meteors colliding with earth

Social Documents of the Church

Social Documents

Year Published

Issues

1. Rerum Novarum (The Condition of Labor)

1891

• Condition of salaried workers
• Right to property
• Rights of the weak
• Dignity of the poor and the obligations of the rich
• Social justice
• Church’s right to make pronouncements on social issues

2.Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth)

1963

• Order between men
• Relations between individuals and public authorities
• Equality among nation
• Rights and duties of individuals

3.Solicitudo Rei Socialis (Social Concerns of the Church)

1987

• Authentic human development
• Situations of the contemporary world – “sin”, “structures of sin”, “conversion”, transform “hearts of stone” to “hearts of flesh”
• Growing awareness of the solidarity of the poor among themselves, efforts to support each other…and present their own needs and rights in the face of the inefficiency or corruption of the public authorities
• Solidarity as a Christian virtue

4.Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life)

2001

• Threats to human life – Biblical prohibitions against killing; murder, death penalty, abortion and euthanasia which Blessed John Paul II calls “a disturbing perversion of mercy”
• Sanctity of life

5.Ecclesia in Asia (Jesus Christ the Savior and hisMissionof Love and Service inAsia)

1999

• Jesus as the only savior - the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf and the dumb all experienced healing and forgiveness at his touch
• The Holy Spirit as the Lord and Giver of life – the Spirit who dwells in every human body
• Christians as witnesses to the Gospel

6. Deus Caritas Est (God is Love)

2005

• Eros - ascending, possessive love which seeks to receive from another

- an expression of the individual’s desires and turns us away from God

• Agape - is descending, oblative love in which one gives of oneself to another

- the only truly Christian kind of love

• Philia – the love of friendship
• Charitable activities of the Church as an expression of love - proclaiming the word of God (kerygma),  celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), exercising the ministry of charity(diakonia)

7. Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World)

1965

• Situation of men in the modern world – rapid changes, transforming technology in the face of earth, advances in biology, psychology and the social science
• The dignity of the human person – “man is not allowed to despise his bodily life, rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and honorable since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day.”
• Man’s activity throughout the world
• The role of the Church in the modern world
• Fostering the nobility of marriage and the family
• Economic and Social life
• The fostering of peace and community of nations

(Source: believethepromise)

            I have learned a lot in our REED144 class but to choose three of the topics we had discussed, I chose those that really made an impact on me and the topic that made my mind think outside of the box.

            Social Transformation is one major topic that I think is essential in our society. It is a lifelong process to put order in the society and to put God in the society. Realistically speaking, the society is becoming more and more unpleasant. Filipinos are being influenced by traits of Western countries, I mean, “bayanihan” is yet to become extinct. Vices are seldom replaced by values and people do commit sins that they don’t regret and didn’t do something to correct it.

            The Social Teachings of the Church also enlighten my mind that made it clear to me why it is called the “best kept secret of the Church”. It is called a “secret” not because they wanted to hide it but because only a small percentage of Catholics know about STC and they are surprised that the Catholic Church has such teachings. I also learned that the main goal of STC is to bring salvation but the term is not only for the dead but also for the living people. The Church aims to strive for a better society so the Popes are continuing the legacy of writing social encyclicals to correct the social problems and suggests solutions especially for those on authority.

            The Human Person is called to a life of Holiness and Perfection. The saying says that “nobody is perfect” but Jesus Christ himself invites us to be holy just as our Heavenly Father is holy. It’s easy to be human but it’s not easy to be humane; this suggests that, being alive is simple but going through it is not.  We all have the tendency to do evil, even saints had made one. But if we think that nobody is really perfect, we all have the possibilities to do evil just because we know that it is alright to do so, when in fact, we can reverse the notion into “everyone is holy and perfect” simply because we are made perfectly by our Heavenly Father who is perfect. 

(Source: believethepromise)

Oppositional Dressing - Socio-Anthropology project

            I choose the oppositional dressing because I want to experience how to be different from the usual and to observe how people react to individuals who wear unusual clothes.

            When I am walking in the midst of “normally-dressed” people, I feel out of place, and a little bit ashamed of what I am wearing. On the other hand, I, too, can’t control laugh at myself. ☺ I feel like I do not belong and I am on my own world different from them. It feels like building walls and totally introverting yourself to other humans.

