Tuesday, January 14, 2020

ATHEISM, AGNOSTICISM, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ?



This  is  how  I  begin  each day ...




I  got  this  book  last year just after my little brush with death.  I told myself why not ?  It had been many years since I read the Holy Bible and a few pages a day could make my day. I don't want to make an issue against the non-believers. As for the atheist and the agnostics, we were all given a free will to believe whatever we want to believe in but surely I can tell you -  having a God to pray to when you are about to be operated on helps a lot to calm your nerves.

This is only one them. I still read other books, watch movies and documentaries, as well as magazine
and newspapers. Occasionally, I have some chit chat with people who frequent the store. Surely you can learn a lot by listening. Knowledge is something that you already know and all you have to do is to pass it on. Being in the bookstore for at least 13 hours a day, I am able to watch and listen how politicians try to outshine each other in congressional and senate hearings, how resource speakers try to enlighten by explaining their field of expertise, and how the Media commentators point out the lapses in judgement and ethical standards of people who rule and the authorities that enfold our people. And also  Men of different religion and political cause, and how they project themselves to be believed and appreciated, and achievers in sports and in different fields, they all make up a world of glory and chaos. We have but a little time ...we might as well enjoy the time we are given. 
  
Sadly, men are divided by what they believe in. However, it is also that conflict that makes life exciting. I am not sure if it was Santayana who said that story-wise, the 700 years of European wars a blessing in disguise for in that span of centuries, the world had the Renaissance, the Tudors, Shakespeare and the like.  On the otherhand, Switzerland had 700 year of peace and the only thing that could shine in their history was the invention of the cuckoo clock. The Chinese have also an interesting wish for each other - " May you live in interesting times. And may you get want you want and want what you get. "

Atheism is about  belief, or specifically what you don't believe.  An atheist doesn't believe in any gods.  Agnosticism is about knowledge or, specifically, what you don't know. An agnostic doesn't know if any gods exist or not. Atheist doesn't want to believe, agnostics want to believe but can't, and those who are into religion will fight to death in defense of their faith. The faithful have a strong belief in God and doctrines of their religion, based on apprehension rather than proof.  And then comes the fanatics who are filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious cause.  The God question have been debated on and fought for since the beginning of time, it has resulted in a lot of blood being spilled. It has remained unsettled to this day, and surely  it will never be resolved in our lifetime. Ours is to find our way as we make the choice to make peace with our own God. 

I was born a Catholic and what we have was Catechism which is the summary of  principles of Christian religion in form of question and answers - a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts - used for instructions for their congregations.  From childhood to my early college years, I was a bit loyal to my Catholic doctrines and attended mass regularly.  Then I started to dig deeper into history, made some studies about different religions and philosophy. I even attended indoctrination of different Christian sects. But then I experienced some God-defining moments...  and I guess I found my peace.

5 days lying in a hospital bed ...you must have something to hold on to calm your fears. The hallway trip to the operating room fully conscious (local anaesthesia  will be used), the anticipation of pain as you wait for the moment, and the worry about the cost of hospitalization will surely get into you unless you have something or Someone to pray to. No wonder Zen points the way from bondage to freedom and as defined - those who do not know cannot tell, and those who know cannot tell.

Zen or faith, I could tell you not. Allowing nature to take its own course or shall we say, placing your life on God's Hand will surely get the job done.

The danger of reading books contradicting your brand of faith is that they may suck you into it.  Some people do get into some form of religion or philosophical doctrines and hang on to them even to the extent of  getting themselves in conflict with their family members, relatives and friends. That's the reason why thousands of sects have broken away from the Catholic hierarchy, for the reading of the  Holy Bible on their own volition. Without the dictations, as the guided Bible readings during masses,  Bible readers will pose so many question that would run in conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The real problem though is that with so many are claiming that the truth could be found in their religious group, its hard to decide which is the right one to blend in to. However, exposing yourself into different world of philosophy and beliefs may help you formulate your own or even strengthen the faith you already have. 

Each new day is a blessing ... and we'll never know when our time is up. We are all given the same amount of minutes in an hour, the same number of hours in a day, devoting a few minutes to try to resolve the God question won't hurt.  If you feel that you are on the right track of faith, and it makes you feel light and blessed, stick with it - they say and I believe too - God sees what's in our heart. 

