To Amend or Not To Amend: That is the Question. A Debate on Charter Change.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Spreading the Word of God in 47 select venues around the Philippines to the world

In an unprecedented and tough move by the Presiding Ministers of the Members Church of God International, the Worldwide Bible Exposition today (May 30) will simultaneously be held in 45 different venues in the Philippines through the TOP Channel and official Ang Dating Daan websites (www.angdatingdaan.org and www.angdatingdaan.tv).

Vice Presiding Minister Brother Daniel Razon announced over the weekend during the Congregation’s Thanksgiving Ceremonies that the event is in response with the Church’s mission to reach out to people amidst the imposed censorship and ban by the television regulator to all existing and “non-existing” programs hosted by Brother Eli Soriano.

Bro. Daniel enumerated venues where the Bible Exposition will be held, namely: Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City; Paskuhan Village, San Fernando City, Pampanga; Cainta Elementary School Auditorium; General Trias Convention Center, Cavite; Pacita Complex, San Pedro, Laguna; and, CAP Development Center, OsmeƱa Ave, Cebu City.

Other venues include: Laoag City, Tuguegarao City, Baguio City, Bangued, Abra, Dagupan City, Urdaneta City, Cabanatuan City, San Fernando City in La Union, Orani in Bataan, Tarlac City, Guiguintu, Bulacan, Lucena City, Bgy. Gulang-gulang, Sta. Cruz, Marinduque, Daet, Camarines Norte, Naga City in Legaspi City, Sorsogon City, Masbate City, Tacloban City, Ormoc City, Puerto Princesa City.

Bacolod City, Silay City, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, Surigao City, Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Dipolog City, Kidapawan City, Tagum City, Panabo Davao del Norte, Davao City Proper, Bangkal, Davao City, Digos City, General Santos City, Cotobato City, Koronadal City, South Cotobato, and Zamboanga City.

Brother Eli enthused he and Brother Daniel never stop threshing out plans and mapping ideas on how they could better serve our brethren and those people who are still under the claws of false preachers and self-professed “messengers of God.”

-- Kaanib Correspondents

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

So the people may know...

(This is the electronic version of the original paid advertisement that appeared on the May 17 issue of The Manila Times. – Ed.)

The ever increasing spate of persecutions and harassments systematically being committed against us by our religious detractors known for their vaunted political influence in government is a compelling reason for us to avail of this alternative avenue of airing our strongest protest and condemnation against such unabated injustices and unfair practices. With God's help, we hope in the process to still be able to realize a positive outcome in our continuing quest for the elusive "sense of righteousness and fairness" in the midst of a social atmosphere of growing disaffection and discord.

Let it be known to all that we advocate nothing but fair share of justice from government instrumentalities that exercise responsibility in administering the same. Being haled to court is a reality we can easily live with as long as "equal protection of law" is observed and law enforcement is applied to all without fear or favor. Unfortunately however, we are at times deprived of legal remedies which on the other hand are easily available to our detractors. Court records will bear us out for instance that Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) is ordinarily granted to our accusers within hours upon filing of request while our own request for the same has not been acted upon several months after it has been filed.

So many instances of unfair treatment have been experienced by us from the very agencies supposedly tasked to protect our guaranteed constitutional rights. However, the recent resolution from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) comes out to be a fitting climax to the shocking demonstration of selective curtailment of our supposedly inviolable sacred religious freedom and freedom of speech and of the press. All programs related to Ang Dating Daan are row banned from being televised indefinitely so declared by MTRCB! What a way to deprive us of our basic constitutional and human rights!

As if to add insult to injury, our tormentors and their cohorts in government backed up by groups of police escorts in an excessive show of force, trooped to our Ortigas Center UNTV studio. Clearly, their act is intended to harass and take the wits out of us despite our earlier compliance to the latest MTRCB ruling.

We wish neither to be alienated from this government nor the government be alienated from the people. What we are hoping for is for the government to govern not for a particular interest group or two but for all Filipinos so that in the process, the budding seeds of disaffection among many people may be properly addressed and checked even before such disaffection could further develop into a full blown protest.

