human persons are united with the divine, with God-within.

This brings Christians to the amazing realization that since God is Love, we human beings cannot add to, or even earn God’s love. God loves each person first and unconditionally.

Thus, the Christian does not exert selfish effort to gain points or earn love from God. It’s there. The Christian loves God BECAUSE God loved first. Loving God and helping and serving and loving others is a response to God’s love, not an effort to win God’s love.

The website of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit, which I am a member of, puts this way:

“The message that Jesus brought was never a condemning one, or a set of beliefs to be adhered to under fear of punishment. It was, rather, a message of individual freedom, of each of us being a manifestation of Divinity itself, of love actually being the center that holds all things together, and of an invitation to recognize Divinity within all creation and within other people as the source of an ever-more-happy life.

“The Catholic Diocese of One Spirit tries to pay attention to this beauty and to understand what it means, in order to bring more meaning and joy into our own lives at every moment.

“We try not to be pious, stiff, judgmental or demanding. We support each other when we are down, and encourage each other when things are going well.”

Of course, as we discussed in our conversation, this is in sharp contrast to any religion, Christian or otherwise which is characterized by oppression, prejudice, and downright persecution of those who don’t stick to their rules. Such rules are not made by Jesus, the model for authentic Christianity.


2. To Pray

With God within, every human person can maintain a relationship with the divine, with the Maker of the universe, and, for Christians, with Jesus who showed us what God is like and that we can be like God and with God.

To pray, then, is the method by which we maintain connection with God-within. We can pray with others for social reasons, and that can be commendable, but we can "pray always" as Jesus told his followers, in order always to be in touch, connected with God-within.

Thus, to love and to pray are the foundation on which authentic Christianity is sustained and lived.


Behavioral requirements in the mission of authentic Christianity

Jesus said his mission in coming to this earth with us was so we could have life, have life more fully, more abundantly. He lived that mission lifting up people everywhere he went, healing them, championing the oppressed and outcasts, and often made the despised and marginalized  Samaritans the heroes of his compassion and stories, as in the “Good Samaritan,” the Samaritan woman at the well.

But throughout his teaching life, Jesus emphasized that his followers do not live merely for themselves. As Jesus, God-in-human-life, lived for others, so also, His followers, Christians, are to be guided by his teachings on peace and social justice.

His basic platform for peace and social justice He outlined in this way:
(Note: blessed can also be translated, “God blesses…” Theologians have labelled these points of Jesus’ message The Beatitudes)

Blessed [are] the poor in spirit:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed [are] they that mourn:

for they shall be comforted.

Blessed [are] the merciful:

for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed [are] the peacemakers:

for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed [are] the meek:

for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed [are] those who hunger and thirst for righteousness:

for they shall be filled.

Blessed [are] the pure in heart:

for they shall see God.

Blessed [are] those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

By this He meant that all human persons are entitled to this kind of life, this kind of compassion, this kind of social justice, but furthermore, His followers are the ones He expects to make that happen by their action, works, and behavior.

And how does that follow the fundamental exhortation of Jesus to love? The peace and social justice platform of Jesus points out basic ideas for developing methods in our culture for carrying out the universal law of love.

The teachings of Jesus embrace also the very important matter of unity and working together. Jesus told His followers very emphatically he wanted them to be united, to be one was the way He put it. Of course nowadays we call it “community,” a living and working together in accordance with the plan of Jesus. But, communities also have to be authentic, living by the basic plan Jesus laid out for them.

Of course this brief introduction to “authentic Christianity” falls short of the awesome wholeness of what Christians call the “Good News” Jesus gave to His followers.


Conclusion

And so, my friend, in conclusion let me emphasize no matter what you, or your watchdog organization, may have observed about violations of human rights, religious freedom, or social justice in a “Christian” country, Christianity, IS NOT a set of NO NO NO rules.

Authentic Christianity is based on the principles of love put forth by Jesus and His prescription to put love in action in a program of peace and social justice.

To do this Christians recognize and connect with the divine through direct communication with God within, and thus are truly imbued with the spirit of peace, love, and justice.

It is brought to the fruitfulness of the mission Jesus entrusted to those who would call themselves Christian when they unite in action to bring peace, love, and justice to others.

This explanation is all too brief. If you have follow-up questions, I invite you to continue our discussion by email saintaelred@gmail.com

Gay sex fuels HIV rise in Catholic Philippine​s

The headline speaks for itself.

And the article spells it out clearly.

