‘Public Sinners’ as Communion of Church & State
March 30, Sunday, Manila time. It’s the week after Holy Week and I understand some well-meaning Filipinos want to crucify Lingayen-Dagupan (Pangasinan) Archbishop Oscar Cruz for condemning our President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA). Both are Catholics, one the former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
‘PS tail’ is how to read my little title; it’s a mantra born in my mind just this morning, March 24, Manila time. It is a new mantra for creative thinking; reminiscent of Edward de Bono’s ‘Po’ (no comma), I’m offering it as a mind-blogging phrase for you to mine your gray matter and come out with copious ideas. The service is free - it comes from you; you help yourself.
Rebel Thinker Writes, ‘PS, I Love You’
This is Chapter 4 of my book Rebel Thinker Writer’s Guide For Non-Dummies (Chapter 3 is ‘Serendipity X,’ also in this site). This new chapter is about how I can teach you to start writing with a great idea when you have no idea to begin with in the first place!
I want the best for you. And how am I going to give you that? Today, I shall give you a mantra, the likes of which you’ve never seen before – and neither have I, since I just invented it today – Full essay
2 Launchings, 2 Models, 2 Tactics
Outside the auditorium, the scenery was drab; inside, the scene was subdued. Nothing unexpected was expected within those old walls. Even humor seemed out of place.
Early this week, some 250 delegates from the countryside and the cities were in attendance that first day of a national conference set March 12-14 in the City of Batac in northern Philippines, and the first thing MMSU Professor and Emcee Josie Domingo said was, ‘Ladies & gentlemen, we’re making history!’ Far at the back of the PhilRice-NTA auditorium, I heard her loud and clear. I also noticed nobody did clap. Full essay
The Original Jun Lozada Jokes
Uploaded in Batac March 11
Is Jun Lozada an original? So am I. The Jun Lozada affair is too serious a matter to be left to his admirers, advocates and guardian angels alone. This time, I’m coming out with 100 jokes - all original, except 1 - because nobody else is. Because the ground is hot, very hot. These are the times that fry men’s soles. You will see the joker is wild, his guardian angels are funny.
Jun Lozada says he seeks the truth – don’t they all? Full essay
Lozada’s Logic & Performative Contradiction
Rodolfo ‘Jun’ Lozada (JLo to me) is the new folk hero of my country, the Philippines, a fractured culture. In his own eyes. And in the eyes of his family. But which family? He has publicly admitted keeping more than one, so I don’t know.
JLo is the newest folk hero also in the eyes of the Black & White Movement, inspired by Cory Aquino (our once-housewife President, Time’s Person of the Year for 1986), and in the eyes of some priests Full essay
Barack Obama Runs Scary, GMA Runs Scared?
By Frank A Hilario
Writers and candidates and the opposition could all learn from front-running US presidential hopeful Barack Obama: He started campaigning when he was only in Grade 3, and started hyping himself in 1995 through a book, even before he became Senator. Now he’s hyping himself as the only hope of his country. When you dream big, you have to hype yourself to be up to it. That’s scary.
My President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is being hyped by the individuals & those united in their opposition (the Intuit Opposition) as the Philippines’ only obstruction to peace and prosperity Full essay
The Journey Back To Me’ - Ricky Lee
Truth revealed. There are 3 things that make the Catholic distinct from any Protestant chic: While Protestants believe 100% in the Bible, Catholics believe 100% in the Bible, 100% in Holy Tradition, and 100% in the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church. So I say, the Protestants are Okay in that they believe in God 100%; the Catholics are A-OK in that they believe 3 times more – they believe 300%. Of course, I’m a Catholic.
So, what is truth? To the Catholics, truth is what the Bible says, and what Holy Tradition says, and what the Magisterium says, taken all together. If you invoke the Bible only, your truth is incomplete, to say the least. If you want to bring the wrath of God on some people you have publicly condemned using the Bible only as your Full essay
The Mess Media In The Philippines
With the Manila Muddle created by themselves, Manila mass media are now trying to control, provide, sell information towards their kind of revolution, which is described by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) (abs-cbnnews.com) as ‘a new brand of people power.’ I believe the Archbishop and the arch enemy of every Philippine President, the Manila mass media, are misreading the signs of the times. Or trying to change them. Full essay
‘We Are Our Own Best Enemy’ – Tony Meer, Filipino
February 25 – 22 years after People Power 1 drove out of this country benevolent dictator President Ferdinand E Marcos, 7 years after benevolent clown President Joseph Estrada was deposed by People Power 2, many jokers and jesters are still trying to stage People Power 3 against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They are the stonecasters at the adulterous woman of biblical times. They hate the sinner, not the sin; if they hated the sin, they would have to hate themselves.
You can hate at your convenience. Full essay
The Rebel Writer Writes, ‘To X Or Not To X’
Disorder out of disorder? Yes. That’s the way I know creative thinking begins, with something that is seemingly un-pregnant with the promise of a brainchild. Once you accept that, your days as an un-creative writer are over. Then you will be the father of a brainchild one after another. Prolific. Terrific!
Welcome Serendipity X, the Serendipity Muse on call. Let x equals the unknown equals chaos equals creativity. Full essay
The Rebel Writer Writes Of Slaves & Masters
The great science fiction author Ray Bradbury says, ‘A computer is a typewriter. I have two typewriters, I don’t need another one’ (James Hibberd, 2001 August 29, archive.salon.com). So, one of my favorite writers is one of my PC Fools. Having written 107 essays in the last 105 weeks in the American Chronicle alone, edited and desktop-published my own book (read ‘My American Book,’ frankahilario.com), I know that in creative writing, if you don’t fool around with the PC, you’re a fool. Full essay
‘To love everyone.’ I imagine Jesus Christ answering my unasked question. ¶ ‘Sir, you’re telling me that that is the greatest commandment?’ ¶ ‘Yes, child.’ ¶ ‘But Sir, why is it the greatest commandment?’ ¶ ‘Simple. Because it’s impossible.’
How do you say? ‘I love you … all of you.’ To love everyone: how do you do that? One can be so sadistic, really. I understand. I have to. It doesn’t mean I can do it, but if I am to follow, I will will it, will all my heart, will all my soul, will all my mind. To love everyone. Know then that that’s my statement of pure purpose, that’s my commitment of pure living. Wish me will. Full essay