             As I was walking along SM Dasmariñas, many people are looking at me, a woman right in front of me raised her eyebrows, some people looks from head to toe, and others did stare from their back. Some says that it was fierce and looks good on me, the janitress even said that I’m sexy on it. Hahaha! Though, a few just don’t mind.

            I choose Gothic as the counterculture I want to portray. Originally, ‘Goths’ were a Germanic tribe who were at their most violent and maurauding at the time the Roman Empirefell. They had their own language but had a very little to do with post-punk posing. The word most commonly associated with these styles is “dark”. The people who identify as goth usually wear dark clothing and dark make-up, watch horror (or “dark”) movies and read horror books and listen to “dark” bands that may also self-identify as part of the goth subculture. Beyond this general image of what it means to be “goth”, it is highly difficult to define what “goth” is due in part to the anti-political, anti-social nature of the group and in part to the fact that there are now many different subcultures within the subculture of the goth movement.

            The Gothic look is created with very dark clothing, often constructed out of unusual fabrics and materials that are different than the traditional cotton fabrics of normal street wear. These fabrics include velvet, lace, vinyls, and sometimes even metal-plated fabrics. Gothic-wear can be very sexual, especially with the use of bustiers, corsets and other figure enhancing clothing items beyond just Halloween costumes. These pieces are especially Gothic with laced up dark fabrics, often accented in red or white. Various skull prints can be used as well to create a truly horrific, Goth look.

            Accessories are very important to a true Gothic dresser. These can include things such as spiked goggles, cuffs, crucifixes, bracelets, etc. One of the most important accessories for the Gothic look is found in the application of make-up. Generally speaking, a very pale skin look is desired, with dark smoky eyes and deep colored lipstick. The eye make-up look is accomplished by using deep grey or black eye shadow blended into the eye area.

            The look is pretty bold, but the central theme of the Gothic look is about rejecting the mainstream and using fashion to express oneself in an extreme, attention-getting way. It’s also about being an uncommon individual and not being afraid to express oneself with intense fashion.

            While doing the activity, I said to myself, I will not do that again. Many people are staring at me and I don’t want to be like that. It is sort of fun to be the center of attention but I want to belong and be like as normal. But who says? Maybe my friends and I can do it for some excitement, but alone, maybe no.

            This activity made me feel empathy to unusual people. They dress that way because it is in it that they can express themselves. I realized that people sometimes misjudged the person based on his/her physical appearance. It is not always concrete to say that a person who dresses provocatively is a whore or a person who dresses with all the dark colors are mean.

References:

http://writeon.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Get-the-Ultimate-Gothic-http://obscure.org/~vlad/gothic/history.html

http://kathrynvercillo.hubpages.com/hub/History-of-the-Goth-SubCulturehttp://www.boutiquelydee.com/gothic-clothing-and-fashion/

http://ravenmistress.blogg.se/

http://www.lipsticksandlightsabers.com/2009/07/eotd-guild-wars-kurzick.html

http://eyecandybeauty.blogspot.com/2010/10/get-17-gothic-look-this-autumn.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1304415/Scarlett-Johansson-goes-lady-vamp-new-D-G-campaign.html

http://usopretty.com/2011/10/gothic-lolita-makeup/

http://www.gothicnews.com/dark-gothic-victorian-choker-with-cross-in-black/

(Source: believethepromise)

In Sickness and In Health

            My parents, being an employee, first met in an office of an insurance company they are working with. They got acquainted with each other, become friends and finally fell in love with each other. Just like some couples, they had dates, arguments and happy moments with each other. In spite of their differences, they have decided to settle down   after 5 years of their relationship. Just two years after their marriage and the birth of their eldest son, my father resigned to the company due to some issues and applied to a company’s partnership. The workplace separation is not a big deal though and their love for each other even grows when I came out of the world.

            The usual problems they have had in marriage are those that concern financially and the aspects of growing their children right. Financial pressure is one of the main difficulties when the bills and the tuition fee must be paid in accordance with the allotted time of its due. In the aspect of growing a child, it is the most challenging part of being a parent. Time is sometimes a conflict where the children go to school early and the parents are still asleep and when they got home, the children are already asleep. Bonding time of the family lessens since the parents have work to sustain the needs of the family.

