The Ugly Face Of Fanaticism: Christians Blindly Following Wicked Leaders

Few would argue that we are witnessing the unraveling of the end of days if signs and events are any indication. The ferocious battle between good and evil rages even more, and the fact that Christians are at the front lines of this battle is indicative that spiritual casualties are a possibility. Jesus, during his earthly ministry had warned his disciples of the coming deception that would test their faith that even the very elect could fall for. When his disciples inquired of him as to the end of days, the first thing he said was, "take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:2-3).

Deception is the favorite weapon of the devil to ensnare those that do not belong to him. Deception is his classic ammunition intended for the believers to get to the core of their belief where he can easily compromise without him getting noticed. I remember a pastor once said that "the devil cannot get inside the church (a building or room where we gather), for it is a holy place. Of course I imagined we were being secured by a spiritual fence in the form of fire where no enemy dares enter. But as a Christian desiring to grow deeper in the knowledge of truth, I found out that the enemy can make easy playground through the doctrines taught in church.

As Christians we are called to be vigilant, discerning and well-versed in the scripture. But the devil is cunning, his antics never get boring when it comes to ensnaring believers into his trap, and he is more well-versed in scripture than any of us, so who can top that? The Bible says, "greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). So, that is already one big blow to the enemy, if we hold on to God's truth in faith. Speaking of truth, it is very important that as Christians we don't strip ourselves of the full armor of God, one of which is the belt of truth that should be tightly fastened. But once our belt of truth loosened up, our breastplate of righteousness also goes down with it, and every other armor comes unraveling so that we lose our battle with the enemy. Some Christians easily overlook the fact that once we have submitted ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have also automatically enlisted ourselves into God's army. We don't expect to be just sitting back as spectators to the ensuing battle without participating, and by participating we mean getting ourselves fully equipped to be ready for battle with the intent to win it.

Christian Dilemma over scriptural emphasis on following laws of men

Very often we hear exchanges of opinion in church and among Christian communities as to the right interpretation of certain scriptural doctrine that sometimes contentious subject find its way on social media platforms. As a result, debates and arguments lead to fire and brimstone which ultimately unmask the true state of modern Christianity, thereby giving the unbelievers a front view seat to the spectacle. 

One particular subject that sets up Christians to an argument can be found in Romans 13:1. It says, "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." Take note that Paul calls everyone to be in subjection to all authorities as it is God who establishes authorities on earth. What Paul wanted to say is that, authorities are there for a reason to create laws and policies in order to attain social order. For when there is no law there will be chaos and disorder. Even Paul and other disciples had subjected themselves to authorities. When they were apprehended and jailed for no apparent reason apart from preaching God's word, they did not fight back or initiated dissent, rather they obeyed their oppressors who happened to be the men in authority.

In Acts 5, the authorities got the apostles arrested and jailed for preaching and healing the sick. But the angel of the Lord came to their rescue and commanded them to preach about Jesus. When the authorities found out that they got out of prison and still preaching at the temple, they were again arrested and presented to the council where they were warned not to preach again. But Peter defiantly replied, "we would rather obey God than men". Before they were released, the authorities had them beaten again and warned them not to preach Jesus to which they blatantly defied by continually preaching and teaching in the temple and in every house. (Acts 5:42)

Take note that if Paul's admonition to believers to obey authorities is absolute, he himself should have obeyed them, no more ifs and buts. When the authorities had warned him not to preach, he should have stopped preaching, for reasons that he just causes trouble by stirring up arguments that would eventually lead to chaos and dissent. But Paul and all other apostles were not cowed by death threats and incarceration because to them God's laws and commandments should come first before all other laws of man. They could have easily stopped their ministry if only to set an example to the believers that they practice what they preach. But there is really no need to be confused if we all read and understand our bibles because one thing that Paul and the apostles would want us to know is that, once the law of man is already in conflict with the law of God, there is no contest as to which law the believers ought to follow.

Christians unconsciously becoming complicit to the transgression of God's law

These days, one of the hot topics in just about every conversation of global proportion is the so-called war on drugs in the Philippines initiated by president Rodrigo Duterte. Since he took office in July this year, there has been over three thousand dead people who are either products of police operation or extra-judicial killings. Duterte won the election in May mainly because of his promise to rid the country of drugs and other crimes in only three to six months - which greatly resonated with people. Filipinos think he is their hope amid all troubles befalling the country. If anything, their admiration of him already borders on idolatry if the degree of loyalty to him is any indication.

Duterte supporters come in all shapes and sizes, his charisma pervasive it transcends religion, social status and party affiliation. History would vouch no other political figure has emerged in Philippine setting as polarizing as Duterte. Either he is being adored or loathed. By tradition, if a politician has a reputation of killing people, that could pretty much spell his doom. Ironically, Duterte is being adored for bragging he had killed many people and has promised during campaign that he would kill all criminals so that peace will be achieved in the country of 110 million.

This brazen pronouncement by Duterte coupled with a serious vow to make it happen in just six months - either got people excited or alarmed. Fast forward to three months, the death toll including many who were innocent - whom Duterte supporters pass off as collateral damage - is already inching closer to four thousand mark. Despite cries by the global human rights organizations of a massive human rights violations and the increasing local opposition to the culture of death - there seems to be no waning of the bloodlust by the Duterte supporters who advocate drug users of all kinds deserve death.

Wait till we hear real consensus from real people. During the campaign preceding the election, it is understandable that Duterte's support comes from all walks of life - and that includes born-again believers who openly campaign for Duterte. Pastors and spiritual leaders would even dedicate a day of prayer and fasting to ensure Duterte's victory in the election.

It is no secret that President Duterte despite all allegations of criminal past - enjoys massive support from Christian communities. The magnitude of support he has from Christian groups is unprecedented in Philippine political history, that not even a certain Eddie Villanueva, a popular pastor evangelist - could draw a fraction of that support when he ran for president twice.

Now this is where it gets really disturbing. If social media is to be the barometer to gauge people's opinion, the consensus is really scary. Most professing Christians including those that I know of personally - are in favor and fully supportive of Duterte's style of war on drugs no matter the method of implementation. So far those that are dead include the innocent, women and children, and lately a vacationing OFW who was mistaken for a drug suspect, got apprehended, tortured and killed by the police.

The love of many shall wax cold

A few months back prior to election, I had a conversation on Facebook with a pastor based in the Middle East who is an ardent supporter of Duterte. He said he does not believe in due process anymore and that it's about time that all the menace in society should be annihilated. He said he stands by what he said because he already started to fear for his family given today's crime-riddled society, so due process to him is no longer applicable. That goes without saying, once a suspected criminal gets cornered, there will be no jail time for him or a court of law hearing his case, just one final stop for him: six feet below the ground.

That conversation may sound ordinarily innocuous but it is reflective of the actual values present in today's churches: of Christians forgetting the very basic tenets of Christianity for their self-preservation. What makes it even disturbing is the fact that this pastor does not believe in due process anymore but is advocating death for society's transgressors as shortcut to peace. The fact that it is an opinion of a Christian, let alone a pastor who had topped his Homiletics class, is doubly disturbing, and I could only hope and pray he is alone. But reality tells otherwise. In the wake of a weakening Philippine economy mainly due to fears and worries of the president's deadly war on drugs, some Filipino Christians are yet to awake from their blind adoration of him. The extent of their fanaticism is shockingly evident by their Facebook posts supporting the lies and ferociously defending even the vilest of deed associated with the president, and we can't even start to comprehend how on earth Christians can lose their testimony and becoming belligerent in the name of their idolatry for a wicked man.

I've been in some of these churches and I can tell how congregants are being fed with the doctrine of absolute authority by the state and that Christians ought to obey leaders as though it is a godly mandate they need to follow ascribing to Romans 13. However, this twisting of the scripture coupled with church's leaders special fondness for a certain leader - makes for a lethal recipe for spiritual deception. They think that whatever directive it is coming from a leader, even if it is a wicked leader, they ought to support it. And this begs the question: How can "Christians support and even defend a leader whose program of death is a glaring violation of God's commandment "thou shalt not kill"?

Christian's false obedience (to authorities) as one facet of deception

Indeed deception comes in a variety of forms. Christians who believe that if they follow or obey whosoever in authority as backed up by their Romans 13:1 misinterpretation - will be finding themselves at war with biblical truth. Or is it because they themselves are the fulfillment of 2 Timothy 3: 1-4 that they would rather support a president who advocates killing without the rule of law? How far will some Christians go in their adoration for a wicked man at the pretext that he is a god-installed leader whom they should support and follow regardless of his bloodthirsty agenda? Have they already forgotten the time when the gospel of salvation was preached to them and later found out that "God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth"? (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9) Did it not even cross their minds that the death of the wicked does not please God? (Ezekiel 18:32)

Christians ought to obey authorities for no authority under heaven exists except that which God ordains. That's very clear.  God also tells us to obey human laws, and we should. But sometimes men in authority act as if they are above the law of the land, and yet people, including many Christians perceive it as God-ordained so that they equate supporting and obeying these men in authority to obeying God. And what kind of a Christian will support and agree with a leader who invokes Hitler and tags himself as the modern-day copycat who would gladly slaughter millions of drug addicts? If we do, we have been greatly deceived for not even recognizing we no longer serve the compassionate God who gives second chances, in fact many chances, to all. Truth be told, we may have been serving another god.

