How the new Iglesia leader chose who to endorse
MANILA, Philippines—The new executive minister of the bloc-voting Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), Eduardo Manalo, may have his late father’s conservative views, but with a twist.
Manalo—Ka Eduardo to his flock—pulled a surprise on Wednesday when he endorsed the candidacy of Liberal Party standard bearers Benigno Noynoy Aquino III and Manuel Roxas II.
The announcement came amid expectations by some INC elders and insiders that the sect would pick Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Manuel Villar Jr. Between Aquino and Villar, the latter courted the INC endorsement more avidly.
Only last week, abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak learned that Villar went to the INC headquarters in Quezon City to seek the bloc’s endorsement. On that same day, the leader of another religious group also paid Manalo a visit purportedly to lobby for Villar.
In contrast, the last time Aquino was summoned to the INC Central was weeks ago, accompanied by his sisters, LP campaign manager Florencio Abad said.
Estrada embarrassed them
Estrada, who the INC endorsed in the 1998 presidential elections, was out of the equation from the beginning, sources told us. The former President, who was convicted of plunder, broke an agreement with the INC that he would retire from politics if pardoned by President Arroyo.
It was the INC and El Shaddai (a Catholic movement) leader Brother Mike Velarde who brokered Estrada’s pardon. The INC reportedly guaranteed to the Arroyo administration that Estrada would not run for any public office in exchange for the pardon.
But Estrada decided to run, embarrassing the sect.
Since the younger Manalo assumed the INC helm last year following the death of his father, Eraño “Ka Erdie” Manalo, political observers have been trying to decipher him. Will he retain his father’s conservative political views, or will he make his own bold moves?
The May 10, 2010, elections will be the first major test of his leadership.
Villar was first choice?
About two weeks ago, Manalo issued a circular telling INC followers to exercise their right to vote. In that circular, he also implied that INC members should not question the decision of the INC leadership.
This has prompted some members to speculate that the INC might abstain from supporting a presidential bet, something that it did in the 1986 snap polls.
| Religious endorsements: Half-truths, bloated figures, with strings attached |
| MANILA, Philippines—With the new Iglesia ni Cristo head endorsing an unexpected choice for president, Benigno Aquino III, and with the El Shaddai leader’s bet being closely watched by political players and ordinary voters alike, the real capability of their organizations to deliver supposed bloc votes is the subject of debates again. Nine years ago, just after the senatorial and local elections, Newsbreak magazine asked questions related to bloc voting sects: How much of these religious groups’ supposed strength and influence is myth? Are they any close to holding Philippine politics hostage? Or are they peddling half-truths? The answer is, yes, they peddle half-truths, the estimates of the votes they can supposedly deliver is bloated, and their endorsements always come with strings attached. Even the candidates they supported in the past are downplaying the weight of the Iglesia ni Cristo support, for instance. |
Last week, the buzz in the INC was that Villar was the chosen one.
In an earlier interview, Abad said that the LP “is just going through the motion” of courting the INC endorsement and that “Noynoy would go only if he got invited.”
In those meetings, which Aquino admitted happened thrice, he was asked about his platform of government.
Asked what clinched the INC support, Abad surmised that the younger Manalo may have been convinced of Aquino’s “character, idealism, and aspirations.”
Maybe, maybe not.
In a statement issued after the official announcement, Manalo there were many factors considered in anointing the LP tandem.
"Many important factors were taken into consideration in making our decision. After careful and prayerful deliberation, the Church believes that this is the best for our country," he said.
For the common good
Bloc voting, as practiced by the INC, has been criticized by some quarters for being contrary to freedom of choice and free will. But to the INC, freewill and freedom of choice should take a back seat when the common good is involved.
Politically, bloc voting has become a handy tool in serving the common good of INC members.
They are able to get concessions and favors from government, in exchange for their command votes.
Political observers may say that the endorsement of Aquino was hardly surprising, considering that he appears to be the likely winner, having topped the popularity surveys. The INC has been criticized for betting on sure winners, so that it would appear that it was INC that swayed the results.
This is only partly true.
In 1992, the INC went for Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., who lost to Fidel Ramos. In the 2004 race, President Arroyo was only a second choice. The sect wavered between Fernando Poe Jr. and Panfilo Lacson but it dropped the 2 opposition candidates when they failed to unite and run as a team.
Misgivings about Aquino
Those in the know say that the major factor in the decision-making process during the time of the older Manalo was personal politics.
