INC rally is SPIRITUAL, not POLITICAL

The Iglesia Ni Cristo evangelical mission tomorrow is a sure-fire headline hugger and for the wrong reasons--some people try to lace it with political poison. If you only know where, really, this religious group began, this event tomorrow will not be misinterpreted as political.


The INC believes in the second coming of Christ. Based on the bible, this will only occur if the Gospel of Christ is spread around the world. It is the duty therefore, of those who believe, to spread this message of salvation. 


With all the corruption happening in the world, many found it fitting to remind our political leaders to tread the right path. 


What God is telling us right now is that, no human governance model is fit for man. Every single interpretation of democracy is bound to fail and is a misinterpretation. 


God is the single most effective ruler of mankind, no doubt about it, but do we acknowledge it? No. We live in the fleshy world, a world of desires, of ill-conceived pleasures, that caresses the emotions, and leaves it numb to the true pleasures of the Spirit.


May of us are concerned with the Now, and not after we spend time here, on this earth. We are greatly concerned about how to get the next meal, and not how to take care of ourselves so that we will be able to enjoy the true pleasures that awaits us in the City of God.


For those who are disgusted about this existence. For those who want to leave this ill-fated world, there is still hope that, in the next life, we will be able to enjoy eternal, heavenly existence by acknowledging the role of God in our lives.


The world sees this evangelical mission differently and they are not to be blamed. These people lack the knowledge of Wisdom. Wisdom is what separates the believer from the unbeliever. Those who really know the Message of Salvation would agree with me that it is time for those who believe to spread the seeds that Christ implanted in their hearts. 


Like INC members, every single believer of Christ is duty-bound to propagate the Message of Salvation so that those who hear, will listen intently and those who see, will open their eyes to the Truth. 


Time is running out for sinners. And the only way possible for humankind to survive the impending catastrophe that is bound to happen is when they accept the secret of salvation--that is turn their human, fleshy selves into Beings of Light, or to make pure what has been created as impure. 

Iglesia Ni Kristo Mass Evangelization come February 28

There is nothing to worry about, says President Benigno S. Aquino III on the purported mass gathering of Iglesia Ni Cristo believers come February 28. February 28 is scheduled to be a mass evangelization activity by the biggest and most influential religious group in Philippine society. More than 3 million INC members are expected to grace this event.


Truly now, the desire of the INC leadership to propagate the teachings of Jesus Christ ranks far higher than any political goal. The INC believes that we are living in the last days--a period of tribulation and hope. Tribulation because true believers of Christ will experience persecution because of their faith; and hope, because Christ reigns supreme and promised to save the elect from more harm.


The activity is being laced with poison because of politics. Many believe that the relationship between the INC and the Aquino administration has been severed due to several instances, one of which is the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. Corona is not a member of the INC. However, his defense counsel, former Justice Serapin "Ka Apin" Cuevas is. 


So what if Cuevas is a member of the church? It does not necessary mean that the entire Church will side with whoever Cuevas decides to accept as a client? Only the Church leadership determines who to support politically based on collective will. According to the church teachings, the paramount will expressed in the community comes from God. The Body of Christ speaks louder than anything. 


The reason why several suspicions are being thrown at the INC is the fact that, in every successful political activity that led to a succession, the INC body was there.


When news about the INC severing its ties with the Marcoses and sided with the opposition, it was the tipping point of the entire struggle. 


When Erap was "ousted", there were news that the INC leadership asked its members to go to EDSA.


When the Mayo Uno proletarian revolt broke out, there were news that the INC asked some of its members to go to EDSA shrine and support the pro-Erap mass action.


Now, this.


As an observer, I do not believe that the INC leadership will risk further tension with the Aquino administration. I believe that evangelization is more important than politics. The INC was established to correct the monumental wrongs in religion, and it is the wrong religion that it is now fighting against, not wrongful policies. 


Fact is, the Messenger of God, Ka Felix Manalo once asked his fellow believers to shun politics and armed themselves with the armor of God, meaning the words of the Living Father because salvation is more important than living in the flesh.


Those who are outside the Church must refrain from lacing the pure intention of the church of spreading the Word of God with politics. 


The INC is not a political group. The INC is a religion. The INC concerns itself with salvation and with providing the true path towards the City of God to those who want to be saved.


As what Jesus said when he was still alive, " Let things of Caesar, be of Caesar's and Let things of God, be of God's."

Palace ties with Iglesia Ni Kristo strained?

Malacanang has just denied what was spreading about in buzz circles for a week now. Buzz says that President Aquino sent his most trusted man, Budget secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad to see Ka Eduardo Manalo, the Spiritual Executive Minister of the 8-million strong religious organisation. Manalo, it was told, politely told Abad that he does not want to see Noynoy's emissary. After that humiliation, Noynoy reportedly ordered BIR chief Henares to investigate alleged "tax liabilities" of the INC as well as put under investigation, officials and members of the largest Philippine-based religious group.


There are several things wrong in this tale. First, how can the BIR investigate the Iglesia Ni Kristo about "tax liabilities" when it does not pay tax to government. It is said in the Constitution that religious groups are exempted from payment of taxes. Article 6 of the 1987 Constitution reads:

Section 28. (1) The rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The Congress shall evolve a progressive system of taxation.
(2) The Congress may, by law, authorize the President to fix within specified limits, and subject to such limitations and restrictions as it may impose, tariff rates, import and export quotas, tonnage and wharfage dues, and other duties or imposts within the framework of the national development program of the Government.
(3) Charitable institutions, churches and parsonages or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, non- profit cemeteries, and all lands, buildings, and improvements, actually, directly, and exclusively used for religious, charitable, or educational purposes shall be exempt from taxation.
(4) No law granting any tax exemption shall be passed without the concurrence of a majority of all the Members of the Congress.

Notice that what is exempted from payment of taxes are real property taxes owned by the religious institution, not the institution itself. Hence, members of the church are still asked to pay their income taxes to the government. 


Rentals accrued for example by the religious institution and deemed part of their "profit", is also submit to taxes.


I don't believe however, that this humongous religious group has tax liabilities. The INC is a billion dollar religious organisation. Besides, its members are law-abiding citizens of this country. There is no way that its members or the church leadership would actually encourage the non-payment of government obligations.



Now, on the news that INC officials are now under surveillance, let me say, for the record, that this "practice" has been part of politics since time immemorial. This is not as "shocking" as what others believe or what others intend to establish.


Every single religious leader or group in this country has been surveilled already by political groups. This is for the purposes of elections. 


WHAT I'M CERTAIN IS--There is really a strain in the relationship of the Church with that of the Aquino administration for reasons other than this Corona impeachment trial. I am definitely sure that the Church leadership would actually risk its good relationship with the administration before just because of Corona. Corona is a non-factor.


Now, what are these issues about---I'll tell you some other time.