** Jesus and His Religion :
----------------------------------
* Catholism have institutionalized "guilt" as a virtue
* 1611 - King James of England came up with an English translation of the Bible
* 100 A.D. - Closed the history of the Bible
* 382 A.D. - The Council of Rome 382 determined the canon or official list of sacred scriptures

Sunday, January 12, 2020

WHAT'S THE FIRST THING I DID AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ?

A wake-up call  I would say, a little brush with death.  Soon as got out after spending 5 days in the hospital 'cause of a severely infected cellulitis in my left leg, I thought  the best thing an old crazy semi-recluse like me should do something significant before I kick the bucket. Then it came to me, I gotta leave something my wife and kids will remember me by.  

Songs and singers.   I started to download songs day after day, over 4,000 songs by various artists.  Since I spend 14 hours a day at the store I listened to them one by one, chose the best ones and my favorites and created playlists. Songs I like to listen to and most of all songs I dedicate to my wife, to remind her of me and the good times we've had together. And then the best from each artist, rhythm in blues, ballads, country songs, OPM hits, Christmas songs and some rock and roll.

The story behind the songs.  I love to listen to music and keep tab of the lyrics. My Way was composed by Paul Anka for supposedly a farewell performance for Frank Sinatra, but which instead pushed his career to greater heights. Vincent was inspired by the life of  painter Vincent Van Gogh whom Don McLean admired. Tears in Heaven was dedicated to the passing of Eric Clapton's 7 year old kid who died in an accident. We Are the World united the biggest music stars to join hand in hand to help the people of Africa.  And an urban legend tells of a dying man who wrote the lyrics of the song, "Softly as I Leave You" as a farewell note to his wife as felt life slipping away. 



As for me ... I just like to make a dramatic exit, if ever.  At 60,  each day is a bonus and if given a few more years I would like to write my life story.  All the knowledge I gathered from reading books, watching movies and documentaries, listening to people and watching the world go by,  and maybe like Van Gogh ...

" To write about the things I saw that other people
did not saw the way I saw them. "

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

RIZAL VS BONIFACIO

Ain't no argument or  debate to compare the two
Who's to be the national hero, Rizal or Bonifacio
Two great men, each a source of Filipino's pride 
Their stories written in blood... two heroic lives

Rizal  was an idea of what Filipinos can become
A doctor, a scholar, a writer, poet, a marksman
Wrote about how our countrymen were enslaved
Friars raped our women and land was confiscated

Rizal believed we're not ready, it would be a bloodshed
Against rifles and canons, the rebels were ill-equipped
He supported Bonifacio but thought he was hot-head
Not yet time to fight he said, we will all be slaughtered

Rizal wanted reforms but still under Spanish protection
Said we're not yet prepared to be an independent nation
People must first be trained through proper education
Be able to read and write, pave way to industrialization

But the Katipuneros wanted more, freedom and dignity
They knew they have to fight for it in order to be free
Spain would never let go, Indios from birth to our graves
Never be equal to the white race, to be ruled, to be slaves

Time cannot wait when the Katipunan was discovered
Jose Rizal was arrested, tried for treason and executed
The revolution caught fire and the resistance was ignited
But the American vulture lurked again we were betrayed

Our freedom was stolen from us by another demon
They claimed the country and paid Spain 25 million
Filipino leaders fought for power and were disunited
Soon they fell one by one and the colonizers prevailed

Aguinaldo ordered the killing of Andres Bonifacio
General Luna betrayed and then killed by Anolino
The"Illustrados" collaborated led by Buencamino
The Macabebes defected and captured Aguinaldo

Out the Spanish lion came the American eagle's talon 
Mark Twain and a US Senator called it an abomination
And again hundreds of thousand of Filipinos were killed
So that the American generals' treasure chest will be filled
  
350 years, Spaniards used religion to tarnish our soul
50 years, Thomasites used education for mind control
Slowly,  Americans crept to excite us with Hollywood
Pretending to help, educate us while stealing our gold

Rizal was pushed as a national hero to love and revere
Bonifacio and Sakay were rebels, against law and order
Imitate Rizal, be educated and you'll grow and prosper
America is paradise and will need  blue collar workers

Manifest Destiny and to save the world for democracy
And like all white country nation enriched with thievery 
Americans set their eyes on every third world country
To dominate and exploit, find traitors, buy their loyalty
"Bayan o sarili" ang tanong ng isang dakilang bayani
Ang kalayaan at ang karangalan ay di dapat ipagbili
Aanhin ang kayamanan kung may dumi ang pangalan
May batik ng dugo't kataksilan, at nakaw na kayamanan 

JUSTICE vs. THE LAW vs. LAWYERS


JUSTICE  :

        Justice is usually associated with the law.  It symbolized by a blindfolded statue
        holding a balance and a sword signifying fairness in accordance with the laws of 
        the society and the sword to render the deserved punishment for the crime.