The Holy Spirit will not allow true believers to get stuck in a quagmire of confusion for it is Him who guides, directs and convicts believers into all truth. It's just that we do not allow Him to do His work in us because as Christians our personal opinion and preferences override that of the will of God. This is where many Christians who are die-hard supporters of wicked leaders suffer from an issue of false obedience. It is as simple as it gets: we've been commanded to obey human laws and also authorities, no question about that, but when human laws come in conflict with God's law, "we are to obey God rather than men".

Gambling And Pyramiding Christians: No Problem?

Last week's Powerball draw in the US had left at least three winners extremely happy, but millions of others heartbroken who had hoped for a windfall of wealth at the blink of an eye only in dreams possible. No backbreaking exertion, no big amount to take the risk but a few dollars coupled with the help of lady luck and voila, all this world can offer comes running to you.

The three winners from California, Florida and Tenessee are estimated to be dividing the incredibly huge amount of US$1.5 billion among themselves. Very few people in their lifetime have actually gone from rags to riches and zero to hero courtesy of the Powerball so one can easily understand the excitement and hope it gives bettors given the staggering amount of money to be won.

Gambling in general, is big business, and for some cities like Las Vegas and Macau, obviously it has been for many good reasons: their economies revolve around gambling revenues that in turn create employment opportunities and enhance tourism - all because people spend lots of money to get rich quickly and be entertained. Unfortunately, most people tend to get poorer instead of richer when gambling. This is not a shocking statistic as it is how the world operates. Throughout history, gambling has been a constant fixture in the lives of people - ordinary and great - both as a form of entertainment and as a passage to accumulating more wealth.

For Christians, is Gambling a Sin?

Of course, you will hear blunt reasoning left and right from biblically "smart" Christians who are into some not-so-obviously evil form of gambling saying the word gambling per se does not exist in the Bible hence, it is not considered a sin. True enough, the Scripture is silent on this subject as it is with other similarly interesting ones such as drug addiction, arson, pornography, etc. But does it mean to say when the Bible doesn't roar about them we Christians automatically get a free pass to get involved in such things? Certainly not!

Last year, a North Carolina single mom with four children said that the first person to get a cut of her $188 million Powerball lottery win will be the Lord "because I wouldn't have any of it if it wasn't for God". Last year, Marie Holmes was beaming with joy as she announced she will pay her tithes first to her church and the rest will be set up for college funds and the future of her four children.

It's not shocking that this single mom of four is a Christian for acknowledging God by her tithes. And she's not alone who frequents a Christian church, and probably serving God through a specific ministry. Statistics show that a lot of professing born-again Christians play the lottery and have no qualms whatsoever frequenting casinos for "entertainment" while many others pin their hopes on winning a Powerball so that they can be a blessing to others and their church. Sounds very alarming.

Gambling is inconsistent with biblical virtue. It is fueled by - and it fuels - covetousness, greed, and materialism. It is associated with crime, vice, and corruption, so that wherever gambling exists, crime rates rise. And it is contrary to the biblical work ethic because it is an attempt to gain wealth without working for it. Gambling violates a number of biblical principles and therefore, ought to be avoided in all its forms.

There is a sinister principle that underlies all forms of gambling: that for every winner, there are losers. And the winners' gains come at the losers' expense. There is no other way to gain money through gambling. When you win, you are taking that which belongs to another. The winners' profit always comes directly from the losers' pocket.

The following quotes from Scriptures can be taken as serious warnings for anyone who is into gambling:

"Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it." ~ Proverbs 13:11

"He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity." ~ Ecclesiastes 5:10

"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished." ~ Proverbs 28:20

"A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him." ~ Proverbs 28:22

One of the biggest problems with gambling is this: It's win-lose. True wealth should be win-win, not win-lose. In gambling, millions have to lose for one to ultimately win. This is not God's design. God wants win-win. When a person creates a product, another person buys it. The customer gains something (the product), and the seller gains something (income). It's win-win. In gambling, it's the opposite. It's win-lose. Millions will lose, only one (or few) will win.

What is your reasoning for wanting to gamble? Is it to get rich quick? The Bible commands we should labor and earn wealth honestly - not by some luck of the draw. Being a compulsive gambler is certainly just as sinful as being drunk, drug addict, or being greedy. If you gamble to get rich, you may be loving money more than God (a sin). As the Scripture admonishes: a person who sets his will to work patiently and steadily will find his prosperity steadily increasing because God oversees the well-being of those who keep His commandments.

Equating Pyramiding Scheme with Gambling and why it thrives among Christian churches

Obviously, the two are distinctly poles apart - in form, in dynamics, and in methods by which they operate, but clearly the motivations are certainly the same. Online multi-level marketing plans aka pyramiding scheme per se cannot be classified as a form of gambling because in here you invest your money for unbelievably higher returns, sometimes yields are too-good-to-be-true that it can get addictive which drives investors even harder to enroll more recruits into the scheme. But as recruiting quickly multiplies and becomes impossible, most members are unable to profit; as such, pyramid schemes are unsustainable and often illegal. Some multi-level marketing plans that we always see being aggressively promoted in social media have also been classified as pyramid schemes.

Previously, we have written an article about certain churches whose members and even elders are into pyramiding scheme (rampant of which is the Emgoldex/Global Intergold). These churches aggressively teach that if you're generous in giving (and tithing), you will be tremendously blessed. They love to quote their favorite Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) as it strikes a chord with those whose goal is to scoop up all the favors that the generous God of the universe supposedly loves to rain down on them. They are oblivious to the fact that many lives and relationships have been ruined as a result of a church-sanctioned greed which they conveniently and shamelessly describe as "an exercise of faith or faith in action" in the context of "faith without action is dead".

The aggressive pyramiding activity within Filipino Christian churches especially in the Middle East goes unhampered and blatantly thriving because even pastors and leaders themselves are active players in what they call "an opportunity from God to be blessed abundantly". Note that to them the word abundance equates with financial prosperity. 

While society quickly labels gamblers as immoral, the social media savvy pyramiding warriors are conveniently called investors or online entrepreneurs. But just the same, the motivation is to get rich real quick and at the expense of the poor and gullible. Remember, it is the poor that play lotteries so that winners get their winnings from these bets. Likewise with those on the top levels of the pyramid who feed off the money and effort of those at the bottom level who most of the time do not necessarily share the luck of those above them and oftentimes are unable to recoup their hard-earned money when the pyramid collapses. Other schemes such as Emgoldex have produced sob stories of countless "investors" who were not able to get their rewards much less their investment money that led some of them into depression, broken relationships, and worst, suicides.

Wanting to get-rich-quick has proven repercussions

Just recently, we got to help a guy who survived a suicide attempt (of all places in the Middle East) and the backstory behind his attempt was a failed investment in Emgoldex that resulted in a complex series of problems that led to severe depression. His recruits demanded that their investment money be returned back as they could no longer wait for the supposed rewards or return of investment promised to them. But he could not do so because he had already remitted their investment money to their group leader who is in another country. He spent sleepless nights as a result of their constant bugging and jail threats. One thing leads to another, and before he came to his senses he had already flirted with death, and that episode leaves him mentally and psychologically scarred for life.

God indeed is good that even in this grave circumstance when everything seemed hopeless for this man He allowed us to minister to him throughout his ordeal until he had recovered and got reunited with his loved ones in the Philippines. During his month-long hospitalization, we were privileged to have shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to him and taught him the importance of contentment by which all men should live with. He aimed to get his hands on instant wealth yet found himself on the opposite end, but in his miserable state, he came to know the true meaning of being rich in life - that is, of having contentment in life and getting to know the One who gives genuine abundant life.

Despite serious warnings, lure of earthly riches proves to be some Christians' Achilles heels

The "parable of the rich fool" in Luke 12:16-21 conveys God's thoughts on man's foolish quest for more riches and His disdain for man's arrogance and discontentment. It is a serious warning that most people should heed. Sometimes it is convenient for us Christians to say, "okay, this is not me, only unbelievers and the godless tend to be like this rich man. I work hard, I invest my money, maybe a few dollars for a Powerball ticket won't really define me as a Christian, or maybe if I encourage people in our church to invest in Emgoldex it would be a great help for my brethren's financial status and consequently our church's finances". The moment you get your hands on your first goal, the bigger your next goal becomes, and suddenly the goal you've set for yourself becomes boundless.