            Some says that relationship can even be stronger if it has a healthy argument. The arguments mean that they certainly love each other. I believe that somehow, if love really doesn’t take place maybe it’s because of the lack of communication or not being open but since they express whenever they complain on someone’s attitudes, actions or decisions, it is right to say that they have given justice and love for their relationship. Nothing beats a talk to fix things up and sometimes silence to show that they have ears to listen.

(Source: believethepromise)

Reflection

1. How are the steps in the cycle of Christian praxis presented in the film/videos that we watched?

            The four steps in the cycle of Christian praxis were all shown and exercised. The first step in the cycle, Experience, was exercised when Joey Velasco enumerated the situations of the last, least, and lost. The first film, “Sa Kambas ng Lipunan” showed the oppressed and less fortunate youth. In Social analysis, the second step of the cycle, he identifies what must be the reason and what leads them to that kind of situation. Being an artist, he used his ability to paint according to his reflection of the children he just met. He managed to work on his version of The Last Supper with Jesus in the middle of the table and the children as a representation of the 12 apostles. All throughout the span of time he gets to know the kids, he already did an action by taking a video of them and spreading it out in the World Wide Web hoping it touches the heart of those who will watch it and be aware and do something for those happenings in the society.

            The second video, “Ang Lumang Paintbrush”, Joey Velasco looked for the best person who can model for his painting The Prodigal Son and he found it in home for the aged named Mang Crispin, who was abandoned by his children. Velasco brought Mang Crispin to his house and took care of him like his own father. Mang Crispin felt like committing suicide maybe because of the fact that he was abandoned and the person who is taking care of him is supposed to be his children but unfortunately and at the same time luckily, it was Joey Velasco with a kind heart who took time to care for this old man. Again, Joey Velasco made an action when Mang Crispin was brought in the hospital when he encountered an accident and it happen that the doctor in charge of him was her grandson. Velasco even send to the doctor his address if he was interested in keeping Mang Crispin.

2. What is the message of the two films to me?

            The film suggests me that I should be aware of what is happening in the society and it is not just being aware but being life-giving or doing something for the betterment of the society. Our society is our true home and the people around us are our family. We would not want to live in society in crisis, in home full of dirty happenings. I must take a deep reflection why this all happen and what can I do to solve this or held a helping hand. My heart was struck on what Joey Velasco had said on the first film. He said that we must be aware of the real situations of our society, some are not aware but even if they do; they don’t really care or don’t intend to care and take it already as normal. If the society is our home then the people around it is our family and one thing we can do is making our presence felt in times of their need. Being a student still, what I can do for now is lend my ears to hear their problems, talk to them to ease their burdens and a little of donations for their material needs. I believe that the hardest battle is the struggle to win against myself. I have ears to hear the cries, eyes to see the erring conditions, and a sense of touch that can feel the love for neighbors yet sometimes those senses are blocked. I pretend nothing was seen, nothing was heard and nothing was ever felt and this is something that I and others must realize. Learn to put yourself in others shoes. 

(Source: believethepromise)

What is the significance of the visit of the Holy Relic of St. John Baptist de La Salle to me as a PSY23 Lasallian student?

            Being a Lasallian student, I must be aware of the universities’ patron saint as well as cooperate in the activities concerning it. The visiting of the Holy Relic of St. John Baptist de La Salle is a great opportunity for us, Lasallian students for us to fully know him and appreciate his works and contributions. We pray that he may help us too to pray for God since he is much closer to Him now in heaven. That’s why, we say ‘St. John Baptist de La Salle, Pray for us’ in the end of our prayer. Through saint’s relics, we are reminded that it is possible to be perfect just like the Heavenly Father who is perfect. It gives us encouragement and motivation in life. Seeing the relic of St. John Baptist de La Salle makes me remember his goodness and compassion to less fortunate. 

(Source: believethepromise)

Relevance of the movie Double Jeopardy to subject Phil. Govt. and New Constitution of the Phils.

