Jesse Duplantis: Visiting the Facebook Pages of Prosperity Preachers, part 1

Quotes from John Piper, J.C. Ryle, and The Valley of Vision. These are what I usually see in my Facebook news feed. The insights they offer are truly edifying; truly soul-nourishing.

I wonder what if the Lord has not enlightened me on the evils of the Word-of-Faith Movement? What if I was left in darkness listening and reading these dangerous teachers? What would appear on my news feed if the Lord has not kept me away from their clutches? 

On March 30, 2012, I decided to visit the Facebook Walls/Timelines of some of the big names in the movement.

Their Facebook posts appears in red in this series.

 "Get out of theology! Get out of religion! Start walking in the light of the glory of God."

A person's belief system regarding the nature of God and religious questions is that person's theology. Any God-related statement therefore is a theological statement. Duplantis' Facebook post is a theological statement because in it he expresses his view about God and spiritual things. It is therefore self-contradictory for him to say "Get out of theology..." when he himself is into theology.

Notice also that he views "theology" and "walking in the light of the glory of God" as mutually exclusive as if you cannot walk in the glory of God and be into theology at the same time. Duplantis' aversion to theology is not new. His contemporaries have expressed the same hatred for historic Christian theology.

Kenneth Copeland once said, "I don't preach doctrine, I preach faith."

Also, though Benny Hinn quickly retracted his "Spirit-revealed" teaching that each person of the Trinity is "a triune being by Himself" and that "there's nine of them", his justification for such never-been-heard-before teaching that day was:

"You say, Huh, I never heard that. Well you think you're in this church to hear things you've heard for the last 50 years? You can't argue with the Word, can you? It's all in the Word."

See where a disrespect toward the historically established theology of the church can lead you?

The Resurrection: By Which Our Hope Stands or Falls

Photo Credit: http://www.kristinahansen.com/

"But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Corinthians 15:12-19  NIV)

A Long-lasting Lie (50s-60s A.D.)

The soldiers trembled in fear. They were assigned to guard the tomb of Jesus. There was a sudden earthquake so strong. An angel shining as lightning and clothed in a garment as white as snow went down from heaven. He rolled the large stone securing the tomb and sat on it. Jesus' body was missing!

Perhaps they were still trembling when they reported before the chief priests. They could be charged of negligence in fulfilling their duties. It might cost them their jobs, or worse, their very lives. Yet they were spared. Matthew reports:

When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, `His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. (Matthew 28:12-15)

A Long-lasting Lie (2nd Century A.D.)

Though the conversation was a work of fiction, Justyn Martyr's purpose in writing Dialogue with Trypho was to show the credibility of Christianity as a system of faith. Justin asserted that the Jews sent emissaries all over the world to "proclaim that a godless and lawless heresy had sprung from one Jesus, a Galilæan deceiver, whom we crucified, but his disciples stole him by night from the tomb, where he was laid when unfastened from the cross, and now deceive men by asserting that he has risen from the dead and ascended to heaven."

A Long-lasting Lie (Year 2000)
Irene was and still is a dear friend-- one of the most brilliant girls I've ever met. One day, she was so elated over a book she's reading. Long before Facebook, friends shared good stuff with each other. She thought it was good stuff so she shared it with me. But from the very first page I knew, and perhaps she knew that I would not click on the "like button".

In the chapter dealing with the empty tomb, the concluding sentence was:

"Thus when Jews spread abroad the story that the disciples of Jesus had 'stolen' the body, they spoke the truth."

~ J. Spencer Kennard Jr.
Cited in The Lost Years of Jesus Revealed
By Charles Francis Potter

That was 12 years ago. I didn't know much way back then, but the passion was there, both for the honor of my Lord and the spiritual well-being of my friends. On graduation day, I handed over her a handwritten response to the book.