The late Manalo cultivated close personal ties with the Marcoses, which may explain the INC’s support of Cojuangco and Estrada in 1998. Arroyo, too, cultivated close ties with the elder Manalo.
But such personal ties do not burden the new INC leader.
Since entering politics in 1992, Villar has been consistently carried by the INC, indicating that the real estate magnate has cultivated close ties with the older Manalo.
On the other hand, the INC only supported Aquino in the 2007 senatorial race, and only after his mother, former President Corazon Aquino, personally sought the endorsement of the sect for her son.
The INC had its misgivings against Aquino following the Hacienda Luisita massacre in 2004, where some INC members were among those killed.
Before martial law, families who were INC members were kicked out of Hacienda Luisita, another issue that the sect held against the Cojuangcos.
Stalled talks with El Shaddai
What does this say of Manalo’s character?
Freed from the personal ties of the father, the younger Manalo is more pragmatic and less emotional in his decision-making process, some INC members observed. “I think, for him the bottom line is what serves the common good. The father also decided that way, but it is less emotional this time,” one member observed.
Not many are aware that the older Manalo, before his death, and El Shaddai’s Velarde were exploring the possibility of endorsing a common candidate for the 2010 elections. “Combining the endorsement of these groups would have been a major coup,” an El Shaddai insider said.
But the younger Manalo was not too keen on forging an alliance with Velarde. And when he took the reins of the INC, the discussions were stalled.
In endorsing Aquino, the younger Manalo appears to be sending the message that he is his own man, ready to forge new personal ties and then retaining some. (abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak)
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INC - Kulto!
Hindi kinikilala ng Iglesia ni Kristo na si Kristo Hesus ay Diyos. Ayon sa kanilang turo , si Kristo Hesus ay isang lamang tao. Ang kanilang relihiyon ay kulto. Ang demonyo gumagamit din ng salita ng Diyos. Basahin ninyo Luke 4:1-13. Ang kanilang bahay sambahan patulis ang hugis dahil ayon sa kanilang turo ; ang ibig sabihin ay “check” or tama kanilang relihiyon at sila lang maliligtas sa wakas ng panahon. Kaya ang kanilang ibinoboto ay kampon ng kadiliman. Magantabay sa korapsiyon at pahirap sa taong bayan ang dulot ng bagong presidente. Taas noo ang INC members dahil nanalo ang kanilang manok. Ano kayang pabor ang hihingin ni Mr. Manalo sa president? Abangan! Buksan ninyo spiritual eyes INC members dahil kulto ang inyong kinaaaniban.
@bongnate
@bongnate says
"Don't worry. We understand you. Your bet didnt make it."
- this is no longer about my bet or the INCs. Tapos na laban nila. You know the real argument here so don't change the subject.
@bongnate says
""He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." (1 Tim 6:4-5)"
- focus on CORRUPT MINDS and DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH. Think hard. Sino kaya ang nauuto ng leader nila.
@bongnate says
"We have come to that point that you:
1) quarrel on the use of the word "FREE WILL". You do not actually define it for clarity.
2) out of envy, you want us to change our minds.
3) have ill suspicions on our dear brother
4) you think religion is business"
- Your points are WRONG. Let me clear it up.
- 1.) It is very clear. FREE WILL. What is more clearer than that? It is you who is trying to add another meaning to defend your inaction.
- 2.) Envy? Hahaha! Oh you're very wrong. Is that what you call other people who thinks differently?
- 3.) Correction. VALID suspicions. Open your eyes pare. Look around you.
- 4.) Is it not? Religion also brings power. And a so-called Man of God who acquires power through religion is a very dangerous man indeed.
Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. Doesn't Manalo forfeiting your right to choose your own leaders and not his, a demonstration of the POWER he has on you? And the sad thing is, you ALLOW him to do it.
Going back to my bet, at least my bet did the right thing conceding and congratulating the INCs bet. If the results would've been different, Aquino would've been calling for a People Power be it Villar or Erap who is leading. That's the difference between my bet and the INCs bet.
And speaking of Erap, didn't the INC bet on Erap the first time he ran for the Presidency? The INC is partly to blame for what Erap did as President so don't go telling me about truthful will because obviously, your leaders ONLY PRETEND to have that. And because of that decision and your lack of will to challenge that WRONG decision, lalong lumubog ang bansa natin nung si Erap ang Presidente. Truthful Will from Manalo? Give me a break.