This is exactly what motivated a brother in Christ when he encouraged us to enroll in the pyramiding business he was into - that he would set up funds to build a church in his home province and at the same time help us augment our incomes. Sometimes our "noble plan" to help our church and our brethren becomes a convenient facade behind that sinister motive to get to our goals, that is to enrich ourselves, because whether we admit it or not we dread being poor and struggling. We believe that God is rich and generous, and being the legalist that we are, we cleave to the principle of "rightful inheritance" so that we stake our claim to all that belongs to God.

Contentment and Obedience constitute true riches

Jesus in His sermon had urged His followers to choose to store up riches in heaven rather than on earth. Yet  this gem of an advice does seem to be unpopular among many Christians in favor of the Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) which proves to be very popular yet taken out of context as this verse refers to those who were in captivity in Babylon. (This verse is hardly quoted in its King James version as it sounds very different from the ear-tickling NIV.)

The apostle Paul had long predicted that "in the last days people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, arrogant, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power". (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-10

An important lesson of life to learn is that wealth is a means, not an end itself. Get-rich-quick schemes, cutting corners to get more for oneself and taking unfair advantage of another's ignorance will, in the end, destroy the perpetrator. Those who do these things to get rich are in reality seeking death because they are breaking the spirit of the eighth commandment that says "thou shalt not steal". But if we place God first rather than the accumulation of wealth, then we will use whatever He allows us to have, no matter how little or how much, to glorify Him (1 Cor. 10:31)

Sign Of The Times: Christians Finding Hope In Duterte Magic

In school, we were taught that "necessity is the mother of invention". Simply put, it is man's need that drives and motivates him to satisfy that need so that he lives with ease and free from discomfort. All this time, it sounds very much a cliche, but sometimes man's own quest for gratification leads him onto perilous grounds, going as far as doing away society's norms - if it means obtaining the very things that ensure he lives by his own terms.

Strange because we do not talk here of conventional remedies for society's ills to ensure our survival, but we talk of people of every demographic on a national scale, synonymously and loudly calling for long-held moral traditions be stamped out in favor of thuggery-driven leadership so that we as a people are guaranteed survival. Ambiguity aside, this article is not in any way a complete departure from our usual posts as we will be talking about politics in a Philippine setting in a Christian's perspective.

The Rodrigo Duterte phenomenon

In recent weeks, this has become an eye-popping revelation that could turn one's sanity into cerebral paralysis for us not being able to find logical and moral rationale why society descends into this low by favoring violence as an answer to violence. For Christians who happen to be politically savvy, this is worth a topic especially when biblical tenets cross path with one's own secular leanings.

In a battle for mainstream media fodder, Donald Trump surely wins hands down on account of his proposal that Muslims in general, be banned from entering America until its leaders get to figure out what's wrong with their immigration policies. But we won't go further than that as our focus centers on the Philippines' own controversial presidentiable Rodrigo Duterte, who in his own right is as equally as controversial if not the most controversial political figure to have burst into the local political scene in recent memory.

National consensus shows that Duterte is highly favored to win the presidency. Survey results aside, his popularity across all social classes cannot be denied if social media pulse is anything to go by, and we've heard and seen how passionate his supporters are. Social media platforms dominate pro-Duterte conversations as if they're heralding the long-awaited messiah peeking at the door with all the celestial bonanza at his disposal. On the contrary, if you have the audacity to assert your thoughts against popular opinions - before you realize it you already found yourself laboriously pleading for a return to a civilized discourse as his self-declared keyboard warriors have already classified you a lamebrain thus a worthy recipient of all sorts of cussing imaginable.

Rodrigo Duterte and his famed Davao Death Squad

To many frustrated and disgruntled Filipino citizens, Duterte is the "messiah-in-waiting" who they believe would save them from their endless woes. Digong, as he is fondly called has been credited for turning the city of Davao around from one of the most criminal-infested cities in the country into one of the safest cities (allegedly) in the world. His supporters claim that Duterte's reign as mayor of the city for almost three decades has resulted in their city being "crime-free" and corruption in the government is almost non-existent. Most people in Davao city themselves are proud of their city's achievements due to the efficient and iron-fisted leadership of their mayor. As a matter of fact, the city has been a perennial awardee for good governance and efficiency.

On the surface, Davao city should be a model for every local government unit to be emulated anywhere. But the manner by which its reputation was achieved is where human rights advocates have got an issue. It is an open book not only in Davao city but the entire nation as well that there exists a so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) a vigilante group that serves as the implementing arm of  Mayor Duterte's program to purge the city of "criminals" so that the peace-loving majority is ensured of its safety. Revised estimates have it that deaths carried out by this vigilante group range from 1200 to 1700 since the second term of the mayor in 1998. All these cases of summary executions were either unsolved or brought to oblivion as it is widely believed the executioners are either members of the police force or some paid individuals who have received training to carry out the killings. It is also important to note that while the mayor brags about low criminality in his city due to his famed DDS, the majority of those "criminals" whose lives have been snuffed out from them prematurely were either petty criminals some of them out-of-school youth living in the slum areas.

Despite his well-known persona as a rifle-brandishing mayor and a self-confessed murderer, Duterte commands respect and fear from his constituents. He is even well-loved by the majority of them who sincerely vouch that their city is one of the safest on the planet. (But the same could not be coaxed into confessing that even petty criminals are being subjected to summary execution to ensure zero criminality for as long as the city's crime-free reputation is not jeopardized.)

Being foul-mouthed and a philanderer now passed off as charisma and machismo

Mayor Duterte makes no apologies for showering expletives in his interviews. Watching him on television makes you cringe at the frequencies of bleeps that it requires instantaneous brushing up of one's skills set so that you won't lost track of what he is saying. He cusses indiscriminately that he makes no distinction between a political opponent and a pope. His supporters call it unparalleled charisma and brutal honesty very few in the universe can match. Typically, Filipinos love their heroes at face value - no pretenses - one whose kinship to a ghettoish  behavior is believable and not encumbered with hidden baggage associated with most politicians.

If a typical politician is outed to have more than one wife and a beeline of mistresses, that could pretty much spell his doom, but Duterte is dubbed a political genius for nothing, he projects himself as an antithesis to anything morality epitomizes.  Except for the squeamish minority, one can easily digest why the euphoria and loud cheers when he admitted on national television that he's got two wives and maintains two mistresses apart from random women who flirtatiously elbow their way for his attention. It has also become a common sight wherever he goes of women randomly coming up to him and routinely offering their cheeks or lips so that he's not deprived of his self-proclaimed fetish. And so the common people cannot be denied of entertainment and they love him even more.

Filipino's culture and religiosity challenged in the wake of Duterte's magic

It's a known fact that the Filipino culture has its endemicities deeply derived from a great sense of pride and nationalism. Our passion coupled with a combative attitude is something that does not go easily unnoticed in just about every conversation when at stake is the Filipino pride. We are a very sentimental and assertive people that could spontaneously initiate warfare if only to defend our own belief system. In every cause that we believe in, we don't hesitate to banner our bravery just to drive a point.

As a people, our stakes are high to the goody-two-shoes label that the title "the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia" is a patented slap-to-the-face to whichever nation attempts to share or challenge this accolade. We don't hesitate to educate our doubters that we are the bedrock of Christianity, and along with it comes every virtue we think we have the monopoly of. There is no denying, we Filipinos in general, are very spiritual people on the basis of our religiosity. [When you have the rest of the world in utter envy (read disdain) at us for having so many of our own, living and departed, claiming to be the "incarnate son of God" - speaks volumes about our spirituality and our tendencies to incorporate God in our way of life.]

When social media was abuzz with yet another Duterte heroism when he allegedly forced a smoker to swallow a cigarette butt for disobeying a smoking ban, most of us cheered the mayor and demanded we want the same style of discipline enforced in our localities. Every time we see criminals on television such as drug pushers, snatchers, carnappers, kidnappers, and a host of menace in society being dragged into jail, inexplicably the Christian in us wanted them outrightly decimated and banished from the face of the earth. Our disdain for these criminals who wanted a fast-track to a good life at the expense of their hapless victims becomes our convenient excuse to validate a belief that thugs and lowlifes deserve no mercy.

As a nation, we've probably come to the point that we conclude enough is enough. We think our government is corrupt, that our president though a noted graft buster and anti-corrupt - lacks empathy for us ordinary citizens. That despite the country's current tag as an economic miracle a proof of his hard work, we still argue that he failed to deliver the goods. Additionally, we are not impressed with a type of leader who's too prim and proper that we decided he's a total disconnect from the poor. We label that type elitist. Our disdain for him and his inept subordinates forces us to think that they are the reasons for all our woes. Worst, our attitude says that we don't give a damn if our leader is above the law for as long as he sees to it the nation is bereft of criminals so that the over 110 million of us live in peace and security.