Satan's Other Lies and the Motivation Behind Them
The Stolen-Body "hypothesis" was just the first of the series of lies formulated to deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some of them are listed below:

• the body was stolen
• the witnesses went to the wrong tomb
• he did not die, but merely fainted; Gained consciousness at the tomb
• the Koran asserts that there was a switch that took place before the crucifixion. Somebody else got killed.
• Mass hallucinations
• James Cameron's documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus " (Discovery Channel, 2007)

It seems to me that on the subject of the resurrection, Satan is using all of his creativity in concocting lies. Why?

May I propose, that Satan, being a brilliant theologian knows this: The hope of believers stands or falls on the truthfulness of the resurrection.

The Resurrection has always been a part of Apostolic preaching. Less than two months after Jesus' death, the resurrection was an essential component in Peter's first sermon (Acts 2).

Paul, preached a tailor-made message for the pagan minds of Athens. It was significantly different both in style and content compared to his messages delivered in Jewish synagogues. Yet Jesus' death and resurrection wasn't left out. (Acts 17:18; 29-31)

The early hearers of the gospel then would have to choose between: the widely accepted lie circulated by the Jews VS. the apostolic preaching of a man who has risen from the dead, and now demands that he should be received as Lord and Savior.

Most of us Filipinos were raised in a Roman Catholic culture. Some of you grew up in evangelical households. Year after year, your family and your neighbors celebrate the resurrection. In the place where I was raised, the public market is crowded on Black Saturdays in preparation for the next day. Folks who abstained from eating meat since Maundy Thursday must eat special meat dishes on Easter. It is hard to find a person in our town who doesn't intellectually assent to a crucified yet a living Jesus.

But none of that is present in the first century, whether its Jewish culture or Gentile culture. The thought of a crucified Messiah is a stumbling block for a Jew and a foolishness to a Gentile (1 Corinthians 1:23). Profess faith in the Christian message and be counted as a gullible person.

Paul was a scholar thoroughly trained in the law under the tutelage of the eminent Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He was advancing in this career way beyond his contemporaries (Galatians 1:14); he could have been the next Gamaliel. Yet when he professed faith in Christ, he lost his academic reputation. At one point, a high-ranking government official shouted "Your great learning is driving you insane." It's all because of his testimony about a crucified and risen Lord (Acts 26:23-24)

Lord, Liar or Lunatic?

As hard as it was to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, it was never compromised by the Apostles. It has always been regarded as an essential tenet of the Christian faith-- something you must believe in order to be a Christian. And it is something you must continue believing unless you believed in vain (1 Corinthians 15:1)

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul makes a a case for the fact of the resurrection. His pieces of evidence could be classified in two categories:

1. The Testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures( see also Luke 24:25-27)
2. The Testimony of More Than 500 Eyewitnesses

But the real difficulty in the minds of some of the Corinthian Christians is accepting the truth of believers' bodily resurrection. It could have been due to the influence of ancient dualism where spiritual things are viewed as good and material things are viewed as bad. Or it could have been due to the influence of the Sadducees (Luke 20:27).

Paul responds in verses 12-19. He tells them that their disbelief in a future bodily resurrection of believers is inconsistent with their belief in Christ's resurrection; the resurrection of Christ and believers stand or fall together. You cannot take one and reject the other. If they have to reject one, they must reject both; and if they have to accept one, they must accept both. Why? Because in Paul's theology, Christ's work reversed the effects of Adam's failure. As Adam, the first representative of humanity fell and brought physical and spiritual death to all related to him, so Christ's victory brings physical and spiritual life to all who are related to him (1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Romans 5:12,18-19). His resurrection was not for him alone; it was the first-fruits assuring us that more resurrected bodies are coming (1 Corinthians 15:20).

If they must reject the bodily resurrection of believers, they must also reject a risen Christ. And if Christ is not raised, both the preaching of the message and the believing in the message are worthless. The Apostles are liars, and there is no salvation from sin (Romans 4:25-25).

Christ's death without the resurrection puts him on equal footing with Theudas and Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:35-37)-- he claimed to be somebody when he was a nobody.

