PROSPERITY WITH A DARK PURPOSE - PART VI
"Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery." - Matthew 5:32

A Mormon friend once inveigled me into an argument on the issue of polygamy. After I had been beaten about the ears with long and tedious expositions justifying the Mormonic practice, the climax was capped by my friend's demand that I cite any passage in Scripture expressly forbidding polygamy, to which I simply replied, "Matthew 6:24 . . . No man can serve two masters." I have not heard from him ever since.

Three major types of extra-marital affairs are probably common to us all. The first would be the 'one-night stand,' which is made possible if a perfect mix of circumstances, hormones, secrecy and of course a consenting partner is included. This encounter is in essence a simple one-time experience, but can sometimes elevate into repeated moments, depending on the willingness of both parties. If it takes two to tango, it certainly takes two to dirty dancing. But of course, one can be held liable for such, especially if the person or persons at fault are married. And being unhappily shackled to one's spouse does not justify the felony a bit. If you believe that marriage for you is not a word but a sentence, why not try putting a period in your gallivanting lifestyle to lessen the load? Having more than one woman never makes a man more of a man. Don't jump from one's comma and then dash to another! Your reputation could lead to a big question mark, affecting further your usual problems with your digestive system which could eventually destroy your colon. An example in Scripture reminds us a kind of repentance through a single confrontation when Nathan exclaimed against David, "Thou art the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7). A second type of affair starts with a simple acquaintance, then friendship, and then elevates into a sexual level later on, based on mutual attraction and can have several emotional factors. But even if this affair can only be platonic and never sexual in nature, it is always wrong and should never be tolerated because it steals the marital relationship of strength and foundation needed for intimacy between husband and wife. This type of an affair is often operated through secrecy, deceit and lies, and the separation of this type requires a grieving time similar to that of a divorce or an annulment. When this type of a relationship shifts to a sexual level, the bonding is so close that the consenting, 'dirty dancing parties' involved will risk everything they have - families (spouse and children), careers, wealth, and even health and life just to maintain the affair. In this case, the very life of a congregation was in jeopardy, even to the extent that a death-wish to the church was confided by this individual to a very close associate. "For death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21). Again, the most appropriate Scriptural example of this type and the risks involved is the one involving Samson and Delilah. A repentance following this affair is necessary but not sufficient for recovery. Here, time is very important for healing to take place. As a pattern would now dictate, this type is always prone to repetition. And this person has repeatedly repeated this sin of his, at the expense of several individuals involved in his ministry. Statistically speaking, the chances of recurrence is very high, that therapy is needed to find out why the attraction occured in the first place. This explains now why our 'faux-bonhomme' keeps on going back to his sin, just like an askal returns to his retch. When will this end? Only he holds the answer. There must first be a willingness on his part for genuine admission and then repentance, otherwise he continues to live a life of a male harlot, a gigolo in disguise as a 'messenger of prosperity' as one who knows it, believes it and speaks it. The big question now is: Does he live it? Well, to answer that question, have chickens stop crossing streets? If a second or third or even a fourth affair follows, its duration may be short-lived and the person could very well embark on a journey towards sexual addiction which has many forms in sexual expression. This is perhaps the third type, and now becomes less fulfilling emotionally. He now jumps from paramour to paramour, house to house, subdivision to subdivision, looking for more and more fulfillment for the flesh. A walking, talking bottomless pit, his cup never overfloweth. There is now no emotional attachment in these, putting his behavior at high risk to the extent of contracting a sexually-transmitted disease whether he puts on a prophylactic on his upper head or lower head, in which case doesn't really make any distinct difference. Again, in Scripture, we are shown a type of this sexual behavior which happened in the description of Eli's sons sleeping with women involved in temple ministry (1 Samuel 2:12-25, especially verses 22-25). In this, a necessary public confession and repentance is the only start of a long journey towards self-repair. But, the individual involved in this type of extra-marital affair should never again be placed in a position of ministry. To do so would be much like permitting a paedophile teach Sunday School, allowing a compulsive gambler to work as a card-dealer in a Las Vegas casino, or tolerating a drunkard to work as a bartender in a Las Pinas cabaret, if only to prove that he is already sober, in the same way that some have allowed him to return to preaching even without cleaning him up first from his addictions. His return to ministry would definitely be a set-up for continued failure. As it is, he could be moonlighting now as a salesman for a pastor-businessman-friend of his involved in the selling of bogus body-strengthening, life-enhancing, prosperity-boosting products. Sad, but if that is true, is that his version of prosperity? You will know him by the smell of the chico fruit he bears. It reminds me of those poor teachers who even with such a noble profession, sell tocino or e-load on the side. Now we have pastors who sell 'new-age' paraphernalia on the side. May omniscient God spare them from their appointed lightning bolts.