Wild fantasies as by-product of false hopes

This early, we started to fantasize that our future as a nation has been sealed under a Duterte presidency. And this is where our fantasies brought us: that each morning we wake up to, we get thrilled to witness a lovely sight - of police having their hands full collecting dead bodies of suspected criminals, thanks to an executive prerogative to double up on ridding the country  of criminals and curbing population at their expense. Because this is what we expected of Duterte there is no doubt in our mind that surely he will deliver the goods. We're so brainwashed to believe that his formula in making Davao a peaceful city is the best remedy for our woe-infested country that we badly want him president. We care less if it's all about annihilating bad people as long as we the "good" people get to live in safety and comfort.

When we heard Mayor Duterte has purged Davao City of "bad people" and its residents self-deployed en masse in social media so that we covet the quasi-utopia in their city, our response was a chorus of indignation at our government for its failure to deliver a crime-free and corruption-free society that Davao has long attained. The rage in us even breached celestial limits when  the social paranoia brought about by the "Laglag-Bala" scheme proved to be the last straw to provoke every Filipino into dissent and righteous indignation. We then did not hold back sending the vilest of curses to our president and his subordinates for allowing such barbaric practice to thrive at the expense of us poor OFWs as if it was his brainchild and of his ilks. We tantalizingly came close to labeling the president and his administration the plagues sent from the abyss to torture us day and night that we wanted them banished from the face of the earth.

On Facebook, we were hypnotized by his battle cry saying, "I don't care if I live in hell as long as my people live in paradise". Its message so powerful that we simply melted in utter surrender sending us into orgasmic euphoria that we're so convinced finally, change is coming. The pleasure it gives us causes us to dream on and so we refused to stop dreaming because to us  the  messiah has come - armed with a "double-edged sword" and clad with a "cloak of righteousness" - with his harem in tow and a mouthful of expletives to spew - so that his every speech being blared live doesn't get to our homes in real time to see to it the young ones are spared from the virulent fruits of his tongue.

We are so peeved by our leaders' ineptitude and apathy that we are convinced only a Duterte presidency can restore our hope as a nation, at least according to the seers in us. Imagine no more corruption, no more apathetic pieces of trash in the government, and no more hellish traffic in EDSA. The hope that we have in Duterte forces us to assert that every demand of ours will be handed to us in a silver platter. That sooner the LRT and MRT will be touted as the best in Asia next only to Japan's bullet train system. That remnants of Laglag Bala gang will have bullets for their meals, and we're excited to see that on tv. That there will be no more phone snatchers, rapists, pushers, Akyat-Bahay, and so on and so forth. And no more carnappers, no more cars beating the red light, maybe just a few jaywalkers to apprehend to make it appear prison cells still host undesirables.

Our delusion already got the better of us because we are already sold out to the messianic message Duterte has fed us. That delusion even brought us to our wildest fantasy yet that the Philippines could stake its claim to be the next Singapore if ruled by an iron fist. History tells us discipline and iron-fisted leadership made Singapore what it is today, and we can easily smell the resemblance in a Duterte's presidency. Just there is one problem: last time we checked, Singapore did not implement summary executions of their "bad people".

Duterte candidacy exposes that vaunted "Christianity's" shallow foundation

It's humanly understandable for people who don't know God to fall for false hopes in a leader whose message of change resonates with them. We've seen that very clearly in people's misplaced hope in Barack Obama's "messianic advent", and eight years later they're still stuck in that same quagmire of hopelessness beyond their mend. But for people who profess to be Christians and falling for such a trap by putting their hopes in a man who shows not one bit of traits every Christian should look for in a leader - now that is really alarming.

One benefit of social media is that it helps us to seize up or gauge people's sentiments or views  about almost every subject under the sun, and as a powerful platform it also guides us even into the innermost part of  a person, as the Scripture says, "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). But for Christians especially pastors aggressively campaigning and using their influence over their flocks to endorse a candidate that publicly contradicts every Christian value is beyond stunning.

We don't say that we should completely lose our hope to rise up as a nation but as Christians, we are called to pray for our nation and our leaders and ask for discernment from God as to the best person who He would raise up to lead us. For the Scripture says, "...for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" (Romans 13:1). All authorities under heaven are ordained by God - they were allowed for a purpose. The beauty of democracy is that we have the unalienable rights to choose our leader, and by exercising that right to our advantage we can vet our choices as to who suits the kind of leader we want to lead us. But as Christians, our choices and actions should be anchored on God's word by which we are called to live by.

Carnality and self-preservation over godly aspiration

The people of  Israel demanded prophet Samuel that God raise up a king to rule over them. God told Samuel to fulfill their request, not because their request was good or right but because God would teach Israel through this. Sometimes when we insist in getting what we want instead of praying for God's will in us, God will allow us to have it and then teach through it. God knew Israel would have a king, but He wanted to give the king in His timing and one who pleases Him. But because Israel demanded a king no matter the condition of his heart, God gave them what they wanted.

It's true, as Christians we also have our share of frustrations at the social perils that we have to put up with on a daily basis, but that does not necessarily allow us to override the purpose of God in our lives by making sure, in our capacity of carnal reasoning - that it's perfectly okay to have a leader who is a self-confessed unremorseful murderer, a proud philanderer, and a foul-mouthed gossip-mongering thug whose notoriety for his indecision rather than being firm is a hallmark of an unstable leader. Just like the people of Israel, they demanded a king instead of waiting for God's will and timing. But God said to Samuel, "they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me". God had a purpose in not giving Israel a king up to that point. It was because He did not want them to put an ungodly trust in the king instead of the Lord. In the end, God gave them a king whose heart was overwhelmed with pride, selfishness, and disobedience to the Lord - that would eventually lead to his downfall so that they only had themselves to blame.

Are we not seeing here the similarity? By our actions, we have completely eliminated God in the equation by trusting and putting our hopes in a man, in an ungodly man who publicly exalts himself as a demi-god by declaring "God would cry if he gets elected". We all know what he means by ridding the country of "bad people". He advocates shortcut to peace, a false peace that is. We cheered on him when he proposed Manila Bay be made a dumping ground for the lowlifes to fatten its inhabitants. Yes, our cheers are a token of approval that finally he will make things happen. Our streets will be safe again, no more criminals on the loose because we advocated for their premature demise, and then we can proudly say, "yes, I'm a Christian and I love the Lord". Really? It's just that He is the same Lord who is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

If anything, Rodrigo Duterte is a setup. His popularity cannot be denied and a lot of Christians have fallen for his charisma and message of change. A known pastor in a local community that boasts hundreds of members is tirelessly glorifying Duterte on Facebook and even banners a shoutout that says, "this is my beloved president, please campaign for him for change is coming", to which one of his members commented, "he is my future". (Now that's the biggest myth ever told, and coming from a supposed Christian's point of view.)

And if you're a modern-day Christian and perhaps a pastor for 20 years, or maybe an over-worked elder who's preoccupied with recruiting members into your growing congregation, we think it's about time you acquaint yourselves and your members about the book of Revelation. It's not really helping a lot that your Bible studies and sermons revolve around Jeremiah 29:11(which you love to take out of context) and Matthew 7:7. Sometimes it pays that your congregation is also familiar with the terms like Anti-Christ, son of perdition, false peace, the abomination of desolation, 666, tribulation, Laodicean church and most importantly the Blessed Hope.

Misplaced hope in man borders the sin of idolatry

So many of us Christians think change is coming, genuine peace is achievable  and prosperity is peeking at the horizon because we see it possible and we're confident Duterte will make good on his promises. That is exactly what God had told Samuel about an "ungodly trust on a king" that He did not want His people Israel to have on any man. He wanted us to trust Him because He is God and not man. Psalms 118:8 says, "it's better to trust in God than to have confidence in man." The world does not give us peace, but God gives us peace that surpasses all understanding. "The world passes away and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides forever"(1 John 2:17) Jesus is our only hope and that hope is anchored on His promise when He returns. Man will always fail us but if we seek the Lord and His will He will never fail us.

Have we come across yet the prophecies of Paul he wrote to Timothy that in the last days people will be lovers of themselves and the love of many shall wax cold? (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Don't be stunned! We ourselves are the fulfillment of this prophecy. We are so head-over-heels with ourselves that we want decimated those who pose as threats to our happy existence. And before we know it our love for our fellow human beings have waxed cold, well, except maybe for those whom we deem lovable. The Scripture says when we agree or tolerate sin in our midst we have become partakers of them.

We seem to forget that a godless society will never be devoid of corruption, lying, cheating, killing, bribery and all sorts of moral decay because people operate in the flesh and God is not present in the works of unrighteousness. We have been blinded by our ungodly adoration for a man whose promises are ethereal music to our ears but whose heart hosts the very things that God detests:

These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to  mischief, A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19 KJV)

The greatest sin in the Bible by far is the sin of idolatry. Idolatry is the main reason why God rebuked and judged the nation of Israel. It is when we put something or someone first in our life before the true living God. We may not actually  or knowingly intend to do that but when we put our trust and hope in a man to be our future, that is idolatry. Worse, instead of praying for God's will for our nation that He would raise up a God-fearing leader, we lead our flocks into the pitfall of trusting and putting our hopes in an ungodly man. Remember, God does not take lightly the sin of idolatry and He will in no way be pleased. Remember Israel had wanted a king instead of God to reign over them. God had warned them of the consequences of wanting an unrighteous man to rule over them. In the end, God gave them what they wanted and it was not what they had hoped for. And as the saying goes, "be careful of what you wish for."