Jesus death without the resurrection, doesn't make him LORD. When you gather followers around you and falsely claim that you have power over death (John 2:19; 10:17-18), that makes you a LIAR. And if you are sincere in your claims with no intention to deceive, that makes you a LUNATIC.

If we have believed in a Liar or a Lunatic, we are the most miserable of all men. The martyrdom of Stephen was worthless (Acts 7). The early death of the Apostle James was foolishness (Acts 12:2). Paul suffered for nothing (2 Corinthians 11:22-28). The early Christians gladly suffered from the confiscation of their properties for their faith in a worthless savior (Hebrews 10:34). What about those who were crucified upside down, burned as human torches, and those who were fed to the lions? If Christ is not raised, Foxe's Book of Martyrs must be retitled as Foxe's Book of Fools!

Praise God Our Hope Stands!

But Praise be to God we are waiting for the return of:

A dead LIAR

A dead LUNATIC

A LIVING LORD!

And when he returns, he will “transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Phil 3:21)-- free from the effects of sin. Free from poverty, misery, pain, sickness and death.

Maraming Salamat!

Sa mga kapatiran sa Guiding Light Dagupan na personal na bumati; paumanhin po at hindi ko nailista mga pangalan ninyo. Maraming salamat!

Kay Nanay, kahit hindi na niya alam kung ano ang petsa sa kalendaryo; kaya kailangan kong sabihin sa kanya na petsa bente-sais ngayon at tanungin, "Antoy okasyon natan?"... Tugon niya. "bertdi nen Manny"... Follow-up question, "duwara may anak yu ya man-bertdi natan. Siopa may sakey ey?"... Nahirapan ang kanyang kumukupas na memorya subalit sa dulo ay naalala rin niya na kaarawan rin ni Ate Virgie.

Kay Tatay na hindi naman bumati pero nagsabi nang maaga, "bertdim manaya natan"

Kay Sheryll Yap, unang bumati sa pamamagitan ng SMS, na may kasama pang dalangin. Balbaleg ya salamat!

Sa mga sumunod na bumati sa pamamagitan ng SMS: Ate Virgie Caoile, Ate Imelda Tarlit, Ate Araceli Cristobal, Ellen Ariola, at Carolyn M. Asuncion. Maraming salamat!

Sa unang bumati sa aking Facebook timeline, Bernard Rosario. Maraming salamat! Salamat rin sa mga bumati bilang comment: Ricky Rosario at Creselda Canapi. Salamat rin sa mga nag-like sa kanyang post kung saan ako'y tagged.

Sa ibang mga bumati sa aking Facebook timeline: Ate Cynthia Imus, Ate Virgie Caoile, Brenda Cayabyab, Cathylyn Martinez, Tina Nevado, sa mag-asawang Myke at Pevi Dela Cruz (at sa kanilang supling na si Mish), Jessa de Vera, at Donnie Manuel. Pati na rin kay Ate Alice Rosario na isinabit sa pagbati ang mga pamangkin kong sina Danielle at Sam. Sa mag-asawang Jojo at Blessa Victorio; at kay Jasmin Rosario.

Salamat kay Ate Cynthia Imus sa hatid niyang pagkain sa tanghalian.

Salamat sa mag-asawang Ato at Brenda Cayabyab sa hatid nilang pagkain sa hapunan.

Sa mga naghandog ng kaloob-pinansyal: mag-asawang Ed at Filipina Llena; mag-asawang Louie at Cynthia Santos, kay Ate Cynthia Imus; at sa isa pang piniling ilihim kung sino siya.

Pasasalamat na walang kapantay sa Kataas-taasang Diyos! Bago pa man niya ako hinubog sa sinapupunan ng aking ina ay itinalaga na niya ang aking buhay sa kaligtasan kay Cristo Hesus. Itinakda niya ang araw na ito bilang aking kapanganakan at sa nakalipas na tatlumpu't limang taon ay nilunod ako sa kanyang habag, biyaya at pag-ibig.

Thoughts on a Slandered Boxing Referee

"For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.

