President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Church

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo makes a big deal out of being Pious and asking for God's guidance when facing the big decisions of her career, pretty much like President George W. Bush. President Cory C. Aquino also was very much identified with the Church and Jaime Cardinal Sin, a powerful force in Philippine Politics. In times past kings and rulers arrogated unto themselves the very lineage of divinity. They were descended from God and therefore, supreme on earth. The Pope also claims pretty big credentials with God which is not surprising since he is God's chief priest on Earth. Priests are human beings after all and many fall prey to the weakness of preying on their parishioners.

A friend of mine asked me what I thought of the current crisis in the Catholic Church regarding sexual abuses by priests and even bishops. I asked him what he thought and he answered Satan is vigorously waging his fight against the church and that priests are not totally immune from his persuasive powers. I suggested to him that perhaps the Catholic Church is reaping its just rewards, being exposed for its sins and transgressions and spiritual and temporal arrogance. I cited the many people killed in the Inquisition and how the frailes in the Philippines fathered countless children while pontificating on piety and faith, chastity and obedience.

It is not Satan assailing the Church. It is Power rearing its ugly head and corrupting whoever wields it. JRR Tolkien had a better understanding of power when he designated Frodo who was the weakest of the Fellowship of the Ring to be the chief protagonist and Ring Bearer. His innocence and purity of heart was just what was needed to triumph over Evil which is not just an external force but a reality that also exists in all beings.
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George W. Bush talks to God

Who can resist God? George W. Bush is not a talented administrator or a briliant thinker, strategist or tactician. He has been a failure as a businessman. His biggest success that earned him the presidency of the United States was being the son of an American President, and who also happened to be the Governor of a great state. That he seemed to be malleable, likeable, easy-going, a party animal in college ljas ed his kingmakers to believe that he would be a shoo-in to follow the party line. What they did not count on was that he was his own man and, he talks to God; a powerful combination. On his own, he pretty much blundered his life away. However, with the help of powerful backers, he has stood on top of the world like Alexander, or Napoleon, a conqueror and adventurist.

Many believed that Dick Cheney was the real power in the Bush administration but he has emerged as an apologist for the president and recent events has made him a potential embarrassment to the White House having shot someone in the face. Everyone can see that the Bush administration is in trouble. What has God been saying to him?

America....Missionary for Democracy

Every great religion owed its growth to the patronage of great kings. Buddhism made great inroads into the population of India and neighboring countries when King Ashok embraced it as the official religion. Through his influence the doctrines and practice of the Gautama Buddha rapidly replaced the spiritual practice of Indians who were predominantly Hindus. Nepal and Tibet as well as neighboring China quickly followed suit and invited missionaries to teach the new doctrines. Christianity gained many converts when King Constantine became a Christian at the behest of his mother who was first to convert and Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire supplanting other religions and beliefs within the kingdom. The great Christian push for colonies were carried out by the mighty armies of the Holy Roman Empire.

Islam was also spread by the sword and great victories in many battles by the armies of Mohammed swept away the primitive religions of the desert. Islam has always been and continues to be a missionary religion and in its present-day incarnation is carried out more violently by Fundamentalist Islamists invoking the favorite doctrine of warlike missionaries of different persuasions both Christian and Muslim namely, Holy War or Jihad.as it is known in Islam.

America also had its share of missionary zeal for the Christian faith. In the past her armies largely accompanied or followed soon after the forays into the heathen lands by Christian missionaries which established themselves in many parts of the world. These days America is preoccupied with trade and has become a fierce proponent of Democracy. In earlier doctrines America has quietly tolerated and often actively abetted the rise and rule of military Dictatorships if that meant enough peace to enable the Multinationals to operate and flouorish. After the dictatorships became distastefully oppressive to its people and after waves and waves of clashes between government troops and the masses, America was forced to change its doctrine and distance herself from her erstwhile allies and comrades. That these dictatorships were perversely proclaimed as Democratic was an expression of arrogance by those in power.

The Greeks invented Democracy, the Romans refined it

Democracy is a great invention. The Greek Philosophers and scientists had a great thing going with Mathematics, Physics, Philosophy. Geometry and Metaphysics. Music Theory was invented by Pythagoras who saw a correlation between numbers and tones leading to much exploration in Tonalities and Acoustics. Ancient Greek musical instruments include the lyre and the flute which were the forerunners of modern-day stringed and wind instruments respectively. Spiritual thought as practiced then was not really sophisticated compared to India which was more advanced than the Greeks. Their idea of religion consisted of fanciful beings which were more human-like in temperament and actuations than godlike. The Arts and Literature also flourished as with Architecture, Medicine and the practical application of science to war-making pursuits. It could therefore not be helped that these brilliant minds interacting with other brilliant minds would turn their attention to the question of Ruling and Rulers. Of course, at the time it was really the warriors and the kings that held power in Greece and although there was general freedom and people had rights, slavery was also found there.

The idea that the People shouild rule instead of the Warriors and kings was very bold and innovative thinking. It was also difficult to implement in actual practice. This ideal was also slanted in favor of some enlightened, wise ruler who would be much more agreeable than physically-powerful monarchs with less-developed consciences.

The Romans implemented Democracy and refined it in a comprehensive set of laws with which to govern. They instituted the Cursus Honorum which dictates the various steps which a man has to take before he could ascend to the top. This would serve as a training ground for would-be rulers The top position was not a solo gig as in today's democracy but a three-way affair with three men sharing power. This was to avoid a dictatorship. Armies were not allowed to enter Rome in order to prevent the slide into Monarchic rule. Julius Caesar broke this rule when he crossed the Rubicon and established himself as supreme ruler. Although Rome eventually degenerated to Imperial Rule, it did observe an advanced system of Rights which citizens could have compared to other empires and kingdoms. The main power was the senate which could select ruling consuls. This senate was composed of aristocrats so the Roman republic was in reality an Aristocracy instead of real Democracy.

It's always great to have God on your side...

From spiritual thought, scriptures and metaphysical sciences we learn that all men are created equal. This is certainly how I would want to be: equal to everyone else. All would be fine if everyone has the same amount of gray matter, ambition and energy as the next person. However, man being of the stuff of the universe, is not really as homogeneous or orderly as grains of sand appear to be when one takes a walk on the seaside. Man is as diverse a creature as you can find anywhere in the galaxy.

If some electronic equipment were to be invented to tap the different vibrations and electro-magnetic impulses emanating from the different portions of a man's being and were the output to be fed to a stereo speaker we probably will hear a cacophony of dissonant tones battling and wrestling with each other for supremacy and precedence. This, from one man alone. Ha ha ha. What if a few people were each to be strapped to one of these contraptions and be allowed to blare the sonic representations of their beings from individual speakers, would there be a chorus? or Chaos?

When trying to impose one's supremacy over his so-called peers it is always good to have God on one's side. This valuable trick, probably invented by a clever ape to exploit an ever exploding mass of lesser apes (too many perhaps to be controlled by mere physical intimidation alone) has worked for thousands of years and is still being invoked today. Not surprisinlgly, it is still being bought now and swallowed hook line and sinker as it was when it was first invented