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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Maybe Never

Maybe this is something I don't think I will ever understand…

Therefore, here I am left with questions.

Is it worth risking a life because of certain 'panata'?

It's different when you're risking your life to save someone than risking your life (and probably putting others at risk) just to touch an image; simply because you believe that you will be saved as it is a form of redemption from your sins.

Is it because a lot of people don't think?

  • That you will be healed and that you will be 'blessed' because you were able to touch the image
  • That a day sacrifice (attending the procession) is more than enough sacrifice to have a good life
  • That you are still willing to continue the tradition even if a loved one lost a life because of it

Can people live a good life with faith (without thinking) alone?

  • It's enough that you believe and you don't have to think simply because you believe.

Really, maybe never...

8 comments:

jenpot said...

naku, mahaba at masalimuot na diskusyon ito. pero sa tingin ko e hindi naman dahil sa hindi sila nag-iisip kaya ganun ang behavior nila. may malalim na ugat kung bakit ganiyan na lamang ang tindi ng panata ng maraming Pilipino sa relihiyon (at maging sa sugal na rin at kung ano pang mga ritwal). makikita natin yan mula sa kasaysayan hanggang sa sitwasyon ng mga Pilipino sa kasalukuyan. pero syempre, talagang nakakalungkot at depressive na malaman na may (mga) taong namamatay dahil sa ganiyang paniniwala.

alwaysanxious said...

I still would like to believe that it has something to do with the way people think (either they don't think or something is wrong with reasoning). Kahit naman may malalim na ugat na pinangalingan ang pamamanata na ito, dapat ka pa rin namang mag-isip kung ang mga bagay na ito ay may kabuluhan. Halimbawa: Isaalang-alang kung tama bang dalhin ang isang bata (toddler or baby) sa ganung lulgar dahil lang sa paniniwalang mapapabuti ang kanyang buhay sa ganitong paraan. Not because it's tradition, it should be followed. Dapat nga i-encourage ng Simbahan na maging kritikal ang tao eh.

jenpot said...

Nandun na tayo, there is really "something wrong with their reasoning" at hindi naman talaga lahat ng tradisyon ay dapat sundin. ang problema kasi, hindi lahat ng tao (well, lalo na siguro ang simbahan) ay kritikal mag-isip o "bukas" ang kaisipan lalo na kung tungkol sa religion. they take it as the "absolute truth" e. teka, magdebate daw ba? :P peace tayo! ^_^v

jenpot said...

pahabol... may sagot pala sayo tungkol sa pagiging kritikal ng simbahan:

Black Nazarene deaths pose challenge to Church

missingpoints said...

Faith is the opposite of reason. Rational thought requires evidence, faith proceeds despite (or maybe because of) the lack of hard facts.

Perhaps the ability to hold conflicting thoughts (1984's doublethink) is a survival trait for intelligent primates.

alwaysanxious said...

potchipotch: Debate kung debate :D I've read the article. At least, it's a good thing someone from the Church recognized this issue.

missingpoints: Agree. "the ability to hold conflicting thoughts" I hope this is something that can be learned.

missingpoints said...

^ "The ability to hold conflicting thoughts" is what enables these people like Noli de Castro to be a decent news anchor the rest of the year and a barefoot devotee in January.

Or as Bill Maher puts it "You can't be a rational person six days a week…and on one day of the week, go to a building, and think you're drinking the blood of a two thousand year old space god."

The faithful are schizophrenic.

alwaysanxious said...

*Slow processing brain*

In essence, a man can be rational in other aspects but never (or choses not to) when it comes to his faith, right? Which means, one can never expect these devotees to detach from their belief. The yearly procession (with injured and deaths) will persist.