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).