(Image from http://www.evangelicalright.com/)

"IM MARRIED TO THE COUNTRY"

A few years ago, deep into the start of her stolen presidency, halfway through all the scandals that would tarnish her and her administration's image, from out of her usual lie-filled rhetoric, President Arroyo made a public declaration a la Queen Elizabeth saying, "I'm married to the country."

Now we know why she keeps screwing the Filipino people.

(Image from http://ctv.ca/)

IF YOU BUMP, YOU GET LUMP

Not to be outdone, Henry Sy's SM Group has shown keen interest in taking over the entire operations of PhilAm Life in the near future if negotiations turn out as planned. One SM executive said that if and when that happens, and upon assuming operations of PhilAm Life, they will start right away with the launching of a brand new insurance policy for clumsy accident victims, and its name will be announced later. But here's the deal - If you bump your head, Banco de Oro will immediately pay you LUMP SUM.

(Image from http://www.fujitsu.com/)

DRINK BEER AND BE COVERED

Good news to all members of the clergy, pastors and priests especially (yes you know who you are). Are you still looking for that special no-nonsense insurance coverage for you and your family or 'extended' family, and at the same time still find it hard to kick that brewsky habit of yours? Well, you can now jump for joy! Food and beverage giant San Miguel Corpration will soon be venturing in the insurance business. SMC aims to be a major player in the insurance industry in the country, with the noble promise every insurance policy brings in the event of the inevitable. It will soon be launching its new life insurance plan for all beer-loving, insurance-conscious Filipinos and will appropriately be called, 'SAN MIG LIFE'

(Image from http://alibaba.com/)

POTUS AND POTA

I think it was some members of the US Secret Service who were responsible for inventing the acronyms POTUS to mean 'President Of The United States,' and FLOTUS, 'First Lady Of The United States.' May I suggest then for the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to coin the acronym POTA for their current boss to mean 'President Of The Archipelago.' So, if Barack Obama is the incoming POTUS, then what do you think, will they approve it? - that our current chief-executive is the POTA?

(Image from http://bbc.co.uk/)