        The Bible on the other hand states that it is first and foremost a relational term --
        people living in right relationship with God, one another, and the natural creation.
        As God is just and loving, so we are called to do justice and live in love.


        The movie "A Time to Kill " by John Grisham is one fine example of how a man
        who broke the law was given the "justice" he deserve because of the mitigating 
        circumstances that pushed him to commit the crime.



        
LAWS :
       
        Laws are the systems of rules which a particular country or community recognizes
        as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition 
        of penalties. 

        A Legislative body, usually elected by the people gather themselves in assemblies to 
        discuss about the formulation of set of rules, enforceable by the courts, regulating the
        government of a state, the relationship between the organs of the government and the
        subjects of the state, and the relationship or conduct of  subjects towards each other,
        a rule or body of rules made by the legislature.

        Laws are not universal and just like language, it varies with people and age.

        The law doesn't always represent justice. Legal doesn't always equate to morality.
        An example is the Apartheid Law of South Africa.

        The Constitution is an aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents
        that constitute the legal basis of polity, organization or other type of entity,  and 
        commonly determine how the entity is to be governed.

        In the movie "With Honors",  Joe Pesci clearly defined the essence of the constitution,
        and why it is the embodiment of a nation and its people.





LAWYERS  :

        A Lawyer is a person who practices or studies law. They are also called attorneys,
        legal practitioners, barristers, and  legal counsels.

        Daniel Webster quoted, "Even the devil deserves a legal counsel."  An accused is
        presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. Lawyers are needed for due process
        and they have to defend their clients to the best of their ability.

        Al Pacino made his stars shine after portraying a lawyer in the movie "And Justice
        for All"  ...



       The fight for justice is always an interesting note, as lawyers fight it out in the court
       of law.  Money, influence, reason, pride and prestige, sentiments, traditions, and even
       religion play big parts  in the argument of law and a lot of times the truth is twisted
       and justice is denied.

       Now we go down as how the three - justice, law and lawyers - serve as the brush that
       sketches the historical character in a canvass.  Historians give us a picture how a 
       nation and its people were shaped by men's desire to build an orderly society. 

       Hereunder  is a list of books and its movie-tie-ins :

       1.     Anatomy of a Murder   by William Traver  which was made into a movie
                                                             starring James Stewart

       2.    Laughing Whitefish  also by William Traver

       3.    To Kill a Mockingbird    by  Harper Lee which was made into a movie
                                                               starring  Gregory Peck

       4.    Inherit the Wind      by Jerome Lawrence which was made into a movie
                                                      starring Spencer Tracy

       5.    12 Angry Men     by  Reginald Rose  which was made into a movie
                                                  starring  Henry Fonda

       6.    Presumed Innocent   by  Scott Turow which was made into a movie
                                                  starring  Harrison Ford

       7.    A  Time to Kill     by  John  Grisham which was made into a movie
                                                   starring  Samuel Jackson

       8.    A  Few Good Men  by  Aaron Sorkin which was made into a movie
                                                   starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nickolson

       9.    Amistad   by David Pesci and made into a movie by Steven Spielberg

       10.  Body of Evidence   by  Patricia Cornwell and made into a movie that
                                                     featured Madonna

And an extra good first episode of TV series Boston Legal about how lawyers
pull tricks out of hat. 

Notes from Karambola :
-------------------------------

**  "How amazing things are done when no seeks the credit for it."

**  "You sold us down the river" - idiom to describe how government lawyers sold out

**  " An unjust law is not law at all. " - Martin Luther King

**  " Beware the fate of the furious man. " - Oliver Wendell Holmes

**  " Beware of the quiet man
         While others speaks, he watch
         While others acts, he plans
         And when they finally rests, he strikes

**  Contracts  --  contracts can only be valid when they are not contrary to law
                       --  cancellation of contracts -  not even congress can impair an obligation
                                                                         under a contract

**  Preponderance of evidence  --  as long as you can show some bits of evidence

**  The First Act of Sovereignty  --  No international court can implement a ruling in
                                                        our country.