@ PSYLOM
Don't worry. We understand you. Your bet didnt make it.
I would like to point out that out of desperation and disappointment, rationale thinking was thrown out of the window.
We have come to that point that you:
1) quarrel on the use of the word "FREE WILL". You do not actually define it for clarity.
2) out of envy, you want us to change our minds.
3) have ill suspicions on our dear brother
4) you think religion is business
The bible is indeed great. It says about people like this:
"He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." (1 Tim 6:4-5)
Well, from such, we withdraw ourselves.
@bongnate
@bongnate says
"For you, FREE WILL is synonymous to SELF/OWN WILL. For us FREE WILL is Truthful WILL. This is taken from the verse " Truth shall set us free." WE THINK AND DECIDE FREELY if and only if the truth is in us. It's like letting a child play and wander around. They have their OWN WILL to do anything. BUT you deny them FREE WILL if you dont tell them the dangers and accidents that lie ahead."
- FREE WILL is FREE WILL. It's defined as it is. FREE WILL. Don't add something to it. This is exactly how people are misled through the ages.
@bongnate says
"Our PRIME future DOES NOT DEPEND on choosing these politicians. Gets?"
- It is you who doesn't get it. Manalo's actions for choosing Dakilang Tamad at Kalbo(NOYNOY) is proof that your PRIME FUTURE does DEPEND on this politician. Why else would he DEMAND that INC members vote for this politician?
@bongnate says
"We believe, regardless of the result of election, we do the right thing."
- it's doing the right thing that should matters. Not HAKA-HAKA.
@bongnate says
"I have seen one copy of certificate of land and property of the church. It is named to IGLESIA NI CRISTO."
- did you consider looking up the people named under IGLESIA NI CRISTO? I'm sure you'll see the Manalo family pretty much as prime owners. Again, did you see your name as part-owner? If the INC need to sell some of its properties, were you called in the past to vote for a decision?
If the Manalo family truly does not enrich themselves out of your purses then how come they were able to give their children the highest education possible while a lot of INC members are having a hard time sending their kids to school?
Where does the Manalo family lives? How big are their houses? Do you as INC member and to whom the INC gets a large part of financial income have a house that is moderately at least, half as elegant as the Manalo family?
You ask me what's wrong with INC members getting buried at Catholic cemeteries. Have you been listening to yourself? If the INC is what you say it is, then you shouldn't let your members be buried in a cemetry owned by a rival religion. Do you know a Manalo family buried in a catholic cemetery?
And what is this about your dues being paid? What are you talking about? Helloooo? Catholic Cemetery. Dead INC members. There's a distinction.
@bongnate says
"Pull yourself together! You keep on saying GOd-given gift yet you ignore bible verses."
- I believe in God but I'm also well informed that the bible is not very accurate. A thousand years of repeated rewriting and translation have done its job of polluting the original texts. The so called "Men of God" have used the scriptures to deceive people from ancient times to the present. That is why I question the way you obey your leader's every command as if he's God or Jesus Christ. Newsflash! He's not. Manalo is just a man. He is a sinner like you and me. And like us, he's also prone to making the wrong decisions. Do you get what I mean?
To use some of your own words: Pull yourself together! You keep on referencing the word of God and yet you obey the commands of someone who is as frail and as weak as you and me, preventing you from using your God-given Gift of Free Will.
Do you know the similarity between worshipping a wooden idol and worshipping a so called man of God?
WOODEN IDOL: A man cuts down a tree, uses his experties to carve and craft a small piece of wood into an idol. He places that wooden idol inside a small shrine and showered it with flowers and perfume. Then that same man who created that idol knelt down and worshipped it.
HUMAN IDOL: A man purporting to be a man of God, demands authority by having his subjects obey his every whim. His reasons for doing this is because "he is the enlightened one" and that God speaks to him. His decision is not debated. His command is obeyed without question because his followers believe he is a man of God.
What's the similarity?
A man with a wooden idol is shaming himself because he is way above this idol and yet he is kneeling in front of it. The people who allows themselves be dictated by a person in the name of God is also shaming themselves in front of God because they are allowing themselves to be fooled by this person who in truth are very human, very frail and just as weak as everybody.
TRUTHFUL WILL comes from God. It can never be dictated to you by a fellow human being. Because once it is done that way, it no longer comes from God. WHIMS are much more like it, so you are obeying Manalo's every whim not because it came from God, not because it is the truth... but because you let him OWN you. Religion is one of the biggest businesses. Open your eyes and see the REAL TRUTH.