DISTURBING SM MALL POSTERS AND BILLBOARDS

Okay, so he's the wealthiest Chinese-Filipino according to Forbes magazine, with $3.1 billion in total assets and 30 mega-malls all over the country. But in my book, Henry Sy (and Co.) is also the most un-patriotic and the most un-nationalistic among the other taipans and tycoons in the country. Why do I say this? Just look at the posters and billboards displayed all over his SM Malls, and you will see that all if not most of the pictures of models or endorsers of his in-house products are Caucasian people. The products and apparel they are endorsing are locally manufactued but carry imported brands. Is that why their talents are "imported" as well? We are in the Philippines. These malls are not in some western countries like the US and the UK, but come to think of it even western countries use non-Caucasian models like African -Americans and Asian-Americans. So why can't SM stick to some good old home-grown talent? And why am I making a big deal out of this, many have asked? Well, first of all, Henry Sy owes the Philippines big time for granting his ancestors from mainland China Filipino citizenship and recognition. He shouldn't forget his humble beginnings when he started what was originally called Shoe Mart. In short, admirable as he is since his days of selling shoes and slippers, he must never forget that as his malls are spread all over the country, it wouldn't hurt him a bit if he promotes his stores and his products with Filipino values and culture and with our very own heritage, and by doing so, he could start by using Filipino models to appear on his posters and billboards. At 83, the sting of colonial mentality has never left him. Proof of this is the name of an in-house drugstore located in all SM malls called Watson's. Now, how much western can you be more than that? If I were them, I'd use a little Filipino ingenuity and wit and call it 'SM Megamot.' Okay, so it's not him. It's probably his executives who have decided on this. But doesn't he see them? After all, he and his children are known to do the rounds on their malls on a regular basis inspecting every operations and management styles of each. His fellow-taipans and tycoons are not so guilty of this insult on all Filipinos. SM malls are anti-Filipino then, and we must lodge a protest to this. No wonder whitening creams are selling like hotcakes these days, and right in SM malls! They promote a big lie that to be white-skinned is to be beautiful and acceptable and even successful. Look how these creams have now creeped into every kayumangging-Filipina's shopping list. It gives a wrong message that a brown-skinned person is less desirable and less likely to land a good job and promote or sell a product compared to a white-skinned person or persons who just happen to make it as talents and models for Henry Sy's SM products. The US just had its first non-white president. Time to change our false beliefs. If white is beautiful as it connotes cleanliness, black or even brown are too as they connote completeness and presence of all colors. Love your country like it's the only one you've got. After all, its inhabitants have given you so much wealth making you a true SM - Super Mayaman, but Sobrang Maka-dayuhan.

(Image from http://www.pcij.org/)

CHECK OUR SCHOOL-BUILDINGS

Just outside Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince is a not-so-sleepy town of Petionville. Everyone was awakened eyes wide-open with the reality of death when just recently, a three-storey school-building there collapsed just like a house of cards without any warning, crushing some 700 people mostly school-children inside. As of last count, 84 kids have perished from this tragedy, and the culprit - poor engineering. With this sad news, one can't help but wonder about our school-buildings back here at home, and of the condition they must be in. Fact is, we always act too late everytime a tragedy occurs, by creating inutile task forces to investigate on something that could have been prevented in the first place. Be it a collapse of a building, a sinking of a ship, a plane crash or even a stampede of people, we always just act too late. Look at the poor state of many of our buildings in the university belt, not to mention the hole-in-the-wall dormitories and makeshift rooms for bed-spacers, catering mostly to our co-ed students. The existing building code is never given due importance and obeyance that all, and all it takes is just another tragedy of lethal proportions that's waiting to happen for our authorities to 'look into the matter' again, and then they end with the usual practice of finger-pointing. I've been to a few of these buildings and have often wondered why these edifices have not been condemed, adding to the fear is the fact that many of these buildings have fire exits that are either impassable or even padlocked. When will we ever learn? How many more lives must be snuffed-out before we really put our act together ? There must be a sensible and an aggressive common effort between government agencies concerned like the DPWH and the MMDA and the local government unit where the building is located, and of course the willingness of the building owner to conduct a regualr no-nonsense check on all the respective school-buildings. And while they're at it, might as well include all buildings for that matter, and especially the ones older than our grandparents. It would certainly be 'pogi points' for Bayani Fernando's presidential dream if he conducts a personal check on these buildings as MMDA chief, and then render an unbiased verdict on the state and condition of these stuctures. After all, if he claims to be an engineer, then he must be qualified to give his two-cents worth of an opinion. He should then act swiftly on erring building owners and slap them with the corresponding penalties and closure if necessary. Just an unsolicited advice to Mr. Fernando: Please do not instruct your MMDA men to put BAYANI stickers on the buildings after they have been inspected. Don't hard-sell yourself again. It's enough that we already have to see your face all over the metropolis on a daily basis. Act now to save lives, and be a real bayani for a change.

(Image from http://www.i-baguio.com/)