**  Presumption of Innocence  --  " Even the devil deserves a legal counsel
                                                  --  presumed innocent until proven guilty
                                                  --  lawyers are needed to for due process, no lawyer, no trial

**  The Power of the Judiciary  -- to settle cases and controversies / justifiable

**  Constitutional Law  :
                 Quo Warranto order  -- a case of first impression
                                                   -- it involves the interpretations of law that had never been
                                                       done before.           
       

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE VS. BACHELOR OF ARTS

We are often  confronted with the decision of which road to take after our primary education on which road to pursue, take up courses that serves science and technology or opt for education in the scope of arts.  Most have been led to their career path by their parent's dream for them. The lucky ones are those who with enough resources and encouragement, are able to drive themselves to their visioned goals. But history choose figures that were able able to hurdle great difficulties to able to rise from great difficulties to be torch bearers and serve as inspiration for those who seek to improve themselves.

Great stories were made out of the lives of great men who succeeded. But they were actually one in a million for everyone who become champion, hundreds were stepped on and became failures in their quest. Success doesn't always translate to happiness and there have been too a lot of stories how lonely things are on the top. How often do we read stories of famed celebrities battle with drugs and addiction for pleasures they could not find in their stardom and at times lives ended by their own hands. 

There are no better roads,  it is how we see our travel that makes the difference. For every story of success there are million of stories unheard of on how people died in their bed smiling at the thought that though they were no deemed a fairy tale, they left behind seeds that will have better lives than the one they've had. Illiterates who were able to send their kids to school, farmer who planted trees whose fruits his children and grandchildren will get to eat, writers inspired by their miseries who wrote poems and novels to be read by future generations, landless ones who were able to bequeath a home for his family, and a lot more simple tales of simple lives shared. 

I wish everybody will spare a couple hours of their time to watch this wonderful movie. It tells more than just discovering and using your gifts. It tells about friendship, love and true happiness and how life playfully move us in a circle until we find the exit to it and find the right road to take.


   

Albert Einstein  defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again but expect different results. One of the greatest scientist who ever lived, who could pose  an argument about such conclusion. That is what separates scientist from artist, the first tries different ways or methods (experiments) to arrive at a conclusion, go for a theory until actual figures can fully support a principle. 

Vincent Van Gogh   was considered insane during his time and was even mythologized in the popular imagination as the quintessential tortured artist. He was looked upon as one "crazy painter painting crazy things in crazy ways" but his so-called "crazy ways" powerfully influenced the current of expressionism in modern art.

There is no comparison  between the two, both of them occupy a certain height of fame and greatness and they took different roads to get to where they are.  Einstein took the road of logical thinking and was revered for developing a scientific theory that served as one of the two pillars of modern Physics while Van Gogh proved that there is no such thing as a "crazy idea", he was just way ahead of his time. He painted to express his self, his dreams and how he view particular subjects, be it a portrait or a landscape. 

Men of science seek to discover things that exist but people doesn't know about, harness nature's existing energies for man's use, work on to find explanation how nature and living things function the way they are and their relationship to each other and to men, and develop better use for things that we already have termed as technological advances. History will tell us that most of them were passion driven, unmindful of the hardship they have to undergo, criticisms and discouragements, and at times lived impoverish life to devote their time and their lives to fulfill their visions. 

Men of arts were different in their pursuit but went on with the same kind of passion. They sought to change the view of people towards existing norms that every new form of 
arts and fashion were deemed as some kind of rebellion against prevailing cultural traditions.
They think outside the box, go against public opinion to able able to express their own, and seek to forebear ideas that have never been thought of before. Arts have different forms, most of the time dividing the population, even a country whether to embrace the future or cling to the past.
Theirs is not to find logical explanation of things but express themselves in some other forms of communications such as music, portraits, photography or movies, and so forth.

There is conflict  between men of science and men of arts, only among people who lacked both gifts in scientific minds and artistic minds, who teach about the two and the critics and the people who prosper from their achievements. The world is a great tapestry composed of limitless strands of life of which we are a part of. We can only seek which slots we are destined to fill and for that we have to listen to our self, our heart and our spirits. This a matter of philosophy, for each of us have a gift, something we are good at, something other people don't have. The sooner we get to discover what gift we have, the sooner we'll get to find our rightful slot, the sooner we'll get to make our mark that we will be leaving behind for our future generation to learn and value our memories.