The Caitlyn Jenner Effect: The Audacity of Man's Rebellion

The shock has subsided, the noise waned, and even those who've been living under a rock somewhere and emerged baffled have slowly come to terms somehow, that the world, as strange as it has been getting, is no longer what it used to be - thanks to a Caitlyn Jenner, the perfect poster child for "being true to oneself is utmost liberty" slogan.  If anything, Bruce Jenner's coming out is the culmination or shall I say the mother of all coming-out that even brought the White House to a state of an uncontained euphoria.

History tells that this fallen world has already had a litany of exploits in its resume such as a Hitler, a Pol Pot, a Kim Jong-un, a Bin Laden, and an Anders Breivik, among others, who carried out in full force what their hearts advocated. And why not a 66-year old ultra-male former Olympic champion who sired six progeny but suddenly decided he is a she? Legions of stars in Hollywood would subsequently heap praises on this "milestone" humanity has conquered, and no less the leader of the "freest" country on the planet yelled the loudest of praises at such "bravery" he almost could have easily feted him/her a presidential banquet worthy of pioneers in the same breath as Columbus, Edison and the Wright brothers.

Fads do stay for a little while and fade but not this demonically-inspired "coming-out" orchestrated by the powerful homosexual agenda that has taken the stranglehold of virtually every facet of society in America. In the past, governments that acknowledge same-sex marriage are a rarity, but now countries that have not yet thrown its full support on this evil agenda could get bullied in the international community for not recognizing it under the guise of "equality".

Trailblazing America at the forefront of global homosexualization

In countries like the Philippines where glorification and worship of everything American is reflective of how people go about with their lives, it is not a real surprise that you see an increase of homosexual influence in streets, in schools, in churches and even in seats of government. Those were the days when the nation that boasts to be the only predominantly Christian in Asia, and as a society collectively, frown upon homosexual lifestyles, but recently saw the church's influence waning due to its pontiff's famous line, "who am I to judge".

This even emboldened the lgbt groups to demand tolerance and acceptance in the society but without conceding to the moral requirements of the same, e.g. to initiate restraint by not wearing obscene clothes that gather contemptuous stare in both public and private domains, and yet the audacity to demand respect and acceptance. And if the Philippines is compelled to comply with the UN's demand to its every member that lgbt people be afforded all their desired rights and privileges then that would be the icing on their cake...and just like in America we could soon be seeing our children coming home from school asking us parents what gender they could possibly embrace.

The media and politics, the academe and almost every sector of the society plays part in aggressively advancing the cause of lgbt groups in the Philippines. Proof of which a senator who descends from a very Catholic family vows to penalize anyone who would discriminate them if his bill protecting homosexual rights passes into law. If his bill gets into law as it is most likely to pass, one scenario being, a private establishment or club with long standing rules requiring certain dress etiquette for its patrons (i guess for decency's sake) will be finding itself ushering cross-dressers in their whimsical outfits to avoid hefty penalty or worse it could figure in an obituary.

Homosexuality being shoved down everyone's throat

We see the pattern here, from one part of the world to another, advocates of homosexuality and powers that be that allow its steady global advance lay down the marker as to what society has to perceive to be wrong or right. Opponents of so-called aberrant behaviors that destroy societal and moral order are now conveniently labeled as haters and therefore seen as evil, whereas advocates of immorality and pernicious lifestyles are hailed as angels and role models.

Today, a deluge of strong confusion as to what's moral and what's not, and what is evil and what is good, is such that people are gradually losing a sense of what is wrong and right. If you're a parent in America and you voice your complaints about your six-year old getting lessons on oral and anal sex (for which their child cannot opt out), you will be labeled as homophobic intolerant bigot. Parents or individuals who find themselves opposing these demonic initiatives have now every reason to be terrified because the powerful homosexual agenda is always on the lookout on every corner and on every corridor - at the seat of governments of every town, city and the capital, to ensure that its evil agenda get a foothold into and eventually a chokehold on the life of every American, by hook or by crook, at the behest of the spirit of the Anti-Christ that has taken residence at the White House.

There seems to occur a misplaced concept if not a complete loss of discernment as to the distinction between good and evil. The whole world looks up to America to be the pioneer of everything for the rest of humanity to emulate, and the demonic homosexual agenda, as evil as it gets, blazes a trail for every demonic activity to complete the work of Satan.

Every loving parent should not be subjected to a terrifying ordeal knowing his or her precious little one does a workshop at school on how to fit a condom on a banana and getting lessons on how anal and oral sex can be a source of immense pleasure hence a necessity in life. Brace yourself people, it all starts in America and the rest of the world is itching to follow suit.

Homosexualization begets Christian persecutions

It doesn't take a Bible scholar to be able to sense the aggressive demonic activities that are exponentially evident under the current US administration. From proving that he has perfected the art of deception at the expense of the gullible by acknowledging traditional-marriage only (to get conservative and religious votes) during his campaigns - to a planned coming-out in support of homosexual marriage as opposed to his previous declaration, this president's undying devotion to the  homosexual community is such that under his nose, some Christians cannot practice their faith anymore without being harassed and persecuted  by an empowered homosexual community.

While the homosexualization and Islamization of America have been the two major accomplishments of Obama, it has also become more obvious that true Christianity has been and will be seeing  its share of major persecutions in days ahead. Though on paper and in the natural homosexuality and Islam are incompatible with one another, in the spiritual realm however, these two strange bedfellows work hand in hand to bring true Christianity to its knees. (And though for a time it would seem like it is so, yet that is very unlikely because true born-again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ know whom they serve and the enemies' fate had already been sealed on the cross of Calvary.)

Irony of all ironies: In one of the Department of Homeland Security classified reports in 2012, Christians were labeled as potential terrorists for their, among others, strong opposition to abortion, and their tendencies to adhere to biblical tenets that may "jeopardize social norms" that could cause "instability and chaos". They foresee that the threat coming from Christians who camp out at abortion clinics and pleading for a pregnant teenager not to terminate her child is such a cause of concern. And the presence of a handful of Christians carrying placards that say "God love homosexuals but not their lifestyles" at a Gay Pride - is such a heavy burden to Obama that the DHS needs to quell these Christians for peace's sake. Perilous times indeed!

Good is the new evil and evil is called good

Heady stuff ahead: Apart from mankind's astronomic accomplishments such as man's setting foot on the moon, and lately a terrifying advancement of science that could pave the way for a first head transplant, is there anything left for humans to conquer? With man's growing arrogance and his downplaying of the coming wrath of an entity called God, if not negating His existence at all, he tends to be his own god and does the things that please him, even mocking the God that he believes doesn't even exist. Man sets forth his own rules in life: Be yourself. Live to be happy. Do what thou wilt. Be free. Life is short. You only live once. Live your best life now. All of these are demonically-inspired motto designed and engineered by the Devil to bring humanity into rebellion against a holy God.

How on earth a parent is labeled child abuser if she disagrees to her young child being indoctrinated into a demonic ungodly school curriculum teaching them that anal and oral sex should figure as components in man's hierarchy of needs? Imagine a teacher brainwashing her students that it is a violation of their human rights if their parents get in the way in choosing their own genders as if they all came to school in a confused state and registered as asexual and it is the school that has the right to help these kids decide on their gender. This filthy demonic public school curriculum in America just gets more aggressive, intrusive and manipulative of every young child's life that sits under its roof, and the relentless attack on true Christianity by these same evil powers can only get worse because people tend to be accepting of these "new norms" in the name of tolerance and acceptance.

How ironic that some groups screaming intolerance and discrimination that are in fact insignificant in number trump the rights of the majority. Case in point: a principal in a public school in Kentucky has allowed a transgender student to use a girls' only restroom that spurred a debate over privacy and equal rights. Some politically correct students even show their support of it while others feel threatened and uncomfortable seeing a boy in their restroom who insists he is one of them. In the end, the principal maintains he is doing the right thing as there was no significant opposition to it - all in the name of tolerance, acceptance and equality. In the end, one person gets his "rights" protected at the expense of many others who feel violated.

The consensus being, it's the best and perfect time to be gay in America where you can nonchalantly bulldoze your way through life without fear of being rejected and discriminated against because the politically correct establishments stand tall to ensure those who go against their whim get punished. With certain laws carefully woven to protect the "rights" of the homosexuals, anything that is deemed offensive to their feelings certainly gets due treatment. Take the case of a Christian baker in Oregon who politely refused to bake wedding cakes for a same-sex couple. Despite believing that his First Amendment rights stipulate that he has the right to practice his religion, he is being punished by the state and the community at large who have sympathized with the gay couple who could have gone to a gay baker instead of running after Christian bakers whose conscience dictates God's sovereign laws are inviolable when it comes to marriage definition.