            The movie is extremely relevant to the discussion we had tackled regarding The Bill of Rights of Article III, Section 21 which states that: Anyone cannot be charged again for the same offense he has created, provided the offense is terminated either by acquittal or conviction in any other manner without the express content of the accused. The law was passed to protect the people from the government especially if the accused was innocent. The accused in the movie has all the privilege to kill her husband since she had already taken the necessary penalty. The act was valid. This is just her form of payback for suffering the crime she has not created.

(Source: believethepromise)

Relating Karen Horney’s Psychoanalytic Social Theory with Willie Revillame’s Personality Trait

            Willie Revillame was known for his game shows usually derived from his name. As I search for his biography, I found out that his mother gave birth to him when she was only 15 yrs. old and his father was an engineer. They separated and Willie grew up with her mother. He has five siblings on her mother side and seven from her father.

            Willie has the neurotic need to exploit others. It is proven when on his live game show at TV5, his friend John Estrada called him and he answered it on public. While the audiences and viewers cannot hear what Estrada’s statements are, Willie talks to the phone with his microphone held on his mouth. Willie states the supposedly private issues for them. He claimed that he is disappointed with his friends, John Estrada and Randy Santiago after neglecting the offer of TV5 when he is already negotiating them for a noontime show. Estrada and Santiago accepted the offer of ABS-CBN noontime show Happy Yippee Yehey. Willie even told Estrada to look for another best man since he would no longer attend his wedding with Priscilla Meirelles, a Brazilian beauty queen. And he also said that he will plug Eat Bulaga every day or be their guest as opposed to his friends in other network. It is obvious that he wants to flunk their ratings for them to realize that they just don’t lose an opportunity but also a friend.

            Willie also has the neurotic need for social recognition and prestige. He wants to be admired by his audiences, and to be pleased by them, he uses much money provided by the network to earn high ratings for his recognition. Due to his contribution to Wowowee, he earned much money that he used to build his own house, have a private yacht and a plane.

(Source: believethepromise)

My Self-analysis on Bandura’s Four Sources of Self-efficacy

            The first one is Mastery experiences in which successful performances raises efficacy expectancy and failure tends to lower them. This relates to my studying behavior concerning Mathematics. My self-efficacy rises when I get to solve a Math problem; this makes me want to continue solving but when I got a strongly different answer, I tend to be dismayed. I end up skipping problems difficult for me then work on problems which I know how to solve or ask my friend’s help who does know it. Another example is when I got good grades in Biology back in High school that made me dream to be a doctor someday. However, I experienced to have a flunking grade in Biology this Prelim that made me conclude that Medicine is not for me. The funny thing is; I am now having good grades in Phil. Constitution that made me think that I want to be a lawyer.  Second is social modeling. Back then, my friend and I don’t know how to swim. When she tried to swim across the pool without stopping then I thought that, if she had done it, so do I. Third is social persuasion. My self-efficacy gets higher when people around me tell that I can do it. If we are doing a group work, we let the other members check if we have done the right thing, but some instances happen when they didn’t check it anymore because according to them they are confident that all I had written down we’re correct. Lastly is physical and emotional state. My self-efficacy would have been higher if I must only do washing the dishes which are simple instead of washing the laundry which requires much effort. 

(Source: believethepromise)