As for me,   I took the road of science but found myself like a square peg trying to fit a round hole.  Found happiness in the arms of a lady and worked on the other half of my life to make up for all the times I messed up. I went back to something I really love, watching movies and reading books, and selling them for a living. Though I may not be deemed as a success to most, unable to give my family a prosperous life but I believe I gave them a happy home. 

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

A TRUE FILIPINO HERO : TUNAY NA BAYANI

He is one Filipino hero that everyone should know
He's a policeman ... Master Sergeant Jason Magno
While our police force is besmirched with corruption
A name to honor and respect all the men in uniform

An ordinary cop in the province of Misamis Oriental
Beyond the call of duty he faced a deranged criminal
Wielding a rusty knife and grenade he caused a ruckus
Right inside a school he threatened kids in the campus

Unafraid Sgt Magno wrestled the man to the ground
But the man remove the pin and yelled its a bomb !
He dropped the grenade and it rolled into the crowd
The crowd was then stunned by a deafening sound

Sgt Magno laid bloodied, his body torn and shattered
He dove and covered the blast so lives could be saved
A heroism written in blood, an act to be remembered
Well deserving a Medal of Valor, a story to be revered

Indeed we have reasons to feel proud, to be a Filipino
To serve and protect, each policeman's sworn motto
That out there in the streets there are cops on the beat
Dedicated cops we can rely on especially in time of need






Tuesday, December 10, 2019

WHY THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHURCH NEVER COME BACK

Our life is defined by the adversities we overcome. Raised as a Catholic, a devoted one until my college days I too walked away from the church and I am sure that I won't be coming back. We studied Catechism from grade school to high school. I was a regular Sunday worshiper until I got lost a bit during my working years. But it was also then that I started searching for answers and tried to unshackle the guilt that the Catholic teachings bind us with. I sought religion to calm the fears that hounded me since I was a child and during the darkest part of my life, it was not the kind of faith that shaped me for what I am today. The kind of inner peace I feel today, I could not define in terms of  religious doctrines but has guided me through the storms of life I have gone under.

Knowledge is addictive. As you open different  doors of knowledge there is always a voice within you that pushes you to open more doors. Religion binds us to one and when we try to open other doors, we were told that it is a mortal sin. But our mind has limitless boundaries so how could it be wrong to make full use of nature's gift. Television has many programs that espouses different beliefs and I started watching most of them. Then there are a lot of books about philosophy, religion and history, so I started reading them. I haven't quite stop searching and I'll go on as long as I can. The inner peace I've been searching for, I've found, I'm just going through the routine of fine tuning. 

A mere coincidence maybe but my kind of faith was shaped by four men who all walked away from the church. An avid reader since my grade school years, I never missed and even clipped some of Bob Garon's column from the defunct Daily Express newspaper. It was sort of a daily love letter to his wife, in guise of advising other people who too were caught in the travesties of life. Reading his column made me aware of a lot of things,  about friendship. life. happiness and marriage, and especially  one's faith in God. His belief in God never wavered but he broke his vow of celibacy believing that he too can walk the sacred grounds in his own ways. 

My closest friend in high school too was a devout Catholic and we sort of bonded by going to church on Sundays and spending the rest of the day playing pool. He was a great storyteller which I emulated later on, but he was good looking guy with his height and mestiso features that I have to add a bit of slapstick comedy to my stories so I could impress on my audience. We lost contact after our high school days and 30 years later I found an article in the defunct Jeepney Magazine that he was helping abandoned children through primary education guided by his new found faith with his wife. I never got to meet him until now but knowing that he also walked away from a high paying job just to do the so called God's work must have compensated him spiritually in some way. I guess he was one of the first from our batch who made millions in the corporate world but was unable to close his eyes to the shady dealings that accompanies negotiated product sales.