And why the silence from mainstream "Christianity"?

We have seen how the world excitedly watched and was exhilarated at the coming out of a 66-year old former Olympic champion by announcing that he has become a woman. When most people his age spontaneously fade into obscurity, perhaps in favor of enjoying old-age serenity and or strengthening familial bonds, here we are witnessing an aging grandfather making a mockery of God's design by posing as cover in a smut as if he is out to outdo the real ones. Then let your disgust or pity be read or heard on social media and see mobs after mobs tear you down. Insanity is the new heroism and natural order becomes the new enemy - isn't the devil not too shabby with his tactics to bring hedonists to their ultimate end?

Ultimately, a Christian's greatest concern is the soul of Bruce Jenner. God declares in Jeremiah 32:27 that there's nothing impossible with Him. He likewise never runs out of His patience and not wanting anyone to perish but to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) But so far how many Christian leaders in America have spoken against these audacious rebellion against a holy God? If anything, mainstream Christianity in America seems to have been muzzled for fear of backlash and persecution from institutionalized vanguards of homosexuality.  Instead of calling a spade a spade, the hesitation to even touch the subject within the congregation is blatantly manifest. And this clearly speaks of the church's own struggle with immorality within its ranks. People who are called to warn others, who themselves wallow in the quagmire of their own filth, have flagrantly muted biblical alarms because of hypocrisy in the church . Some of these leaders think of their own survival, well at least from their own (earthly) perspective.

Imagine Joel Osteen preaching one Sunday that homosexuality is an abomination to God and that he prays for Bruce Jenner to have a change of heart and stop his full transition to a woman - if we don't see a stampede of congregants to the closest exits and he and Victoria going home like wounded beasts. And surely it's unlikely you would be hearing Creflo Dollar pontificating on God's natural order and telling his congregants to pray for Bruce Jenner, or else his dream of a 65 million-dollar jet will be just that, a dream. Or Paula White urging on her flocks to stay in the right path when she herself just got married for the third time to a rocker who's an unbeliever. And if the amount of ridicule from the latest scandal involving another pastor is anything to go by, expect that mainstream Christianity in America will all the more be withdrawn from its spiritual mandate to wage war against moral degeneration in America.

God's judgment on those who hate Him

A Caitlyn Jenner is a personification of everything carnal this world glorifies, and there are more Caitlyns awaiting their turn. People forget that this world is quickly perishing and that there is more to it than meets the eye. Even intellectuals brush aside the existence of souls and that their pursuits are confined toward everything in the physical. Caitlyn Jenner could be extolled for "her" beauty but when she goes to bed without make up and reality starts to set in, her baggage remains a heavy load, and that every praise she receives is as skin deep as her make-up. How long shall this episode take her to complete "freedom"? Is it that much this world can offer her? What is her assurance that this limelight doesn't end? Has she completely defeated the notion that her body could wear down anytime soon and that she could instantaneously face the unexpected?

I firmly believe that it's no random coming-out for a 66-year old ultra-male in his twilight years to just suddenly decides he is not a he, but that he was a product of a carefully orchestrated demonic agenda that has been at work since the beginning of time. If anything, a Caitlyn Jenner was raised up as judgment of God to those who refuse God's righteousness in their lives, someone who would break moral and social norms, someone who would be looked up to for courage and inspiration, someone who would be glorified as catalyst for change - because this fallen world longs for everything that opposes God.

The apostle Paul in one of his epistles had prophesied that in the last days terrible times will happen. That people will be "LOVERS of THEMSELVES, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, NOT lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, LOVERS of PLEASURE rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power". ~ (2 Timothy 3: 1-5)

And to those who dare oppose the righteousness of God comes the warning: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." ~ (Isaiah 5: 20)

And ultimately, "They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." ~ (2 Thessalonians 2: 10-12)

A Christian Perspective: The Online Pyramid Scheme

There's a new craze going on sweeping the internet that causes firestorm on social media in particular: the so-called Emgoldex investment scheme that promises too-good-to-be-true easy money, and bulks of it, that one finds hard to resist if he is diligent enough to find people to get on the bandwagon. Though staunch defenders of it claim it's not a pyramid scheme, its nature and dynamics say otherwise. Of late, even the Philippine government has issued warnings to its citizens (as it is a huge draw among OFWs) of the legal implications and unsustainability of the said scheme, yet this does not deter them from joining in and take risks with their hard-earned money.

This Emgoldex online company that purportedly sells gold to its clients uses some effective approach to make its "clientele" feel a sense of self-aggrandizement by referring to them, among others, "clients", "online entrepreneurs", or "investors" in order to get a psychological boost and affirm the legitimacy and legality of the so-called partnership, thus the confidence in the business relationship.

Convenient money who can resist it?

Why this particular online investment scheme became an overnight hit to so many Filipinos can only be attributed to its easy strategy: a client needs to find only two recruits, and voila, it  takes only a fortnight before he receives his gold or its equivalent, in this case most investors prefer to receive its cash equivalent amounting to 3,500 euro. Essentially, the cash prize (or return of investment) an investor receives comes from the investment money that his recruits had entrusted to him (or what they term it as "upline"). So, it is in every sense a pyramiding scheme, though I do not insinuate here that it is illegal, the fact that many personalities I personally know have already benefited from it. As a Christian, I have of the opinion that this lure of prosperity is a trap to so many Christians who unwittingly took the bait that will lead to a Christian's spiritual demise.

The Merriam - Webster dictionary describes pyramid scheme as "a usually illegal operation in which participants pay to join and profit mainly from payments made by subsequent participants". Wikipedia adds, "it's an unsustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public."

There are lots of pyramid schemes out there, famous of which and popular to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are the likes of AIM Global, SWA, Royale and ultimately Emgoldex. I myself as an OFW have been tagged and inundated with invites to join in one of these, specifically Emgoldex. Not only we OFWs become the most convenient targets for recruiters but our immediate family members as well due to the notion that we have the capabilities to invest in these said schemes.

This would have not been surprising considering that pyramid schemes have been in existent since time immemorial, and still people continually gravitate towards the lure of quick and exponential profits from their investment. Due to its nature of long-term unsustainability, many pyramiding businesses in the past have crumbled, along with the lives of those who put their trust and hope in them. From the mistakes of the past, pyramiding business has somehow evolved and perfected its strategy to counter the stigma of "unsustainability" appended to it, thus the emergence of highly successful so-called online investment scheme of which Emgoldex is at the forefront. But what is surprising and saddening is that a lot of Christians such as pastors, worship leaders, elders and legions of church members have joined the fray in the hope of experiencing huge windfalls they believe to be God's way of showering his blessings to his children.

Emgoldex frenzy in Christian churches a real cause of alarm

Had I not joined the conversation in one of the Christian groups on Facebook about a specific post on Emgoldex, I would have not realized the extent of its deep-seated impact among many 'believers' -  some of whom are my personal friends. When I posted Bible verses about contentment and Jesus urging believers to lay up treasures in heaven not on earth, I was immediately overwhelmed by a barrage of negative comments as if the whole Christian community was ganging up on me for my supposed wrong perception of God's favor for His children. That in itself was a shocking revelation knowing the lure of prosperity can create a mobster mentality in people who ironically flaunt themselves as Christians.

One commenter even boasted of their pastor who was able to build a new church because he invested in Emgoldex, and that the pastor's family do not starve anymore, all because of Emgoldex (i was seeing a golden calf in such a proud testimony). And that goes without saying the said pastor is a hard-working guy who uses his gift of gab to find new recruits as evidenced by their new church building and his family not going hungry anymore. This commenter's testimony of how Emgoldex changed the lives of so many Christians she knows including pastors even turned into boasting by saying "faith without action is dead", and that reading their bibles will not do them any good if they don't work up on their faith, in this case, Emgoldex saved the day for them. She continued, "thank you Lord for giving us Emgoldex" and "please stop giving us your nonsense" in shooing me away the next, that elicited a chorus of amens from other commenters who proudly outed themselves to be Emgoldex investors also. Needless to say, I retreated from the mob and said blessings to them.

If anything, what was revealed to me is the current sad state of what some Christian churches have become, spiritually. These pastors who lack discernment and have no desire for it, may be smiling ear to ear for an unprecedented meteoric increase in tithes, have the belief that God is well-pleased at his brand of service in the ministry. That facebook episode did not only serve as an eye-opener to me to the emerging trend, that is earthly prosperity, sweeping across evangelical churches in the Philippines and abroad.