It's a shame that you proceeded to cast an INC vote instead of your OWN VOTE which is your God-given right of FREE WILL.
TO: Bongnate
To abstain is to not recognize their office? Wrong. When you abstain a certain portion of the ballot, it means you don't like any of the available choices/candidates for that particular position. It doesn't mean, "I'll skip the president part because i don't believe in the presidency."
Typical answer from an INC member -- ganyan ang sagot mo. Kapag hindi na makasagot ng maganda, ang sasabihin ay magsiyasat ka. I have an excess bagage hindering me? Kaya nga nagtatanong/nakikipag-chat eh para maliwanagan tapos sasabihin mong magsiyasat. Tama ba naman yun?
Noong hindi pa ako iglesia at inaakay/minimisyon pa lang ako, lahat ng oras ibinigay sa akin. Talagang pursigidong ligawan ako para umanib ako sa iglesia. Lahat ng tanong ko sinasagot.
Pero ngayong kaanib na ako, kapag hindi na masagot ang tanong ko, ang sasabihin sa akin ay magsiyasat ako ng sarili ko. Magsiyasat ng sarili? Hello!?! Kaya nga ako nagtatanong ay para maliwanagan ako sa ilang bagay tapos ang isasagot nyo sa akin ay magsiyasat? Kundi ba naman kayo abnoy gaya ni noynoy.
Sawang-sawa na ako makipag-usap sa mga kapatid na gaya mo. Puro kayo "escape artist." Pag di na makasagot ay eskapo na. "Kapatid, magsiyasat ka ng sarili mo. Magbulay-bulay ka at manalangin." I only engaged in this exchange for the benefit of other brethren who have the same sentiments as I, who can't ask these questions for fear of being called "ligaw na tupa" or "pinagdilim ang paningin." For the benefit of others who are so blinded by promises that they don't realize they are being milked dry by the church administration
I DID CAST AN INC VOTE!!
FINALLY, I DID CAST AN INC VOTE!!
@ Psylom.
We must agree to disagree that we have different definitions and understanding of the concept of FREE WILL. Unless we settle this academic issue, we cannot have a head-on conclusion. For you, FREE WILL is synonymous to SELF/OWN WILL. For us FREE WILL is Truthful WILL. This is taken from the verse " Truth shall set us free." WE THINK AND DECIDE FREELY if and only if the truth is in us. It's like letting a child play and wander around. They have their OWN WILL to do anything. BUT you deny them FREE WILL if you dont tell them the dangers and accidents that lie ahead.
Our PRIME future DOES NOT DEPEND on choosing these politicians. Gets?
I have seen one copy of certificate of land and property of the church. It is named to IGLESIA NI CRISTO.
What's wrong if INC members got buried in Catholic cemetery? Are we not paying the required dues?
We have God given gifts but we use them responsibly. As written,
"As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (1 Peter 2:16)
We believe, regardless of the result of election, we do the right thing.
In fairness to our dear Brother Manalo, they are doing their responsibility as our leader. Unlike Philippine COnsitution, we have list of biblical criteria on how the ministers should conduct themselves.
Pull yourself together! You keep on saying GOd-given gift yet you ignore bible verses.
I personally dont know where Brother Manalo stays. Do you? Then show me. Google map is just a click away. Even without looking at the books of the church, INC members know that the bulk of asset of the church are those real properties and edifice all over the world. These are not liquid assets. Hence, you cannot say that Brother Manalo is enriching himself.
Tupang Ligaw na INC
Kung mayroong mga tupang naliligaw, isa na ang mga INC members. Because naniniwala kayo sa mga sinasabi ng leaders ninyo pero hindi ninyo nakikita na nagpapayaman sila sa inyong bulsa.
Kayo ba as INC members ay kumakain din sa magarbong restaurant na kinakainan ng Manalo family? Kayo ba as INC members ay nakakapamasyal sa mga lugar na pinapasyalan ng Manalo family sa loob at sa labas ng bansa? And finally, kayo ba as INC members ay may malalaking bahay, lupa at properties katulad ng Manalo family?
Buksan ninyo ang mga mata ninyo. Matagal na panahon na kayong nililigaw ng Manalo family. Hindi ba tama lamang na mag-decide kayo para sa kapakanan ninyo at hindi sa kanila?
To @bongnate and INC members
@bongnate says
"We members are not in the position to elaborate and discuss the detail of Church Admin decision. We know it is more complicated than we think it is."
