I came across this message sa email, unsa inyo masulti ani? Ako na gisearch but wala man ko kita mao nagpost ko. But if naa na ni nga topic mga mods, kamo na lang mag-igo.




13 signs that show we are the Accursed People
First posted 23:38:41 (Mla time) April 10, 2007
Conrado de Quiros
Inquirer

I’ve met Alex Lacson and I like him. but when I read about his theory, which appeared in this newspaper last Sunday, about the 12 signs that show we are the Chosen People, I couldn’t resist wanting to have some fun at his expense. I can only hope he greets this with Christian amusement, or throws some Christian charity my way.

I myself see 13 signs that show we are the Accursed People, and they pretty much follow the signs Lacson enumerates for our “chosen-ness.”

One, Magellan landed on Limasawa Island while looking for the Indies and its spices. He could have landed in one of the Pacific islands, but alas for us, an ill wind brought him here. There’s a bit of comfort that the chieftain of the island felt insulted that this total stranger should demand he pay obeisance to a king who lived in another planet for all he knew or cared, and made him pay for the insult.

Two, half a century later, the Spaniards came back in full force eager to turn the islands into their happy hunting ground, toward which pursuit they sent many of its inhabitants to their Happy Hunting Ground. Things in Spain could have gotten worse; their intramurals with Portugal could have bankrupted them, enough to dissuade sending a costly expedition to God-knows-where. But, no, they managed to equip Legazpi for just such a project, and the rest is history. We became history.

Three, we became Christians in name but remained heathens in deed. We did not learn Protestant industry, we learned Catholic sloth. We learned to put premium on appearance and not on essence. So long as we went to Mass (preferably in our Sunday best), confessed our sins and took Communion, we were free to rape and pillage (or the powerful were). And keep a stable of horses and mistresses (in that order of importance) while at it.

Four, the Americans seized the Philippines, bringing Bibles with them to improve the natives’ minds. They also brought Krags with them to restructure the natives’ skulls. Particularly in Samar. They taught the natives to read so they could read that they taught them the meaning of freedom. The natives never read that no one who puts another person in chains can possibly teach him the meaning of freedom. It was only later that the natives learned the meaning of freedom from their brothers who fought for it and were garroted for it.
We might have gotten civilization from France, the civil service and the train system from Britain, and a scientific mind from Germany to go with the pains of being colonized. But instead we got Spain and America, thereby spending 300 years in the cloister and another hundred years or so (it ain’t over yet) in Hollywood.

Five, we are located in the middle of the world. That’s why the United States has kept us long after Independence to project its military presence in Asia.

Six, the Philippines is one of the richest countries in the world. The Filipinos are one of the poorest people in the world. The Philippines is one of the most abundantly blessed countries in the world. The Philippines is the most corrupt country in Asia. The words of “Ang Bayan Kong Pilipinas” leap to mind: “At sa kanyang yumi at ganda, dayuhan ay nahalina/ Bayan ko, binihag ka, nasadlak sa dusa.” It’s not just the “dayuhan” [foreigner] who became covetous and looted the country, it’s the local “gahaman” [greedy people], too.

Seven, the exodus of Filipinos abroad is biblical. The Jews were condemned to wander for crucifying Christ, the Filipinos are condemned to wander for crucifying themselves. We can always make our country better, throwing out our tyrants so we don’t have to live as slaves in it, but we’d rather go to places where they treat slaves better.

Eight, Filipinos are the messengers of God to the world. Unfortunately, they are also absentee parents to their kids. Vilma Santos dramatized the fact in a movie, sobbing that she raised other kids right but never found time to do so her own.
Nine, Filipinos breathe life to the churches of the world. Unfortunately, they also breathe death to the integrity of their own families. Overseas work is probably now the No. 1 cause of the breakup of Filipino families. The least of God’s message we Filipinos may preach to the world is how to keep one.

Ten, there is so much beauty in the Filipino. Unfortunately, we can’t see that. We like to think that beauty is to be found only by ignoring the ugly side of life and reveling in the sunset, imagining that is the way to “think positive.” In fact, there is something more beautiful than the sunset and that is fighting for justice. In fact, there is something more positive than seeing what is right about the “indios” [natives] and that is correcting what is wrong with their country. Beauty isn’t just in the eye of the beholder, it is in the hands of the doer.

Eleven, Filipinos can communicate to the world “with their tongue.” Unfortunately, their own leaders speak to them with a forked one, but they merely shrug their shoulders and say, “Let’s move on.” The one thing that has depreciated in this country faster than money is truth. Filipinos know how to communicate, they just do not know what to communicate. They have the strangest words for things. They call God “Garci,” Iggy Arroyo “Jose Pidal,” and an unelected leader “President.”

Twelve, Cassius Clay is now Muhammad Ali. We still carry the name of King Felipe of Spain. And we keep living up to that slave name.

Thirteen, from a text message last week: Modern theologians now think Adam and Eve were Filipinos. They had no job, no abode, no clothing, and they still thought they were living in paradise.

Well, maybe there’s a 14th sign of being accursed: We like to look for signs for what we are and what to do on the wall when the real writing is to be found in the heart.