 Church leaders as indirect complicit to the trap of prosperity

A few months back, the Lord led me out of a church whose aggressive stance on matters about tithing is such that you come out feeling like a criminal if you have not yet committed yourself to tithing. Obviously, judging from the delivery of exhortation, there is that sense of arrogance knowing that you belong to the tithers' club, and a sense of guilt and condemnation when you do not; the sad thing is, not everyone, including new attendees, pretty much understands this doctrine, yet being subjected to the same level of admonition. Their kind of exhortation conclusively conveys that if you give your full tithes, God will bless you tremendously, as if God's mercy and grace solely depend on your ability to give your tithes.

Fast forward to present, this same church has now its music director, praise and worship members, dance ministry leader, elders and other members, into the business of Emgoldex. These same people you would find on Facebook posting videos or photos of themselves waving bulks of cash as if to shame their detractors. One of them even goes as far as sticking his tongue out to the bulks of cash he is holding as if to tease his skeptics. The next, they post photos of themselves with their pastors and other members eating out at their favorite restaurant with captions: "katas ng Emgoldex" or loosely translated as "benefits from Emgoldex". What follows are photos of them waving their new iphone 6, huge plasma tv, and even shouting out their plans to buy a new car - for all the world to see.

Romans 12:15 says "rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep". Or it can be understood as "to be happy for those who are happy". But when you see your brethren acting and sounding like the world and displaying their love of the world, I think there is no reason at all to be happy with them. What we are seeing here is the deification of material prosperity under the guise of God's favor - and that what truly is upsetting. As sad as it gets, a lot of church people today come to church, not for their need of the Savior but what they can get from the Savior.

Why a born-again believer should shun activities like this

I am in no way against a Christian brother or a sister who wants to uplift their families' economic status as everyone of us strives to do the same, but the following are obvious reasons why a Christian should stay away from pyramiding schemes, and this practice should not be tolerated inside the church the way it has become prevalent in so many of them today:

It causes Christians to be worldly and materialistic. Although we are in this world, we need to remember that we are not of this world, and should not be living the way the world lives. 1 John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. First, he gets to achieve what his initial goals were, then the next, and higher, and so on, until sky is the limit. The obsession and preoccupation to the  limitless goals he has set for himself will ultimately lead to his spiritual demise. And this is the area where most Christians are perfectly vulnerable.

It causes Christians to covet. The example being, a Christian brother who sees his fellow Christian in the ministry who has recruited other church members to invest into the scheme and is now able to buy a lot of things and testifies behind pulpit that God has honored the works of his hands (and mouth, through the scheme) will now be encouraged to join the fray so that he too will be blessed by God. Envy and jealousy will take root, and that will lead to self-pity if he fails to achieve the same. Jesus says, And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses (Luke 12:15).

It sends out a wrong message to other Christians most especially the new believers that could derail their walk with Christ. What impression will it give other Christians and new believers alike when after Bible studies or worship service they find church workers in a huddle on every corner talking to new prospects and convincing them to get on board their scheme? What spiritual benefit does it contribute to other believers if the encouraging verses they used to share on facebook suddenly disappeared in lieu of the ubiquitous and aggressive sales pitch that go with photos fanning themselves with bulks of cash? Has greed overwhelmed the church while pastors sit idly by in perfect complicit to the pervasive materialism and worldliness that has gripped their congregation?

It increases the tendencies for them to associate with the wrong people for the wrong reason. Normally, a true Christian would not hesitate to make his faith known to unbelievers, rather he finds it as an opportunity to share the gospel to them. But in the case of a Christian winning over new recruits into the scheme, he tends to never bother mentioning the name of Jesus to them, in fact he is most likely to compromise his faith for fear of losing his prospect. He tends to agree with them, join in the kind of conversation they are comfortable with, and ultimately surprises them as though they are clueless that he goes to a Christian church as he does not sound like one. Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, "Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

It steals away their precious time with God. All they have to do is to keep abreast of all the inquiries on their Facebook accounts, emails and other platforms where interested parties insist on knowing the dynamics of the business before they take the risk. This is pretty much the routine of Christians who use the internet (some are known to have skipped regular sleep) as their means to win over more recruits - the more recruits the more chances of fat cold cash rushing in. Sometimes, in their status they apologize to not being able to entertain questions as they are sitting in a pew, but admits to being tempted to reply to prospects so as not to lose prospective "clients". So, what else is left for God, much less quiet time, anyone?

It changes their priority. Now, it's more important for them to get more people to join in the scheme instead of witnessing for Christ. Witnessing as a command that every Christian must heed now takes a convenient backseat. "Witnessing will have its proper time and place and a suitable forum, but not now, I might get dissed knowing people find religion a polarizing subject, and besides how can I pitch my business proposal if I have a gospel in tow, so it must be one over the other, for now." In quest for prosperity, there is no such thing as "I've reached my bounds, time to get back to my roots" moments - it is an unending quest for more. It's just how the world operates, and some Christians are willing participants on that stage.

God wants us to prosper to the extent that our souls prosper

Again, I want to emphasize I am not against a brother or a sister who aspires for prosperity, in fact it is God's desire that His people prosper. The apostle John who was known for his closeness with the Lord, wrote to Gaius, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prosper" (3 John 1:2). He then went on to recognize some of the good works Gaius was doing for his fellow workers in the Lord. Gaius certainly could not have done much here had he been homeless, or poverty-stricken. Now this verse shows that God wants us to prosper in all things. John would not pray for something that was not the will of God. He prayed for Gaius because it was God's will that he prosper, and not Gaius only, for it is written that, "the Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servant" (Psalm 35:27). But it is not the kind of prosperity that most of us would conveniently interpret - for the key to real prosperity is the state of our soul. God wants us to "renew our minds" (Romans 12:2); but if our minds are carnal, our desires wicked, then earthly prosperity would not do us much good. If our minds are sufficiently renewed then it is definitely in God's interest to prosper us in all things, including material things.

I love the prayer of a wise man in Proverbs that says, "give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only may daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30: 8,9) This is the prayer that glorifies God; for this wise man knew in his heart that for as long as he is obedient to the commands and precepts of God, he will surely lack nothing because God will never forget him nor abandon him. In his letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul had this to say,

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." ~ (1 Timothy 6: 6-10)

The best investment, better than any other scheme

Can God trust you with money? He can't trust all that many people. The reason is, many Christians, whether they are rich or poor, trust in the money they have now more than in God's ability to provide for them. We are told not to trust in riches. Paul instructed Timothy. "Command those are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17). No matter how much we have accumulated in this world, there is always an encompassing threat that we cannot hold onto the fruits of our hands, for as long as we want.  

Jesus has warned, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21). The same is true for property, gold, shares, or any other assets we may have. They are "uncertain riches". God would like us to invest in something certain, something eternal. Does that sound like a good investment plan or not?

The Gospel Of Bo Sanchez And Why 'Christians' Turn To Him

If you happen to be a Filipino and a social media habitue at that, you'd definitely agree the name Bo Sanchez is big and popular. In fact many people diligently follow his series of posts on facebook and get excited for his next - and his legions of followers love to share them on social media.  It's hard to not like the person. His name alone rings out positivity, optimism and good vibes - the very stuff that titillate almost everyone. His quotes are too powerful to ignore that many take them as source of encouragement - either to drive them to work harder so that they become rich and get wealthier like there is no limit - or to get them convinced that investing in stock market is one surefire way to becoming millionaires - and foremost from his tips is how to achieve a healthy body and healthy relationships. So, who would not like to take his words and share them with friends?

Bo Sanchez is a professional self-help speaker and confidently eloquent. He knows what his audience wants to hear - and that's easily understandable why he has millions of adoring fans. Few would argue that Bo Sanchez is the Joel Osteen of the Philippines - as both men identify themselves to be "ministers of hope" - to the poor, the downtrodden, the weak, and those with low self-esteem - except for one significant dissimilarity: Bo is a proud Catholic and lay minister for that matter, as opposed to Joel who professes to be a born-again believer and pastor to arguably the largest megachurch in America.

Now, what is wrong with being a fan of these two guys if it is the message they bring that gives 'hope' to the hopeless and 'healing' to the infirm? Ain't this what the world needs amid all the troubles that encumber us? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the message if it all points to the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of His word. For non-believers such as Filipino Catholics, we can see the spontaneity of this sort of admiration and their getting drawn to the message of Bo Sanchez. But how about born-again believers who have developed fondness for this man for his feel-good message and ultimately get convinced it is God's plan for them to be rich and truly happy here on earth? Is it because they are just staking their claim to their Father's wealth as co-heirs to everything that was promised to them? If so, how about that?