- then from your own words, you are forfeiting your god given gift of free will because you let YOUR church admin DECIDE FOR YOU. So what happens if they chose wrong? Eh di kasama kayo sa mali?
@bongnate says
"I believe it is also NOT totally wrong to let other person THINK for me especially if it is not my prime responsibility."
- choosing our leaders is A PRIME RESPONSIBILITY. Because our FUTURE depends on it.
@bongnate says
"Speaking of "God-given Gift" you are saying, I just share this verse to you:
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. (1 Cor 14:12)
INC is NOT a charismatic and prosperity-driven religious orgs that "promise the world."
- you dwell too much on scriptures that was written, re-written, translated and re-translated again by various writers for a thousand years. Are you even sure that is the original verse? And yet you glorify the words as if it really came from god. Get real. It is man's work. God may have inspired it originally, but it has been polluted by man's desire to mislead.
You talk of edifying the church. But what you are really edifying is the Manalo family. Come now people, don't you think we didn't notice what is happening in your church? The INC is a family business. Because of INC members, the Manalo family is growing richer by each generation. Your officers come and go. But the Manalo family is there to stay.
Have you tried to look at the certificates of lands and properties owned by INC? Do you see your name in it? Are you, as member of INC are even named part-owner? When an INC member dies, where do you get buried? Because I swear growing up, I've seen a lot of INC members got buried in Catholic cemeteries.
The INC like the Catholics and Muslims does promise the world of the afterlife. So are YOU not responsible for your own decisions? Shouldn't YOU start to DECIDE for yourself? Because right or wrong, we are individually responsible. And a greater sin, is to waste your God-given Gift by letting other people decide for you then find yourself in the afterlife, burning in a large cauldron because your leader's decision turned out wrong?
You may want to ponder about that while waiting in line to cast your votes.
Hanapin ang tupang naligaw
To 1agrohomes:
TO abstain is definitely not the best option. Wala naman kasi sa constitution ang mga criteria na gusto natin. So we need to accept that reality and deal with it. Nevertheless, we need to respect this authority to lead a quiet and peaceful life. (1 Tim 2:2)
Anong pakinabang sa pag-abstain? On the contrary, this would be a valid moral ground to persecute us and deny the services due for us. Simply put, if you abstain, you do not support not only the politicians but also you do not recognize their office. If you are known of not recognizing the office, then how can you be considered as deserving constituent? How can you gain respect from everyone? HOw then would we be different from the lawless outcasts?
In my experience, yes we are solid. Maybe you did not observe in the past manual elections where you could tell if the ballot being read by the BEI is an INC vote.
Obviously, your problem with your membership in the church is self-centered attitude. Everything boils down from your personal relationship with the brethren. Its the usual "Me vs others" problem. I am not surprised that you insist you own perspective. You are not really one of us.
Jesus Christ has foreseen this problem. That's why God is sending the Holy Spirit as our Comforter
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (john 14:26-27).
Kapatid, I AM SURE you have an excess baggage that hinders you to continue the race ahead of you. You should know what I mean. Magsiyasat sa sarili.
TO: Bongnate
Sana iniba mo na lang ang title ng reply mo. OO, tupang ligaw kami. Naligaw kami dahil sa pamamahalang hindi mo malaman kung saan pinulot ang pasya kung sino ang dadalhin. Naligaw kami dahil sa mga Pastor/Destinado na pumapabor sa mga kapatid na mayayaman at pinababayaan ang mga mahihirap na kapatid. Naligaw kami dahil sa mga Katiwalang makikita mo lang "once in a blue moon." Naligaw kami dahil sa mga manggagawang ginagamit ang pagiging manggagawa upang makapang-akit ng mga kapatid na babae na walang pinangarap kundi makapag-asawa ng manggagawa. Naligaw kami sa mga kapatid na kapag nasalubong mo sa daan ay ni hindi ka man lang matanguhan o makatingin man lang sa iyo (magbatian ng banal na halik? asa pa). Naligaw kami sa mga Ministrong walang "good manners and right conduct" kapag nasa bahay ng mga kapatid, na para bang kanila ang bahay na iyon. Naligaw kami sa mga Ministrong ang dinadalaw lang ay ang mga nasa subdivision pero nakalimutan na ang mga kapatid na nasa barung barong lang.
Marami pang dahilan ng aming pagkaligaw. Mauubos ang oras natin pareho....