My Self-analysis on Maslow’s Characteristics of Self-actualizing People

 I am more efficient in perception of the reality. I can accept what is good and what is bad as well as the highs and the lows. Whenever I encounter something unpleasant, I just thought of the phrase, “Well, that’s life”. Second, I am spontaneous, simple and natural. I don’t act on being as others think I should be. I am the usual girl who enjoys everything what I feel is good on me. I like being simple, I like being natural. If I pretend, I will just come onto the end that this is not me and I’m not good at it. Third, I am problem centering. I am more interested to problems of others rather than my own. I take problems of others just like mine, and feel uneasy if it wasn’t solved. I feel the need to be part of the solution, it is like a calling and maybe that is the reason why I chose studying Psychology. Fourth, I have the need for privacy. I can feel happy at the same time whenever I am alone. I can either feel relaxed and comfortable when I am with my friends. I find enjoyment when I’m strolling in the mall and reviewing lectures by myself. At first, I thought that I was different but I figured out that this is normal. Some people do also wants to be alone but this doesn’t mean they don’t have friends. It is a common misinterpretation I get. Just like when I was freshman in high school, a transferee student thought me just like him because I was so quiet. Sometimes, it is fine that I know that I have friends. I don’t actually need to be with them always. Fifth, I am autonomic. I observe this almost all of the time. I believe in myself so much. I don’t know if I am just over-confident or what. Even almost all of the people around me utters what they believe is true, still, I believe in myself. I can make decisions on my own and when I do, sometimes, it is unbreakable. Sixth is the continued freshness of appreciation. I enjoy sunsets, the sky, and the stars; those simple things are what I seek and find joy upon seeing it. I miss also the days when I was young and playing with my toys and playmates. When I go back to it, I feel like I am regressing. Seventh is the profound interpersonal relations. I have relatively few friends but those relationships are deep and very meaningful to me. I cherish all the moments when my friends and I are hanging along. I am loving and caring especially to people dear to me. Eight and the last characteristic of a self-actualizing person I have is the democratic character structure in which I can accept other people’s difference with mine. I respect their opinions and believe that each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses. I can understand if they are not so good in academics or sports or if they are pretty or not but if they possess a bad attitude then that was a different story.   

(Source: believethepromise)

My Personal Journey through Belief or Disbelief

            I was raised in a family of Catholics. When I was a kid, my parents thought me the essence of praying and attending masses every Sunday. As I can remember, every night before I sleep, they watch me if I pray. After Sunday mass, we go to my grandfather’s house to give us his blessing saying “mano po”. Suddenly, it became a routine. Now, as time goes by, I admit that sometimes, I forgot to pray. The family who always attend masses become rare. Saying “mano po” is forgotten. I don’t know what happen. Maybe because the parents become more busy to sustain the need of the family.        The religious aspect is very important for me yet it is slowly vanishing. I believe that one may have difficulty facing the tests of life if one is not clinging to God. But for some atheists, they can survive life without God. Maybe because those people really believe in themselves and can stand on their own while I was not. I need someone like God who can strengthen me. God inspired me by His works and greatness. And nobody can question that because that’s what I believe.

            I was born and baptized as a Christian. I was too young by then to commit a relationship with God and I am also too young to understand what Christianity means. As what I have been seeing and hearing from people around me, they believe God as the sole creator of mankind, the wisest among all and that one perfect creature who doesn’t commit sin. I don’t remember what or when did I exactly had faith in God but maybe it’s like love, you are not aware that you already fallen for that person until you realize it.    Through studying Philosophy, some arguments struck me. It led me to realize the truths and the possibilities that the society have thought us cannot be proven right all the time. Sometimes, we must believe in ourselves but this thinking is sort of an egocentric attitude. If I would only believe in myself, what would I become? Where would I be?

            For a psychology major student, I believe the human mind is powerful and it all has the power to control if we will be exploitative or receptive. I cannot say that Authoritarian religion has the mind set of a receptive and the Humanistic religion has the exploitative character type. We are all aware that almost of the population has their religious beliefs but some were just exploitative. In other words, choosing to believe in the Supreme Being has nothing to do with character? I can say no for an answer. I still believe that the Supreme Being has to do with my character, proof is the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are not multiple choices. It is a law not to be skipped and to be trampled upon but to be followed. Same goes with the two of the greatest commandments of God which is (1) to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and (2) to love God above all things.

            Mind has the power to control ourselves, it is like a CPU (Control Processing Unit) of the computer that makes the whole generates. But I also believe that without electricity, CPU cannot be operated. Like God, without him, I am nothing. For Humanistic religion, they can say that even without electricity, it can work for a substitute battery. The hardest thing to describe is one self. Even I have difficulty answering it. We are searching for ourselves and our place in the society we live in. It’s just that we have different perspectives in which way we are going to find these answers, may it be on our own selves and other people, thru the Supreme Being or both.

            I don’t think in the first place that faith will be a big issue in Philosophy. I never thought to doubt whenever God was really true until this subject comes. But there is nothing wrong if I take risk on believing on the Supreme Being and figured out that there is none, in fact, nothing will be lost on me. Besides, I believe, my faith in God makes me remind myself to be a good and of loving service to others.