The third one was an uncle, an ex-seminarian, who mentored and taught me how to seek for answers that bepuzzled the mind. Not once did he mentioned the real reason why he left the church and justified his leaving as a mere search for his true self. A shade below 5 feet in height yet I looked up to him as one of the best teachers in life I've had.  Over a couple bottles of beer, we shared  jokes and I guess he was the one who inspired me to view the past through history readings and seek enlightenment by understanding the trivialities that mask life messages. The love for boxing glued our friendship and my only regret was that he never got to see how Manny Pacquiao made himself as one of the sports biggest legend.  He would topped the bottles of beer with crispy pata had he been alive when Manny defeated Oscar Dela Joya.

The fourth one was one of the best friend I've ever had. Also an ex-seminarian, we both worked for the same company in the 1980's. He too did not answer the call for priesthood and decided to get married and have a family.  Our friendship was merely about sharing the fun of our youth and we never got to discuss much about religion. Yet the way he led his life in a way showed me the right road I should travel in my later life. During the darkest days of my life, his and his wife's effort to help me out was way beyond the kind of friendship I imagined.  

I too walked away, not because I don't believe in the teachings of the church but because I wanted to learn why other people took different roads. I have no doubt about the existence of a Supreme Being that created everything out of nothing. The more I get to learn about science, history and culture, philosophy and the like, I could not comprehend why it is wrong to go beyond the teachings of the church. We have inside us a CPU  that can process any information and data fed into it, and our life has been programmed to last a lifetime which we can debug to produce the kind of output we want. Our life like all others will come to an end and the following generation will analyze and try to improve on where we left off.

During the times when I was attending masses and listening to the sermons, we were never encouraged to read the Bible where all those tidbits of  heavenly wisdom came from. Those who doesn't embrace the faith were considered infidels and misguided souls, condemned to suffer in sub-heaven called the Purgatory where we the living have to pray for so they can ascend into the heavens. Those who won't worship Jesus and Virgin Mary  will burn in Hell as well as those who commit mortal sins by failing to attend masses on Sabbath days. The symbolic head of the Catholic Church, the Pope is infallible, guided by the Holy Spirit, and words spoken are dictated from up above.  As I grew older, I just drifted away a bit, especially after seeing the Church interfered with the affairs of the state.

Like the four men I have mentioned above, I don't intend to taint the Church  grew up in, just wanted to see things from different corners.  


Sadyang mahirap na pag-usapan ang relihiyon
Hindi maiiwasan na di magustuhan ang tugon
Kapag itinanong kung sino na ang Panginoon 
Hindi magkakasundo kahit anong henerasyon

Katulad ng ating lahi na namulat na Katoliko
Sinakop ng kastila para daw sa Kristiyanismo
Ang tanging dala'y Biblia isang banal na libro
Ang layunin daw maging banal, mga Pilipino

Unti-unting iminulat sa gawi ng taga kanluran
Aral na katesismo na siyang daan sa kalangitan
Nagtayo mga simbahan at malawak na bakuran
Ginawa tayong alipin, mga lupain ay kinamkam

Siniil ang kalayaan, sinamantala ang kababaihan
Pati bukid ay binuwisan, tayo ay pinagmalupitan
Sino mang sumuway ay ipinipiit, pinarurusahan
At sa mga lumalaban sa simbahan...  kamatayan

350 taon ng kalupitan ... himagsik ay yumabong
Sinimulan ng mga mason nabuo ang rebolusyon
Binalewala ang sermon, pati eks-komunikasyon
Sigaw sa Pugad Lawin digmaan ang ating tugon

Kalayaaang ipinaglaban inagaw sa atin ng Kano
"Freedom",  demokrasya ang kapalit ating ginto
Pakunwaring tinuruan para umunlad at lumago
Habang ninanakaw ang yaman nating nakatago

Sa kabilang dako lumaganap ang ibang relihiyon
Mga dating Katoliko naging Iglesia, iba'y Mason
Mayroong Aglipayan, Baptist, Muslim, Mormon
Magkahati-hati, nagtalo kung sino ang Panginoon

Mga pag-abuso at ang mga kalabisan ng simbahan
Nagsusuri ng Biblia para mabatid ang katotohanan
Ibang mga mangangaral, nasilaw  dulot na kinang
Ginagamit ang relihiyon upang sila'y magpayaman

May ibang nagsusuri  hanap naman ay  karunungan
Mga kasagutan, mga ukol sa Diyos at sa kalangitan
Mga bagay na di nakita sa turo ng pari at simbahan
Tumalikod di para lumaban, nais lang ay katotohanan