How can I let myself be defamed?"

~ Isaiah  48:11 (NIV)

One of the most important duties of a boxing referee is to protect life. He must exercise discretion in determining when to stop a fight to prevent further damages to a severely hurt man. A referee's failure on these area may cause lifetime physical handicaps, or worst-- deaths.

With more than two minutes left in the 10th of a 12-round bout, the wobbling Juan Manuel Lopez could have had received more heavy blows from Orlando Salido. Referee Roberto Ramirez Sr. did him a favor by declaring a technical knockout (TKO) just at the right time.

It is a common thing for losing boxers to complain about TKO's. Warriors would like to continue fighting till the end and they usually accuse the officiating referees of prematurely stopping the fight. Yet in the post-fight interview, Lopez went further. He arrogantly told the worldwide audience that Ramirez prematurely stopped the fight because of his gambling problems implying of course that the referee ruled a TKO for self-serving financial gain.

A day or two after the fight, news started circulating that the World Boxing Organization (WBO) is about to suspend Lopez for such a behavior. Lopez then, perhaps in damage control, apologized for what he said. His problem however is, as of press time, neither Ramirez nor WBO accepts his apology. The verdict was pronouced: Lopez is suspended for a full year.

Slander is a serious offense. Everybody seems to understand that human dignity must be honored by all. Yet most people don't realize that there is a higher being whose honor is infinitely higher than us mere men. We get offended when someone mars our reputation, yet we are tolerant, even indifferent when the glory of God is mocked. We treat all religious views as equal, and label those who would stand firm on what the Bible teaches as bigots.

Think about all the lies man has uttered against the persons of the Trinity. Here are a few samples:

"As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." 

(~Lorenzo Snow, 5th LDS President)

"They claim we killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the apostle of God.

But they killed him not, nor did they crucify him" 

(The Koran)

"No, the holy spirit is not a person and it is not part of a Trinity.

The holy spirit is God’s active force that he uses to accomplish his will.

It is not equal to God but is always at his disposition and subordinate to him" 

(~Watchtower Bible and Tract Society")

I am appalled by the assertion that all beliefs are equally valid.

I abhor any idea which says that all religions lead to God.

God is zealous for his glory and honor and so should we.

The Terrifying God and His Forsaken Son

He was terrifying when he wiped-out the world's population with a global flood.

He was terrifying when he showered Sodom with burning sulfur.

He was terrifying when fire came out from his presence to consume Nadab and Abihu for their experimental worship.

He was terrifying when he instantly struck Uzzah dead for rescuing the ark of the covenant from touching the soil.

The presence of the holy God then is not a safe place for us unholy ones. Isaiah understood this well that when he saw a vision of the Holy God, he thought his doom has come.

Yet when his beloved Son was arrested, none of the arresting team fell dead. Where is the terrifying God?

On trial, while answering the question of the High Priest, one of the officials struck him in the face and asked, "Is this the way you answer the high priest?". He was concerned about the honor of the High Priest yet trampled upon the honor of the Son of God. But he remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

While on trial, a false witness appeared. He testified that Jesus forbids people from paying taxes. This was a big lie for when Jesus was asked on this very issue, he replied "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar..." Yet the liar remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

They made him wear a mock royal robe; made him wear a crown of thorns. The King of glory was made a laughingstock. But they remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

Blindfolded, they struck him repeatedly and asked, "Who struck you?". Yet they remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

They spit on him. Probably some drops of saliva and phlegm landed on Jesus' face. Yet the offenders remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

They stripped Jesus naked subjecting him to public shame. Nails were driven through his feet and wrists. Yet they remained alive. Where is the terrifying God?

The crowd taunted, "He saved others, but he can't save himself!". But no one in the crowd fell dead. Where is the terrifying God?

Where is the holy and terrifying Father who sent the global cataclysmic flood, burned Sodom, killed Uzzah and burned Aaron's sons?