I share this article from Inquirer.net for two reasons:

1. I have long been an AIDS activist, whatever that is, (I mean I have worked with and for the prevention and care...) even before we knew what was causing our friends to die one by one by the dozens.

I saw 50 of my friends die under those circumstances and continued to care for friends with HIV after the virus was discovered.

So, yes of course I am alarmed when I read that the big increase in HIV infections in this country -- ten new persons reported each DAY and nine of them from man-to-man sex. That means man-to-man unprotected sex.

Is anything creative being done to create awareness and willingnes among gay men to enjoy their sex with protection from possible, unknown, HIV?

2. There's the second reason. Enjoying sex. From my youth I was taught "Sex is not for enjoying; it's for making babies."

You don't want to read about my youth or my TMT, my teenage masturbation trauma. Nor about bishops and priests who condemn condoms, yet whose sexcapades we read about in the newspaper.

But this article alludes to the common cause of all these traumas. Perhaps it uses even stronger language than I would to point the finger at the Catholic church prohibition of condoms as a cause for the increase in HIV spread.

We know where to point the finger for other deaths and traumas for the non passage of the RH Bill -- also the catholic church doctrine prohibitions and the congress members' fear of the bishops.

But now it's HIV and AIDS too. Sooner or later we will (will congress ever?) come to realize that Rizal was right, "The friars are the cause of all the problems of the Filipinos." [Of course, the modern-day friars are the medieval-minded catholic hierarchy.]

I consider the advocacy of prayer, inviting people to pray with me, the heart and soul of my ministry. But what good is a happy healthy soul when you have a body and mind unnecessarily crippled by sex-negative theology -- the theology of one religion causing death and trauma to people of all religions and non religions?

"Don't use condoms, even to prevent AIDS," and that is a direct quote from Cardinal Sin. Of course, he and they had a very simple substitute solution -- don't have sex.

As I said this article speaks for itself.


Gay sex fuels HIV rise in Catholic Philippines
By Jason Gutierrez
Agence France-Presse (AFP)
3:07 pm | Thursday, July 26th, 2012

MANILA—Gay sex in a conservative Catholic society where the influential church forbids the use of condoms is fuelling an alarming rise of HIV infections in the Philippines, experts warn.

The Southeast Asian country is facing a HIV epidemic, with sex between men making up nearly 90 percent of all new cases, according to the health department and the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP).

Ten new infections are being detected every day, three times the rate of just a few years ago, the UNDP said.

Although the total of 9,669 confirmed cases is relatively small in a population of nearly 100 million people, authorities acknowledge many more cases likely remain undetected and point to the concerning upward trend.

The Philippines is one of only seven countries globally where HIV cases have risen by 25 percent or more since 2001, according to the UNDP.

“This is a worrying explosion of HIV cases marked by a shift in the way the virus is transmitted,” Philip Castro, the UNDP’s HIV/AIDS programme officer in the Philippines, told AFP.

He said 87 percent of new infections were attributed to unprotected men-to-men sex (MSM), in a country where condom use overall is one of the lowest in Asia.

“What’s more alarming is that more than 60 percent of (those engaging in) MSM had reported having unsafe sex in their last contact,” Castro said.

Lack of public education about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as the shame of living with the disease, also prevent many from acknowledging infections and seeking help, health experts said.

They lay a lot of the blame on the powerful Catholic Church, of which 80 percent of the population are followers, for spreading a conservative message they say has led to a lack of understanding and tolerance about condoms.

“Like modern leprosy”

Unprotected sex remains extremely common in the gay community, according to Humphrey Gorriceta, who contracted HIV after having unprotected sex with multiple male partners.

The 37-year-old former art gallery manager is now campaigning to raise public awareness about the dangers of unsafe sex and help other people infected with HIV.

“I know a lot of people living with HIV that are not allowed to go to school, to attend church services and gain access to certain health services,” he told AFP.

“HIV is like the modern leprosy, except it is hidden.”

Gorriceta said two friends who were diagnosed with HIV committed suicide recently due to depression.

“I helped the police take down one of them from hanging on the ceiling,” he said.

Gorriceta, one of only three men who have publicly come out in public about their disease, said he believed the number of people with HIV was higher than the official tally.

“Not all the people who are supposed to be tested get tested, and many of them are not properly aware of condom use,” said Gorriceta, who is a candidate for a masters degree in public health.

And while nearly all the new HIV cases in the Philippines are being detected among the gay community, prominent safe sex campaigner and columnist Ana Santos warned other sectors of the community were also in danger.

She said there were cases of bisexual men who contracted HIV after having gay sex, then unknowingly transmitted the disease to their girlfriends or wives.