            I cannot either think how come the universe was made and how the creatures just exist if I don’t believe in God. To think of the first cause, a Christian would suggest that the first cause will always be God. To ask the question “Who made God” is just cannot be answered. It is unexplainable. But for me, God is an exemption because I believe that He is a supernatural being greater than man. Believing in super naturals is like believing in dwarfs, ghosts, and other creatures which you cannot see but others proof is true.             Proofs of God’s existence are theological and philosophical but the first thing is faith or belief. Without it, you cannot be called as a Christian. The theological proofs are the Bible and Church teachings. The Bible or the Sacred Scripture is consists of writings from God’s prophets. In law, documentary is the best evidence so as the Bible. The philosophical proofs are the first cause, who is God and the wonders of creation. I believe that there is God because of these. However, there are atheists or non-believers of God due to some reasons, their lack of belief, due to science and the motto of “To see is to believe.”

            According to Ernesto Cardenal, “The reason why men ordinarily do not experience the presence of God lies in the fact that all our everyday experiences come to us from the outside, where as, this experience comes from within. We are oriented towards the external sensations and here all of a sudden we are touched and addressed from within.” Philosophy teaches me that the belief of God is coming from the lowest not from the highest. For example, I may experience a difficult trial I cannot bear and I will say “I’ll turn this to God.” This means that we degrade our thinking when we know that it is beyond our mind’s capacity or nobody can understand it. It is like a mystery, a thing or event that cannot be explained by human mind alone. Just like what Ernesto Cardenal have said, our experience of faith comes from within and this happens all of a sudden.      Faith in Filipino is ‘pananampalataya’, note the root word ‘taya’ or bet or risk while belief is ‘paniniwala’. Faith is a knowledge gain to experience and belief is the experience of faith. My faith goes when I account God for everything that happens on me. Knowing him and Knowing about Him is not the same. It is like knowing who your classmates are and knowing about who your closest friends are.  

            I was grown believing that there is God. I wasn’t asked if I believe in Him before I was baptized as a Christian. Just because my parents believe in Him so do I. The Church spread the Gospels, teach us to pray and among others, but some people just don’t fully understand what the meaning of those is and what its purpose is. 

            Like me and some people I have had observed, some Christians don’t regularly attend Sunday masses, doesn’t pray rosary and read the Bible. What was good about being a Christian is that, we are free to choose what we want. Unlike in Muslims, they are required to Ramadan while to Catholics, the observance of the Holy Week can be seen by people going to beaches, private resorts, partying/drinking, and merrymaking. There has no discipline. The true essence of Christmas is not known by many.

            In the world, Christianity has the most numbered followers. Everyday, crimes do exist, people are quarreling, corruption happens in the government, peace seems hard to find. Does the Church failed to institute the values in living their life well? It is a hard question to answer. People’s lives still depend on themselves on how they are going to rule it. Religion is just our guide to live life in a nice way yet it is up to us if we are going to apply it in our daily lives.

            If I would be asked again if I believe in God, it is still a yes. I believe in the Supreme Being. I think, one does have to first know themselves before they believe in God because I believe, one must first know themselves before knowing about others. And it is a fault by the Church and also the parents to settle the baptism of an infant. They say that it is wrong to question the religion but what if we are fooled.

            Choosing the Authoritarian religion means submission and surrender. It is said that through submission, one escapes from the feeling of aloneness and limitation. I say, believing in God is taking a risk; no one or not everyone can testify that God is really true if we could only use our senses. So, full submission to the Supreme Being is quite difficult unless if we would believe to some people who encountered a near-death-experience. To surrender means one loses his independence to chose what he wants but he gains a feeling of being protected.

            I am living my life as a college student, enrolled in a Catholic school where the values of Faith, Zeal and Communion are implemented. I often go to Church, read the Bible or pray the rosary but I think the most important thing is that, I know God (Knowing Him) not just his biography but I know him through experience, (Knowing about Him) the way He helps and guides me to be a good person and I think that is the best form of religion. Surrendering does not have to lose your own identity and independence. Religion is vague. But even though, I still believe in God. He is within me.

(Source: believethepromise)

Believe it or Not

            Erich Fromm in his writing suggests that there are two kinds of religious experience, one is Authoritarian religion and the other is Humanistic religion. In Authoritarian religion, he said that it is the obedience of the higher power who is God who has control of the human being while Humanistic religion is merely about developing his own power of reason.