Peddling prosperity-only message

In the Evangelical community, Joel Osteen is discerned to be a false teacher who has built for himself and his family an empire at the expense of the millions of gullible followers that took on his bait of prosperity on earth with an assurance that they could live their best life now. He and his wife make up a power couple in both the Evangelical and secular communities. They are the darlings of media and adored by Oprah - simply because - their faces alone beckon 'hope and optimism' - the one you don't expect to get in another half century of your existence - from the true preachers of the gospel. So the next time you see people get on a stampede on  any given Sunday to hear them speak at Lakewood church, it is because people are increasingly growing in desperation to hear their trademark message of promotion, healthy relationships, taking back what's rightfully yours, and discovering God's plan to send you to places you've never been (maybe cruising the Pacific, climbing atop Table Mountain or maybe scaling the frozen Niagara?). It's all sky is the limit, because "your Father is a big God who takes pleasure in smothering you with his blessings".

Bo Sanchez, on the other hand was a name raised from obscurity but gained cultic following only in recent years for his similar brand of gospel through his books and sermons. He has expanded his clout internationally targeting Filipino communities around the world through seminars and conferences that carry a monotone message on ways to unlocking prosperity, perfect health, healthy marriage, and tips on keeping a fat bank account, and all the positives you can ever imagine. So, it's not surprising at all that millions of Filipino Catholics (and non-Catholics alike) adore Bo Sanchez for the inspiration he has given them.

These two pretty much stick to their guns: always speak of the positives and never give chance on the negatives - and that's easily obvious why they both have maintained great following through the years and exponentially thriving. Speaking of the negatives, the topic of sin and being accountable for it - is a strange commodity frowned upon by their target audiences, not for its stressful and depressing effect, but because they were a departure from their usual fodder, hence do not feature in any of their sermons. Anything that does not help to ease up the burdens of the weary (such as guilt from sin)  - is a "deviation from their calling" - so they contend that they stay in their lane: to proclaim only what helps, eases and alleviates - and not to rebuke, admonish and condemn. But on the contrary, while the scriptures convey of God's everlasting love and mercy to man, it also condemns the unrepentant, the unbelieving and all other sorts of sin. The good news is: a person is free to take the path whichever he wishes. After all, at some point, he has heard the truth.

Leading by example: practices often sidestepped and overlooked in church

Sometimes, it is upsetting to see churches doing very little to nurture their congregants with spiritual food to bring them into spiritual maturity and discernment. What mostly occupy our time in church do not contribute in our spiritual growth. Congregants even spend longer time debating what menu to prepare on their thanksgiving day, family day, couple's day; what game to be played on sports day; practicing all day their special number to ensure success on anniversary. But mind you, all this time only John 3:16 and John 11:35 remain in their arsenal. They are not even taught the things written in Matthew 24 and have no clue whatsoever about the things to come written in Revelation - because the pastor promises it's difficult to understand so the flock goes on to lap on formula till they find themselves writhing in spiritual diarrhea.

I heard a story from a colleague who once attended a worship service in a church close to where he lives, and had a front row seat to a cringe-worthy sermon from a female pastor who said that "there must be something wrong with your faith if you remain poor despite having access to the throne of grace". Needless to say, roughly a third of those in attendance shrank in their seats for playing part of her own statistics of those who either fell short in the faith department - or became recipient of a curse for not surrendering their full tithes to church coffer. Now, that is a really disturbing concern within the body of Christ. Seriously, that's just some insanely flawed theology driven by man's hedonistic desire to obtain anything and everything for his own satisfaction - and we are talking here of Christians - not some atheists or capitalists.

Few years ago, after I rededicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I had a privilege to enroll in a discipleship class where church members such as pastors, elders and even new believers from different local churches can be your classmates. One night after class, our class president (who was a preacher and elder) drove the five of us to a certain place where we initially thought we were in for a treat (I already had in mind what to order). But to our surprise, we were herded to a dark room where powerpoint presentation of some sort greeted us. (He then suggested "God gave us the privilege to act out on our faith because faith without action is dead. And it is God's plan to prosper us if we act out on our faith." Really?) We were then given forms to fill out and compelled to register in some networking business at his behest. Sure, he footed the registration fee as we were automatically registered to be his downline, but there is nothing worse than feeling violated for being put in a situation where we could not refuse. That moment we were like sheep awaiting slaughter. It was a travesty knowing we were better off as messenger of the gospel rather than some aloe vera salesman aiming to exceed his quota so that he could qualify for unrealistic perks promised to him.  But it didn't take long for one of us to muster a nerve, and called a spade a spade. And what used to be a great camaraderie had never been the same again - thanks to a distorted concept of prosperity.

These kind of stuff being taught in church and exemplified by many including elders are only one of many reasons why a lot of Christians gravitate toward the lure of earthly prosperity. That being said, they develop a thought pattern that Christians are not only guaranteed pompous welcome to the pearly gates but also a life of abundance and happiness on earth. Personally, this enlightens me a bit why a lot of Christians are into online networking slash pyramiding on facebook - it's because they thought the sky is the limit if they work out on their faith. And the strange thing is, you're grasping for any hint if this certain brother or sister is still the same person you meet at church for they sound very different on facebook. They would even taunt their critics and shrug off counsel from other Christians - all for prosperity's sake. You will even see how worldly their  goals have become by misusing the verse Jeremiah 29:11 as caption beside pictures of their colleagues waving bundles of cash. Meanwhile, their pastors are into prolonged  slumber for fear their precious sheep cum online entrepreneur might quit his/her ministry if admonished.

Contentment and humility is greater than  earthly prosperity

It is disheartening to even imagine Christians who are most visible in church can easily fall into a trap of earthly prosperity - and get entangled unconsciously in greed - while forgetting that the Jesus whom they claim to be their Lord and Savior was a perfect example of contentment and humility. Whatever happened to John's admonition of "being friend with the world is enmity with God"? Has the teachings in church evolved with time to keep the flock laying still in pews? Have church leaders realized that feeding their flock with meat has contributed to their dwindling number so that a revert to their familiar diet comes naturally as the next practical thing to do? Why a lot of our Christian brothers still religiously follow and get comfort from the advice of prosperity preachers such as Bo Sanchez and Joel Osteen? And why not find comfort to the truth of the gospel that whoever wants to be a disciple of Jesus must take up his own cross daily and follow Him? Last time I checked, Jesus did not promise a mansion on earth but in heaven. Why Christians do not pray for contentment and humility just like Agur who only prayed for his daily bread for fear He would forget the Lord if he would be given more than he needs (Proverbs 30:8)?

If a Christian does not see anything hideous with following prosperity preachers rather than following the example of Jesus, then it should be a major concern within the body of Christ. The enemy will have every reason to boast that his ancient tactic - though perennially exposed - is still his favorite weapon against Christians - and we seem to be oblivious it's wreaking havoc in the spirit realm. Besides, prosperity gospel puts on subtle nuances when juxtaposed with a Christian's claim on inheritance of God's favor and blessings (Psalms 5:12). And who would know the difference between what is right and almost right unless he is given discernment?

On the contrary, who might know the difference between a trap (from Satan) and a rightful claim (to God's favor) when both share resemblance with one another? However, a true disciple of Jesus Christ will always be equipped by the Holy Spirit with discernment and heavenly wisdom. Whereas, an undiscerning Christian does not seem to be troubled at all even if he is being gradually led away from the presence of God by his priorities (to obtain earthly prosperity). That's why the pop culture called prosperity gospel is an ever-thriving and classic weapon used by the enemy to keep Christians at bay from the presence of God. And all along, they believe they are in the right path - so long as they are warming the pews on Sundays.

The truly prosperous ones

Having been privileged to listen to 'amazing people' such as Joel and Bo to whom we credit for making our day for their wonderful words, who else would want to hear about people getting burned alive in cages, Christians beheaded en masse, babies cut in two, 12-year old girls being raped by dozens of ISIS men on a daily basis, and fellow Christians being burned alive and hacked to death in their thousands in Nigeria? The world is quickly rotting away before our very eyes, its moral decadence beyond repair, man's compassion for his kind in steep decline, selfishness abounds, people run to and fro to obtain what satisfies them - and so are Christians' spiritual perspective blurred by worldly priorities and therefore being oblivious to the sufferings of the humankind. How many times we Christians dropped to our knees and interceded for our Christian brothers and sisters who are being systematically murdered on a daily basis because of their faith? Or are we just too preoccupied petitioning God to grant us that long overdue promotion so that we could travel to places we've never been and live our best life now?

Clearly, those that are not born-again believers do not comprehend the true meaning of prosperity that Jesus wants us to aim for, but through the help of the Holy Spirit, true born-again believers are equipped with wisdom and understanding to comprehend what true prosperity is all about. The Bible is replete with people who completely grasped the essence of true prosperity: Stephen, Paul and Silas, Peter, James, John the Beloved - and many other early Christians who either got beheaded, sawn in two, fed to lions, among other gruesome methods of death; and even Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They all understood what prosperity meant, and they never blinked in order to obtain it - and we know what these men had to go through! Unfortunately in this age, Christians get in their droves, chasing their earthly dreams in the prosperity gospel their favorite preachers feed them. But when the time of reckoning comes, will we be given a platform to speak in our defense before a holy and righteous God? It's for us Christians to redeem the time. And time is not of abundance.