“They were having sex with other men or transgenders and were also having sex with their partners,” she said. “These are things that are not openly talked about so we do not have a complete understanding of this phenomenon.”

“Our society is very conservative, people are not open to talking about sex much less about men having sex with men.”

Santos also said religious edicts had influenced society so that sexually active people often did not buy condoms or contraceptives because of shame.

Condoms ‘beyond reach’ of masses

Condoms are sold in drug stores at about a dollar a piece, but this is beyond the reach of the masses in a country where a third of the population live on less than that amount each day.

And with the church pressuring politicians, a 15-year campaign for parliament to pass a reproductive health bill that would require government to give free condoms to the poor has failed.

The bill would also require that sex education be taught in schools.

Experts point to a long-running education, medical check-up and condom give-away programme that has curbed the spread of HIV among the sex worker community as proof that such methods work.

“Based on our assessment, limiting HIV/AIDS among female sex workers has been a relative success,” UNDP’s Castro said.

The church insists, though, that monogamous partners in responsible relationships is the key to stopping the spread of HIV.

“The reproductive health bill or any law for that matter, would not address rising HIV prevalence,” said Melvin Castro, head of the church’s episcopal commission on family and life.

“Change of attitude and lifestyle will.”


BONUS


QC to offer text counseling for MSM
By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:18 pm | Thursday, July 26th, 2012

A counseling service through SMS for MSM who are at risk for HIV.

The Quezon City government will launch next month a mobile phone-based counseling service for persons who are highly vulnerable to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), particularly men having sex with men (MSM).

The TextDUDE campaign is expected to kick off in August with trained counselors, mostly from the local health department, receiving and answering questions sent via text or Short Message Service (SMS).

Texters will receive advice, information or counseling regarding HIV infection which could lead to AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome as well as at-risk behaviors. All information will be treated with confidentiality.

TextDUDE will more specifically cater to individuals with a high risk of exposure to HIV, specifically MSM who are active in dating and social networking websites.

Quezon City was chosen by the Philippine NGO Support Program Inc. and the Philippine National AIDS Council as the pilot site for its TextDUDE campaign as part of the international People Like Us Response Project.

Based on the HIV registry of the Quezon City health department, 226 of the 3,879 HIV cases which were reported between January and December last year were from the city. All of the 226 cases involved MSM.

Further study conducted by the city health department on the reported cases showed that on the average, five out of 100 MSM contracted HIV.

Apart from the TextDUDE initiative, the Quezon City health department has been working on managing and preventing HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases through the establishment of an STD/ HIV/AIDS council, social hygiene clinics as well as a counseling and outreach programs for people who test positive for HIV.

It has also been conducting HIV/AIDS awareness seminars for occupational permit and health certificate applicants in addition to implementing a Peer Education Movement which aims to educate people about these diseases.

Prayer or Tai Chi?

Life is full of mysteries and secrets and truths. When we discover the truth, we are set free.

I had a lively and lovely discussion with my friend, Elisa. Elisa is very much into physical exercise, and she has the body to prove it.

Elisa knows I am very much into prayer, prayer groups, prayer  partners, but that I don’t get very much physical exercise (other than running here, there, and elsewhere for my work.)

She tried to convince me that exercise is more important than prayer. “Prayer might get you into heaven,” she said, “but you need exercise for quality of life here and now.”

I felt a little sad for her because even though she has a great body, she is sad and lonely most of the time. I try to meet with her as often as I can. I invite her to pray with me, but she says she in a hurry to get to the gym.

Then more things happened. I went for my (slow) morning walk. Lo and behold, I bumped into a bevy of charming and lively and delightful elderly ladies – coming out of their 7:00 AM Tai Chi class. They invited me, urged me to join their class (almost free) in our neighborhood city park.

And then I saw Suzanne Somers, author of Bombshell, interviewed on Anderson. She says people can live to be 120 if they live right. She is 65, and doesn’t look 45.

One review on Internet described Bombshell like this, “Acting like your personal medical detective, she has found the most advanced scientists, doctors, and health professionals and gotten them to share jaw-dropping advances that will stop deterioration and set you on the path to restoration and healthy longevity.

“By taking advantage of these new bombshell advancements, you can live longer than ever with great quality of life, and experience a different way to age: with great health, strong bones, vitality, a working brain, and sizzling sexuality. All of it is yours for the taking if you are willing to make some simple, effective changes.