He was there. In fact, the Heavenly Father was not passive in all these. He was actively involved:

This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. (Acts 2:23)

His wrath was poured out exclusively on his sin-bearing Son. When Jesus shouted "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?", he wasn't merely reciting the words of Psalm 22. This was a heartfelt outcry from an abandoned soul who for the first time since eternity past was separated from the presence of his Father to suffer for sins not his own. By this one sacrifice, we who believe won't have to fear the wrath of God anymore. The presence of God is now a safe place for those who believe in his Son. (Isaiah 53:3-6; Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18)

Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (Paula Cole)

Photo Credit: Simon Santos, owner of video48.blogspot.com

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."  (~ 1 Peter 3:7 NIV)

 

  

Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

Paula Cole, 1996
lyrics HERE

Sometime in the past, a woman envisioned a happy marriage with the man of his dreams-- a sort of a hero. When she found him, she naturally said 'Yes' to marriage. Now it's too late; she discovers that she is married to an irresponsible and insensitive man.

The lines "I will do the laundry if you pay all the bills" and "I will raise the children if you pay all the bills" seem to indicate that the woman was compelled to look for ways to cover family expenses sadly  leading to the neglect of her domestic and child-rearing responsibilities. It is not because her husband's income is not enough but because he squanders much on his vices:

We finally sold the chevy
When we had another baby

And you took the job in Tennessee

You made friends at the farm

And you joined them at the bar

Almost every single day of the week

And at home, the wife feels neglected:

"I am wearing my new dress tonight
But you don't, but you don't even notice me"

This wife is not perfect for sure. It sounds to me that she is considering divorce ("Say our goodbyes") which in her case is not biblically justifiable. Yet the ones I would like to address in this post are my fellow brothers, especially the husbands out there. In 1 Peter 3:7, husbands are instructed to be considerate to the wives' physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Furthermore, husbands should treat them with honor and respect.

Photo Credit: Simon Santos, owner of  fpj-daking.blogspot.com

We can never be Leon Guererros or Daniel Barrions, but by the Spirit of God, we can all pursue biblical masculinity.

Winning the War Against Worldliness (Colossians 3:1-4)

What is the best strategy to fight worldliness?

Shall I smash my TV set into pieces?

Shall I retreat to the boondocks or hide in a cave and live as a hermit?

Shall I live in a box to insulate my self from the world outside?

I was in isolation from the outside world when I was in my mother's womb. Before there were any external influence upon me, I was already sinful from the moment of conception.

In the verses that preceded Colossians 3, it appears that in the pursuit of godliness, some teachers enforced some external rules. It may be some form of asceticism, that is the practice of denying the physical body of comfort and pleasures to achieve spiritual goals. It has penetrated the church and so Paul writes to instruct the Christians about true spirituality. The apostle told them that asceticism has no value in combating the indulgence of flesh (2:23). In place of these practices, Paul prescribes two imperatives which are grounded on two realities.

THE IMPERATIVES

1. SEEK for heavenly things (verse1)

Seeking the things of God should be our one single passion. The Greek word is zetew. It means to "try to learn the location of something". It conveys the idea of moving from place to place in the search process. It is the very word used in Mark 1:37. Jesus left very early in the morning while it was still dark. Nobody knew where he had gone. His disciples made every effort to search for him everywhere and when they finally found him, they exclaimed "Everyone is looking for you".

I was on board a public jeepney one morning. Though eavesdropping is not a habit of mine, the volume of the woman's voice four feet away compelled me to sing Alanis Morissette's opening line: "I had no choice but to hear you".

She worked hard for years for the education of his son. Yet on graduation day, she learned that her son's name was excluded from the list of the candidates for graduation. Her son failed to secure the signatures necessary for his graduation clearance. A few hours away before the commencement ceremonies, she took the clearance sheet and started to search for the required signatories. This San Carlos City resident must now go to places where she has never been before. Her search led her to the island of Salapingao and two other baranggays outside the city of Dagupan.