In like manner, we wish that our detractors and tormentors amidst the darkness of their days would come to see the light of TRUTH, the brightness of our days. We hope that they emerged out of the unlighted closets of their fortress and further explore the deeper wisdom of the WORD OF GOD. Holding out to the doctrine of spiritual fairy tale is a desperate effort to preserve total materialism at the expense of spiritual salvation. For how can one be saved by embracing for example their unbiblical and mythical 'The Angel and the Big Four" theory of salvation while propagating the practice of supper (allegedly the "Holy" type) during breakfast time? Indeed, it is this kind of mythical and cultist approach in a different kind of evangelism that eventually led them to invent a blatantly blasphemous doctrine that Jesus Christ has not a pinch of divinity. Moreover, they claim that there is no salvation outside their church so that the Catholics, Muslims, and Protestants among others are hopeless and hell bound according to them. Such inherent spiritual wickedness, corruption and deception characterize the kind of psychological designs being used by them to gain and control adherents albeit temporal. Their uncanny ability to promote the doctrine of LIES in shameless defiance of TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS is coupled with the mastery of deceptive diversionary tactics. Such a devious method is likewise employed by them in a desperate attempt to evade the onslaught of TRUTH from our end hoping to escape the prospect of self-destructive exposure of spiritual defeat. This explains their cowardly refusal to accept our religious debate challenge invoking lame excuses and reasoning out some mouthful of nonsense. Instead of meeting the challenge to prove their worth, a wicked method of serialized persecutions and harassments has been implemented to silence us and take the heat off them but they are wrong. We will forever be vigilant in guarding against deceptive religion for the sake of TRUTH and spiritual salvation. With the present situation prevailing, we could only pray for our detractor's enlightenment and wish that they repent.

Finally, we hope that legitimate grievances herein mentioned would merit the attention of those concerned for the greater interest of TRUTH, JUSTICE, and FAIR PLAY.

From WORKERS, OFFICERS AND MEMBERS of ANG DATING DAAN.

-- Kaanib Correspondents

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

A Better Place to Live

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
Every nations in harmony
Where peace in heart within

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
Without Joseph Smith
Who killed before he died

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
Without also Felix Manalo
Who promotes violence and injustice

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
Without Charles Russel
Who gave false hope in this world

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
Without Catholicism
Spanish friars have killed Jose Rizal

The world will be a better place
A better place to live in
When this world will come to its end
And new heaven and earth begins

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Why I left Casilagan Pentecostal Church?

This is a story of my life when I was in my former religion. I became a member of the Casilagan Pentecostal Church in our barangay. It is a small church of less than 100 members, including my relatives and some of my neighbors. It is up to now situated in barangay Casilagan. That barangay is consisting the Hacienda San Antonio. In the southeartern portion of Ilagan town.

I was not aware of the story of this religion. I forgot the name of a man who founded it. And how it became started. The doctrines of this religion have something similarities of other religions. Such as the group of born-again movements and other religion carrying the pentecostal name. They gathered themselves on sunday. First, they have sunday school early morning. Then they do their holy super on 10:00 am and then praying... with speaking in tongue but no body understand.

I even became a sunday school teacher. Teaching children in the bible some in year 1998. But their teaching materials came from a ministry of religion in which was published in the USA. Which is not part of pentecostal. Their pastor bought this from USA. In which there is a direct connection to the American cultures.

The members call their pastors as reverend. Which is against the bible. Wearing of good business suit with neck tie. With members who are poor in life, have nothing to eat sometimes and taught their members to pay tithes.

With my notebook and pen, I always recorded everything about Casilagan Pentecostal Church. Every friday, it was always gathering of young people. A group of youth from age 13 upto 19 years old. Here, the youth are supposed to attend. Everyone are allowed to speak for something. Every youth may stand as a teacher. Practicing themselves to become a pastor someday.

On saturdays, starting from two in the afternoon. These young people are going to prepare the chapel for the sunday gathering. On this day, young people are taught to sing a song, to make a presentation, etc. They have projects to meet such as piso mula sa puso for buying instruments. In the evening of saturdays, there are prayer requests, there are singing from the congregation but not all the members attend. Most of the members are not so serious in attending ceremonies.

The name of this religion was Casilagan Pentecostal Church, and they have revised it. They call it now Casilagan Church. I dont know the reason but I think they have taught for themselves that Pentecostal was not found in the bible. Atleast they have the mind to do so.

But what is the reason why I left Casilagan Pentecostal Church? I left the Casilagan Pentecostal Church because they are wrong. What the bible teaches us is the church of God. And for those who people who are still there, believing that someday, they will be saved. I am calling to the members of Casilagan Pentecostal Church and to the people of barangay Casilagan to avoid it. They are not telling you the truth. If they are telling the truth, I should remain a member up to now.

I remember some people there who are so thoughtful. Atleast, I feel something good to them. Some have done me good and some are bad. As I am following the scriptures, that is to follow what is good in the sight of God. but I have found a better place to go, and that is the Church of God in the bible.