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BY OSCAR CRUZ
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Putting up a church
EVERY now and then, a voice is heard here and there that a sect, a movement, a church will be founded – invented or re-invented – by this and that inspired individual, by this and that known personality.
History is, however, the standing witness that such pietistic, spiritualist as well as individual ventures actually come and eventually go with the coming and the going of their founder/founders for one reason or another, on account of this and that cause, this and that reason.
Among the many realities in accord with this historical fact is that while the founder/founders may be convincing speakers, good attention callers or distinctive personalities, their successors eventually prove to be less inspiring, less convincing – and the churches, the movements, the sects they founded, slowly and gradually loosen up, finally vanish and gone.
Such is definitely not but religious bigotry but factual history, not merely sectarianism but objective reality. By the way, as duly recorded by dependable historians, there were then many attempts to do away with the Catholic Church which is now some 2016 years old and counting.
Those who attempted to do away with Her were no less than churchmen themselves – some members of the hierarchy included. But miserably fail they did. And the Catholic Church remains existent and alive – in addition to the fact that the institution remains not only one as a foundation but is in fact grounded in all the four corners of the globe.
In fact, a celebrated Geneva Convention formally elevated the Vatican City into a State – with ambassadorial representatives to different countries the world over. Thus stands the principal and official home address on the one and universal Catholic Church: Vatican City State, Europe.
Going back to the thinking of someone to establish his own “Iglesia” or something the like – be that but a big joke or an honest-to-goodness intention – some pieces of advice come to order. Again, nothing here is meant to belittle any church already existent, any sect already founded, any religious or spiritual grouping already in operative stage – in this country or elsewhere.
Here’s a three-fold doctrino-practical advisory merely intended for the would-be founder to take into serious consideration to attract as many people as possible to join his “Iglesia” – probably with big interest and celebratory glee:
First is the doctrine that there are no less than 10 gods – the father, the mother and the eight children. Why? To have but one god is not fair even but considering the so many petitions of so many people. Having but one god is over-working the latter.
Second is the teaching that there is but one commandment: “Do what you want.” Why? Life is already hard here and now. It should not be made even harder by the hereafter and the beyond.
Third is the belief that there is no such thing as damnation but only salvation. Why? This is the updated reality. This is the positive approach. This is but being kind, understandable and forgiving.
It does become a very positive Iglesia – very reasonable, very understanding, very lovable. These are modern times that rightfully demand a modern Iglesia that altogether conform with the signs of the times./PN
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