            If I were to be asked if I believe in God, I will answer Yes, I believe in God. It is true that I cannot see Him nor feel Him by my senses but physical evidences are not concrete to conclude that God didn’t exist. Belief is a state of mind that one can just say that something is true or existing. It is like having traditions and superstitions on which we do not know exactly where it came from.

            Albert Einstein was asked by his Philosophy professor if there was a God. Einstein said yes but the professor taught that God didn’t exist. But as their conversation kept on going, I am amazed on what Einstein has said. It is true that a person cannot just see his own brain nor touch it but does it proves that a person who does not see nor touch his own brain has no brain at all? How funny right? One of my favorite is this argument with the Philosophy professor and Einstein. He then proves to the professor that God is real however, he will be termed as the professor having no brain.

            A short story from a poor tailor who came to a Chassidic rabbi told his God that He also commits sin as well as man but God commits grave sins while man commits sin of no great importance. How silly to think that God, the creator of mankind commit sin as man does too. He let people to starve into death while man only fails to abide the laws. It is also rude to think that God does not want his creation to be superior than Him. Of course, being a Creator, all you think is that you are the most respectable and has all the knowledge, skill and ability that ordinary human cannot possess. For instance, the most qualified for the position of the president is the one who is capable to rule and/or lead the entire community. One cannot just be seated in the position of the president if one is just a beggar. No wonder why God instructed Adam and Eve that it is forbidden to eat the apple in the tree because God is afraid that they will become just like Him.

            It is stated that Authoritarian religion somehow leads to disobedience and sorrow and guilt while Humanistic religion is the exact opposite. I want to believe in it. Having your own decision makes someone become independent and trust his instincts more as well as gaining self-confidence. Observing from Catholics, the memorized prayer leads to unsuccessfulness of the true meaning of prayer. For me, a prayer should mean what you really intend to say coming from your feelings, emotions and experiences but through this routinely prayers taught by Church, people are most likely to obscure themselves to uncertainty.

            To be able to know more if God is really true or to be able to go to Heaven upon the death of the human body, one can die first. But we do not want to die so early just to make sure that God is really true. Again, if you believe it, then it is true. I think those mind sets are enough to prove that even we don’t sense something, upon believing it, we know it is true. 

(Source: believethepromise)

Interpersonal Relationships

The philosophy on the Ethics of the Human Face reveals the importance of “I” (anyone) is wholly responsible to the “Other” (another human being). This emphasizes that we must have face-to-face encounter with the other person. It can also mean relating well with other people. As a psychology major, interpersonal skills or the relationship with others are important. According to Emmanuel Levinas, it is not only “I” and the “Other” there will always the third party and also according to him, this “Other” is not just the other but he is talking to the infinite who is God. We cannot see God’s face but we can see it through another’s face. It is a trace. We can see God in another person’s goodness and in another person’s benevolence. One Facebook status I’ve read one time, the beggar is begging for alms outside the barber shop. The barber utters, “There is no God.” The customer asks why then the barber said, “If ever there is God, there shouldn’t be beggars like that outside the window.” The customer held “There are no barbers too.” The barber exclaimed, “Are you blind? I am a barber.” The customer replied, “If so, then why the old man there has long and ugly hair?” The barber claimed, “It’s because he don’t come approach me.” The customer concluded, “So there is God, the reason why there are beggars is because they don’t come to God in the first place.” Speaking of beggars, I am always acquainted with those. And I am not the type of person who would give alms for them. I would just say in kindly manner that I have no coins or would just shake my head sideways for disapproval. But some were harsh; they would tap you even if you refuse already. One time when I was about to give a single coin for a boy, I was interrupted by some internal or external force, and then I shake my head again sideways to refuse. I was about to be guilty. Then after a while, the herds of boys I saw were holding a sack of empty bottles and on the other hand were a cigarette. I think I should not be guilty. It would be my conscience to bother me if I give them alms. Seeing their pitiful faces doesn’t mean to convince me that they are really pitiful. Giving a drink for the thirsty or a food for the hungry is better than to give them a penny. It is a relaxing feeling that you have helped them and they are happy because they are satisfied. Kant’s notion of duty is “I must do this because I ought to do it and simply because I ought to do it not because it will make me happy… not because it is useful, but because I simply ought to do it.” Some events will make you do something because you expect that it will make you happy, be useful to you and benefit you but according to Kant, the best form of duty is that you simply do something because there’s a need for you to do it. You expect nothing in return. You just want to help and see other person with a smile on their face. Participating in the National Service Training Program should not be because we are tasked to do it for the sake of grades but because we can lend a hand to other less fortunate people. And through this, we will be able to help them as well as ourselves. Donating a blood as well as an organ can also be a great help to those in need and to us too. Even the fact that we don’t have anything to give or help, the presence is important for a person. When a person dies, it is important for us to sympathize with the left relatives. We cannot make the dead be alive but at least, we show them that we extend our condolences and that we are concern. It is the same thing being a keeper of our brothers and sisters. Isn’t it nice to hear, see and feel that somebody cares for us? 