Nothing else mattered for that woman that day. She did not touch the laundry. She left the kitchen dirty. Earning income was far from her mind. The blanks in the clearance sheet must be filled. A few minutes before the commencement ceremonies, a handwritten entry was made in the list of the candidates for graduation. It was her son's name.

In order to resist our propensity for worldly matters, Paul prescribes that we should seek the things of God with such a vigor as this. Seek heavenly things as if nothing else matters.

2. THINK About heavenly things (verse 2)

The Louw and Nida lexicon defines the Greek word phrone as "to employ one's faculty for thoughtful planning, with emphasis upon the underlying disposition or attitude". Your thought life is an essential area to be conquered if you are to win the war against the indulgence of the flesh. Evil thoughts are not fought by restraining your brain's ability to think. Rather, one must actively involve the mind to meditate on the things which are eternally holy and beautiful.

THE REALITIES

I have said earlier that the two imperatives are grounded on two realities. The first reality we shall consider is:

1. Our Union with Christ

Col.3:1 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ"

Col. 3:3 " For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

There is a mystical union between Christ and his followers. We are united with him in his death and resurrection. Paul has already stated this earlier in 2:12-13. The result of this is that his followers died to sin. The old man that used to be a slave of sin is already dead, therefore is now free. Paul says in Gal. 2:20, he has been crucified with Christ. He no longer lives. The only life he is living is the life of Christ living in him. When the incarnate Christ was on the surface of the earth, nothing else mattered to him but to do the will of the Father (John 4:34). If Christ is indeed living in us, we will must have the same mindset. The good news is our union with Christ is not something we are still working on. It is a present reality that we should live with accordingly.

The second reality by which the earlier imperatives are built is:

2. Our Glorious Future

Col.3:4-- "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Christ will return and when he appears, we will see him in all his splendor. In Titus 2:13, Paul describes this appearing as "glorious". Yet it is not only him who will appear in glory. Colossians 3:4 says there will be a change in us. We will appear with him in glory.

If I'll give you a 3x5 card and ask you to scribble all the undesirable things in me, both physical and spiritual, perhaps you will answer back, "Bro. Manny, this 3x5 card will not be enough for my long list". But when the day comes when I shall appear with my Lord, I will be changed within a twinkling of an eye. All things inglorious in me will suddenly be replaced by glorious things. All things disgraceful in me will suddenly be replaced with honorable things (1 John 3:2)

How does this reality serve as a weapon in fighting worldliness? 1 John 3:3 says "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."

--------------

May Lugar ba ang Feng Shui sa Buhay-Kristiyano?

May dragon dance.

May bigayan ng tikoy

May mga bati Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Chinese New Year na nga.

Karaniwan ring itinatampok sa panahong ito ay ang paniniwala sa Feng Shui. Ito ay nakabatay sa prinsipyo na may positibong enerhiya (chi) na naghahatid ng suwerte sa ating buhay. Ito ay nagdadala sa atin ng tagumpay, kapayapaan, kasaganaan, kalusugan at kasiyahan. Ang positibong enerhiya na ito ay dapat palapitin at padaluyin ng malaya sa iyong tahanan kung nais mong maging maganda ang iyong buhay. Kailangang alam mo rin iugnay ang puwersang ito sa iba pang mga prinsipyo tulad ng Yin Yang, at Wu Xing (limang elemento).

Kailangang alam mo kung ano ang mga palamuti na iyong isasabit, wastong mga kristal, wastong kulay ng kurtina, tamang hugis at direksyon ng hagdanan, kung saan dapat nakatapat ang pintuan, kung saan ang tamang puwesto ng kalan, kung ilan ang tamang bilang ng mga upuan at marami pang iba.

At kung sakaling ikaw ay nahihilo sa mga kumplikadong prinsipyo ng feng shui, maaari kang sumangguni sa mga feng shui expert. Ilan sa mga kliyente ng feng shui experts ay mga malalaking korporasyon, mga matitinik na negosyante, mga batikang pulitiko at mga sikat na artista.