“In Bombshell you will learn about explosive medical secrets utilizing ground breaking technologies…”

Then I asked myself, “Why doI ‘enjoy’ prayer? And why do I delay the decision about joining the 7:00 AM Tai Chi?”

Elisa didn’t hesitate to give me the answer to the second question. She looked at my enlarged stomach and bluntly spoke as friends can speak to friends, “You are putting it off because it is a challenge to your laziness! What else do you have to do at 7:00 AM other than lie there and get fatter?”

“Thank you, Elisa.”

And she went on to remind me about a chapter in my book on prayer that I had told her about long ago, and the book is still a work in progress. She said, “What was that you told me about a well-rounded life that includes wholistic  health and wholistic well-being?”

I am sure I blushed with embarrassment. Yes I advocate a balanced life. But do I practice it. When Iasked her to pray with me she made an excuse about being busy with physical exercise. I told her, “A person can’t be a breathing person today and a heart-beating person tomorrow. We have to keep them both in balance today and tomorrow.”

She asked, “What does that have to do with exercise and praying?”

I had explained to her that a full (and fulfilled) human life has four aspects. “What are they?” she had asked.

“Well,” I said, “don’t  you see that to be fully human and function above the level of your feline friend, you have to function as an intellectual person, a physical person, a spiritual person, and an emotional person.” And she reminded me that I had told her that that is ipse, which happens to be the Latin word for self or person. 

When we had that conversation, I admitted to her that I understand two things better. I said,“You know what, Elisa, now I see why I am hesitating to join the Tai Chi class.  I know it would be very beneficial for me, but I am contented with a lopsided life. Prayer is so wonderful for me that I forgot the balance. I need all four aspects of my life, not just the spiritual. I need the physical too.”

She said, “but you said you realize two things now.”

“Yes,” I said, “now I see why people hesitate and make excuses when I invite them to be my prayer partner.”

“Why is that?” she asked.

“Well, it’s the same thing. They were satisfied, they thought, with the parts of life they enjoyed at that moment, but did not realize how much of the wholistic life they were missing out on.”

“Maybe.” she said, “Maybe Suzanne Somers is trying to tell us something like that too. Maybe we just glide along on part of the good things of life as long as we last, 60 or 70 years, but we could have quality of life for 100+ years, if we are willing to make some changes.”

Elisa is a very reasonable person and a very good friend. We talked some more.

She said, “You know what? You and I are both fully functioning intellectual persons and fully  functioning emotional persons. Now I see you have neglected the physical well-being aspects of life, and I have missed out on the benefits of the spiritual elements of a fully human life.”

When I joined the Tai Chi class and Elisa joined my prayer group, we both felt better all around, living fully satisfying lives with everything (which we realized was our ipse)  in balance and harmony.

Together we learned some truths and together we became free in a wonderfully stronger friendship.

Thank you, Elisa.

RH Bill — A Full Exposé of the Opposition

A week or so ago I came across the following very clear opinion piece by a UP Professor.

I have written many times about the injustice of church opposition to the long-pending RH Bill (but of course not as long-pending as the delay of the long-long awaited Anti-Discrimination Bill which Etta Rosales worked so hard for in Congress).

This article is so well-written, so clear, that it will always be timely. It covers so many aspects of the controversial bill so well and so forcefully that I want to share it with you. With appropriate apologies to Prof. Racelis, I will add some comments (prefixed by my initials, RRM) after some of the paragraphs, and to emphasize the connection to the evils of sex-negative theology (snt) and the divine favor of Sex-Positive Theology (SPT) I have added red font color to certain statements of the author to show my emphasis.

I am deeply grateful to Prof. Racelis for these well-expressed insights. It is hoped, passionately hoped, that with a strong Ladlad presence and influence in the next congress some of these justice bills will finally be passed. 

A listening Church?
By: Mary Racelis
Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:38 pm | Monday, July 2nd, 2012

The other Sunday just before Mass, the congregation in our village chapel was called upon yet again to recite a prayer calling on God to have our legislators defeat the reproductive health (RH) bill pending in Congress.

Mandated by our bishop, the prayer is flashed in large print on the walls of churches, chapels and the cathedral in our diocese. Although a few pro-RH Mass-goers consider the prayer coercive and politically tainted, they dutifully mumble the prayer or simply bow their heads in silent noncompliance. Appeals to our otherwise amiable bishop to withdraw the prayer have proven fruitless.

Equally adamant over the past few years has been the parish’s refusal to hold discussions for information purposes on reproductive health, with speakers representing all sides of the debate. Apparently too threatening is the thought of inviting committed Catholics and experts in the medical, sociological, economic, political and theological fields to discuss RH with parishioners. To such proposals the parish priest and mini-council simply pass the buck: “Talk to the bishop.” The bishop’s response? “That will only confuse the people.”