(Source: believethepromise)

Relating My Pre-adolescence Years to Stages of Development By Harry Stack Sullivan

On Sullivan’s Stages of Development, pre-adolescence starts on ages 8 ½ and ends until 13 years. This particular stage is the intimacy with one particular person usually of the same gender. This theory came from his own experience while mine was different. I didn’t exactly have my best friend when I was 8 ½ years old because I was a transferee by that time when I was on my third grade. Almost all girls in our room were my friends. And also, that “best friend” thing wasn’t in my head, until I transferred again for my fourth grade in another school. That time, I experienced a culture shock and only had a few friends. The one I considered my “best friend” is the lady guard whom I talk to most of the time. When the sitting arrangement changed in the 3^rd quarter, I become acquainted with the girl on my back. She was a pretty and smart kid not to mention her thoughtfulness that really appeals to me. Her name is Jealeen Kristine Roasa. I call her Jealeen and now we call each other, “bext”. It is a good thing that our friendship lasted this long since grade school. Actually, I don’t remember how it started, it just happed that we clicked. I remembered when Jealeen and I go together to the benches carrying my packed lunch while she wait for her auntie to bring her lunch with her since their house is just a walk away. When I ask her why not on the room she said, she wants privacy between us. Before the end of the school year, I asked her if we can be best friends, then she totally agrees. For the next school year, I didn’t need to transfer again so my friendship with Jealeen deepened. This time, I ask her opinion if we could exchange letters or cards. And she also agrees in it and even proposes to prepare a box to contain the letters. We even planned to bury these boxes in our school where we met but being afraid to lose it, we just kept it in our houses. Up to now, we are still treasuring these boxes. As I go back and read those letters again, certain feelings arose. I can’t help but smile when I read every single line. Those cheesy and corny lines, we don’t mind it before but today, I can laugh out loud when I read it. Certain issues come also when Jealeen’s parents were planning to migrate in Canada or move to another house as well as the school. I was in deep awe that I might lose a special friend, but I was happy then that their plan is yet to be processed. These events happened when I’m 10, when the intimacy between my best friend and I is on peak. Of course this intimacy is not connected with any lustful feeling because at the same time, I have an infatuation on the opposite sex. When I am between 11 to 13 years old, letters was took place by exchanging notebooks every month. This notebook contains our feelings, secrets and whatsoever. We’ve decided to relieve the past and start to send letters again. Sending it wouldn’t be much hassle since we study in just the same university. She has greatly influenced me. I am so blessed to have a best friend like her. She is my confidant in almost all events that happen in my life. She’s the one who can put a smile on my face when I’m sad. Words are not enough how much she is dear to me.

I’ve sent it to her via e-mail and replied:

As I read the whole article, a questioned popped into my mind

 The bond we created was unbreakable, and these simple and small conversations fueled it.

You said in the article,

She has greatly influenced me.

As for my part,

I’ve depended on you much. I already knew this when I was in high school. I may not show how much I depended on my best friend. I for myself did my best to take care of the bonds I have with my peers. But deep inside, I know. If you weren’t there by my side, I wouldn’t be able to go through.

We both gained our confidence through each other’s support.

I’m sure, time will pass, and these conversations will lessen and lessen

What makes me grateful is that,

to us, sweetness never expires :D

I Love my Best friend! :D 

(Source: believethepromise)