Sa isang panayam, sinabi ng isang nagtitinda ng mga palamuting pang-feng shui: “Puro science na kasi ang nasa isip ng mga tao ngayon. Pero subukan lang ninyo. Wala namang mawawala.”

Sa paskil na ito, maghahain ako ng tatlong dahilan kung bakit ako tutol sa feng shui; at ang tatlong ito'y hindi dahil sa puros science ang nasa isip ko (mahina nga ako sa subject na 'yan eh). Ang mga pinakamahahalagang bagay sa 'kin ay mga katotohanang supernatural tulad ng Trinidad, Virgin Birth, muling-pagkabuhay, muling pagbabalik ni Kristo, at ang langit bilang walang hanggang destinasyon ng mga mananampalataya.

Unang batayan ng aking pagtutol

Hindi totoo na walang mawawala kung susubukan natin ang feng shui. Ang pagsandal ng ating buhay sa mga gawaing may kinalaman sa okultismo ay hindi kinalulugdan ng Diyos. Sa pagpasok ng mga Israelita sa Lupang Pangako, ang bilin sa kanila ay huwag tularan ang kanilang mga karatig-bansa sa mga gawaing katulad nito.

Tandaan na kapag ang Diyos ay nagbigay ng utos, ito ay para sa ikabubuti ng tao.(Deut. 28:1-2). At kapag may ipinagbawal siya, ito ay para ilayo tayo sa kapahamakan. Alam na alam ng mga sinaunang magulang natin na sina Adan at Eba ang ibig kong sabihin (Gen.3:16-19).

Ikalawang batayan ng aking pagtutol

Sa Feng Shui, binibitiwan natin ang ating pagtitiwala sa isang personal na Diyos at ang kapalit nito'y pagsandal sa isang impersonal na puwersa.

Dahil personal ang Diyos ng Bibliya, maaari tayong magkaroon ng relasyon sa kanya. Personal ang pagsinta niya sa atin; personal rin ang pag-ibig natin sa kanya. Maaari natin siyang kausapin at ibulong sa kanya ang laman ng ating mga damdamin. Ito ay mga bagay na hindi mo maaaring gawin sa isang puwersa-- tulad na lamang ng kuryente. Hindi ka maaaring magkaroon ng relasyon sa kuryente. Hindi ka maaaring ibigin ng kuryente. Ganyan na ganyan sa Feng Shui; ang ating buhay sa kasalukuyan at kinabukasan ay ipinagkakatiwala natin sa impersonal na chi na ni walang batayan sa bibliya.

Ikatlong batayan ng aking pagtutol

Ang konsepto ng malas at suwerte ay pagtanggi sa biblikal na pagpapakilala ng Diyos bilang makapangyarihan sa lahat, na siyang may kontrol ng mga bagay-bagay at mga pangyayari sa ating daigdig. Kay Kristo nakasalalay ang kaayusan at pag-iral ng lahat ng mga bagay (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3).

Kung ikaw ay tumutubo sa negosyo, ang tawag ng sanlibutan ay suwerte. Kapag ikaw ay nalulugi, ang tawag ng sanlibutan ay malas. Subalit sa mga anak ng Diyos, walang minamalas. Wala rin namang sinusuwerte. Sila ay mga pinagpala. Sapagkat mayroong Diyos na kumikilos sa lahat ng mga bagay at pangyayari upang magdulot ng mabubuting bagay sa buhay ng mga umiibig sa Diyos at mga tinawag ayon sa kanyang layunin. (Roma 8:28)

Sa mga anak ng Diyos...

… maging ang pagkalugi ay hindi malas

… maging ang gutom ay hindi malas

….maging ang pag-uusig ay hindi malas

… maging ang mga bayo at lindol ay hindi malas

… maging ang kanser at iba pang mga karamdaman ay hindi malas.

Bagkus, ang lahat ng mga ito ay instrumento ng Diyos upang hubugin sa wangis ni Kristo ang mga mananampalataya (Roma 8:29)

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