And yet, would not parishioners become a more educated laity if they were exposed to evidence of the tragic deaths of at least 12 Filipino women per day for lack of access to reproductive health services? Would not their Christian commitment to love their suffering neighbor be deepened if they knew that Philippine successes in reaching the eight Millennium Development Goals have been derailed by our still rising maternal mortality ratio? MMR is now 221 per 100,000 live births, up from the earlier 162 per 100,000 in 2006, despite the Philippines’ commitment to reduce it to 52 per 100,000 by 2015.

Tragically, many of these deaths come from unsafe, clandestine abortions undergone by over half a million Filipino women every year, the vast majority married and Catholic. For lack of access to modern family planning, poor women pregnant soon after their fourth, sixth or ninth child conclude that this is their only option. Whether Church authorities admit it or not, by thwarting a poor woman’s desire to prevent a pregnancy through reliable contraceptive methods, they are in effect aiding and abetting her decision to choose abortion as her family planning method. It is an anguished choice fraught with fear, pain and suffering, and one she knows may well lead to her death or to serious infection. Do not our all-male religious leaders—and the legislators who support them—comprehend the price their intransigence is exacting upon the lives of vulnerable women and their families? Can they really believe it is worse to give women access to contraceptives than to push them into a possible abortion-related death?

Educated Catholic laity raise these and other questions among themselves, since the subjects are taboo for public discussion in Church circles. For instance, despite worldwide debates on married and women priests filling the serious gap in priestly vocations, the Philippine Church stifles any such ideas for its desperately underserved 82 million Catholics. Might not women and married priests bring greater empathy and experienced pastoral counseling to family problems as well? Similarly swept under the rug are Christian principles of inclusiveness affecting gay and divorced couples, or rumors of child abuse and sexual harassment in Church institutions. What has happened to Vatican II’s 1962-65 aggiornamento on Church relations with the modern world? Or the 1991 declaration of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, “The‘Church of the Poor’ is one where the entire community of disciples … will have such a love of preference for the poor as to orient and tilt the center of gravity of the entire community in favor of the needy” (PCP II, No. 134)? The cruel fact is that since the noble 1991 declaration, thousands of poor and needy Filipino women have died for lack of access to RH services.

While our bishops have rightly been lauded for championing the rights of farmers, small-scale miners and informal settlers, paradoxically something changes when women take center stage. Celibate male Church leaders assume narrowly judgmental positions on women’s lives and deaths, health, sexuality, wellbeing, and right to reproductive health. Surely, the millions of poor suffering Filipino women praying for strength and comfort in adversity deserve better.

Nonetheless, poor women’s innate spirituality perseveres: “God never let me down.” “My experiences made me closer to God, who has always given me more strength and determination to face life’s challenges.” (Oxfam, “Transformations: Women’s Stories of Resilience and Challenges in the Time of Ondoy”)

As “the only Catholic country in Asia” (other than tiny East Timor), the Philippines could be the dynamic force for progressive theological reimagining in Church reform worldwide. It could contribute progressive insights to social reform in this most populated continent —especially if its liberal theologians were allowed to write and speak out more freely. All this remains a forlorn hope, however, given the Church Magisterium’s self-proclaimed monopoly on defining key aspects of the faith.

This proprietary stance becomes all the more ironic in a globalizing century where a flat rather than hierarchical organization is recognized as the desirable norm, and where transparency and democratic processes are rendering closed, top-down structures obsolete. [RRM – We call it moral slavery, slavery to unreasonable teachings because they are forced teachings, which faithful people feel forced to follow, even if they don’t make sense. No masturbation, no condoms, no sex ever for LGBT people in any way.] Yet, in our Church, power, obedience, unity, and authoritarian control still rule the day. Increasingly disillusioned laity, devoted to their faith, seek not imperious directives but open, reflective dialogue around revitalized reflection and action — this as they strive to integrate their continuing discernment of Filipino Catholic spirituality into Christ’s teachings.

Our alternate prayer, then — whether said by the more comfortable among us seeking a reinvigorated Church, or the desperate woman contemplating her seventh child — would ask God for two favors: to enable the laity to carry out “its proper and indispensable role in the mission of the Church” (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity), and to help our male Church leaders really listen to poor women and see the realities they face, as Jesus would see them. Sana (We hope), dear God. Amen.

Mary Racelis teaches social anthropology at the University of the Philippines.