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Ian Alfredo Magno .

EVERYONE seems tangled, yet again, in frenzied discussions triggered by President Digong’s recent utterance, calling “God” stupid – a remark perceived by most as careless and uncalled for.  Among the numerous denominations, religions and sects this country has, it is the church which takes serious note on the alleged blasphemy, and considers the same an affront to the Catholic faith.

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The Catholic belief has always been centered in Jesus being the Son of God, as the Bible says. In fact, since the longest time, debates around the globe had tackled on whether or not it is proper to worship Jesus as a saint, deity or God. Discussions staged on the matter had, apparently, produced more questions, if not confusion, than answers.

Remarkably, however, in a land which is not predominantly Christian in terms of belief systems, one enlightened person has explained the matter in a very simplistic manner, and thus clear and profound. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, an Indian yogi and a mystic, who harbors no prejudice for or against beliefs of sorts, and the founder of Isha Foundation, has deep respect for the man we know as Jesus. He said, “Essentially in your life, this is all it is.  What the world may throw at you, it is not hundred percent your choice.  To some extent we can control, that’s about it.  World may throw anything at you.  We don’t know what it may throw at you.  It may throw disease at you; it may throw death at you; it may throw bullets at you; it may throw shame at you; it may throw all kinds of things.  But what you make out of it, is hundred percent yours.

“Now, this one thing if you take charge, no matter what world throws at you, you will turn it into well-being.  Then, where you go, what kind of situations you live, whether you go to heaven or hell, it doesn’t matter because whatever is thrown at you, you know you will turn it into well-being.  This quality is what we are worshipping.  This quality is what is worth worshipping because this is true with every one of us.

“If world throws nastiness, you will become nasty; world throws bitterness, you will become bitter; world throws anger, you will become angry.  This is the way most human beings live.

“Because He (Jesus) lived about that, we said He is God-like.  But what happened in their life, the physical events in their life, it’s one big tragedy.  At the age of 32 you got nailed, had a terrible death. You call it a successful life? No.  But we bow down to Him because it seems, we don’t know, but we believe or people have believed always, that even when He was nailed, He said, ‘They know not what they do, forgive them.’  For that we bow down to Him – not because he got nailed because getting nailed is not a successful life, isn’t it?  But even if you nail Him, He did not lose His quality.  To that, we bow down.  So that’s all that matters to us.

“Whether they existed or not, that they are an inspiration for you.  Whether everything that is said about them is true or not, even this is not your problem.  You are not a historian, alright?  You just need some icon to move towards a better way of existing for yourself, that’s all.  What does it matter?  Krishna did not exist, Jesus did not exist, what does it matter to you?  2000 years ago, whether a man lived or did not live, or it’s just a figment of somebody’s imagination, what does it matter?  It is the quality that matters, isn’t it?  We recognize these qualities as great qualities.  In some way trying to emulate them, to whatever extent one can, that’s what we are looking at.”

Sadhguru’s explanation has, by far, given the most insight and clarity on the oft argued subject concerning the significance of Jesus as a man, and as an object of worship. With this clear understanding in mind, the rift between the Church and the Palace just doesn’t make sense anymore.

 

(Ian Alfredo Magno is a lawyer and a marketing head at Philhealth. E-mail: ianalfredom@gmail.com)

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