Freezing your butt in Baguio in one of the recorded coldest in history is not a happy thought.
For one your skin breaks because its freakin dry as well as your lips.
Also washing your hands is torture while taking into account them people who like me are more accustomed to washing their behind after taking a crap instead of the usual tissue.
It was that cold really, that people are literally shouting “Its coming! Its coming” like an angel of death and you can feel the chill run up your spine even when you’re wearing a real exaggerated (supposedly hot) sweater. And we’re in a highly populated area of baguio that was the downtown market.
That was when I realize I wasn’t enjoying the cold anymore.
It was 10 degrees indoors and it was 6.5 – 6.4 outdoors plus the wind, yes the wind really messes everything, that whatever gloves you’re wearing it wouldn’t matter as long as the wind is there.
I thank God it didn’t rain or else I don’t know what might fell from the heavens some hale perhaps and I say I’m not yet ready for that extra cold.
The reason I went to Baguio was because of the wedding of my friend and fraternity brother Ryan.
He’s willing to marry and be married to an Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) member. It’s really that simple you see all it takes for one to marry another INC member is to become an INC himself/herself. Not that I have anything against INC members indeed it was his personal decision to convert to their religion but one thing I’m not really comfortable with is the idea of coercing a faithful catholic in changing his belief and religion having his soon to be wife as a hostage.
I mean what’s the difference? Why is it so important that my friend becomes an INC just so he would be able to marry the woman he loves? As if INC owns her mind and soul I just find it unfair, for if their loving God found them fit for each other while he was a catholic then why now would his religion be used to turn against his own beliefs of Him?
Whats wrong with being a catholic? And what’s wrong with using a bride in forcing a person to change his religion and faith?
Makes me wonder perhaps their definition of love means changing your religion and converting to their beliefs.
I don’t know… Perhaps it just means that their definition of faith encompasses the humans will to choose for themselves and what they should believe in or what is right and wrong.
And that is what I find wrong.
It is when religion dictates the moral virtue of its constituents and bypasses its innate right to think for themselves that religion becomes destructive in itself.
As I see it they love each other and that should be enough reason for them to marry and enjoy their lives because I believe when one marries he/she marries the person not the church where that person belongs to.
But the heck who am I anyway to them perhaps I am just a sinner for their church and religion?
Come to think of it the most prevalent premise in the Christian religion is that people are born sinners, yes we are all born with the capacity to do evil even without us knowing what evil is or what moral boundaries would constitute evil-ergo we need “their” salvation.
I am a christian but I don’t agree with the premise, all I know is that the Bible for all its inspiring glory was a carefully crafted piece of literature that can be translated to millions of interpretations and yet promote divisiveness instead of love.
But for all its worth their church really rules it was beautiful and it was my first time to ever set foot inside their church. But for all its magnificent glory I have to say no to their beliefs.
Your church may be fabulous but thanks anyway I think I’ll pass.
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You should know INC’s doctrines first before commenting on them.
Para kang HANGAL na nagsasalita tungkol sa mga bagay na di mo alam.
Hi Jun thanks for visiting my site and for calling me HANGAL. For all its worth it says a lot about your convictions and I respect that. I hope you respect my beliefs as well.
Tol!:p ngayon ko lang to nabasa blog mo, tnx to gilbert teodoro at nakita ko itong link!:p hehehe makikiblog ako tol ha? medyo mahaba din ksi ito!:p hehehe
1st of all, tnx sa pagattend niyo sa pinakaimportanteng event sa buhay ko, ngayon ko lang nalaman yung sacrifices niyo!:p hehehe pasensya sa hassle!:p
katulad ni jun, i really believe na sana malaman mo muna ang doctrines ng INC before commenting para at least alam mo both sides of the coin. I know you are entitled to your own opinion and belief and I respect that. Lumalabas lang kasi na unfair sa side ko and sa INC for accusing of such sa blog mo.
It was really my own decision & idea to offer myself to be converted instead of her. It was not a hostage situation for us to pursue our marriage. You see, I did not change my faith & beliefs just to be married. In fact, I was converted about a yr. prior sa kasal namin & even before proposing to her.
I still remember when my gf asked me a serious question before, “what if someday magkahiwalay tayo, either by death or out of love, will you get out of the INC?” you know what, napa-smile ako and i firmly said NO. Narinig ko kasi ang buong doctrines nila and na satisfy nila ang spiritual queries ko. in short, i was not coerced nor forced by the INC na di nila ibibigay sa akin si roussell if di ako nag INC so hindi din siya hostage bride, hehehe.. sana naintindihan mo yung side ko at ng INC kahit papaano…
N.B. paano magkakasundo at tatatag ang relasyong magasawang my iba’t-ibang paniniwala? anong aral spiritwal ang ituturo mo sa mga anak mo kung iba2 kau ng religion? yan ang iilan sa mga tanong na sasagot sa tanong mo.=)
Tol! hehehe salamat sa pagpunta sa blog ko at pag comment
pasensya na if medyo naka offend ako but anyway before anything else I hope you see the definition of the word “hangal” as I was called by Jun (if he was indeed an INC member) You asked me about the question of spiritual teachings to be taught to your kids and the most probable scenario that comes up in my mind is myself. You see there’s really no difference between catholics and INC’s the same thing happened when I decided to pursue another line of thinking when it came to religion in my family everybody thought I was not following the right path and I thought they were not following the right path. The answer to your question would be what if your kid decides to marry a person from another religion? would you allow your son or daughter to follow their heart? And would your church allow that?
Given your way of thinking and knowing you I might say that you will be more liberal about it but given the sanctions by your church I am thinking otherwise.
In terms of spiritual doctrines I’m afraid I cannot open the floor for a debate as I have my own self and belief to protect and I belong to no institution I just follow the hearts of what what is good and just and unharming to the universe and Nature and of course the Bible. but interpretations can go awry and sometimes offensive and what is not comfortable for your church may not be comfortable to myself. So I leave everything to our eventual meeting in the afterlife to prove the strengths of our faiths. Nonetheless I am open to suggestions and discussions but not debates
And by the way I really am very proud that you yourself decided to become an INC a year ago before marrying her its a good decision finding the one you love and embracing her religion too, thats always a good thing I just find you so lucky you are not a muslim like my ancestors who after marrying a christian was forever banished from their clan and cursed upon.
Hoping to hear from you soon Igso! Happy birthday!
everybody see things differently tol, this is a free country so we can say watever we want to say, pero minsan naabuso na din, nawawalan na ng delicadeza at sensitivity. parang black vs white? anyway, i hope we could end this by saying na nobody is asking you to believe the doctrines of my church and its up to you to say everything u want to say and its up to your readers to judge. thanks sa greetings tol!:p hanggang sa muling pagkikita!:p
with regards kay JUN calling you hangal (and assuming na INC siya) i know his point, maybe naoffend lang yun sa mga sinabi mo. so let it pass, this is a free country as ive said kanina hehe. cge tol ingat at regards ka precy!
Uy bro sorry for sounding too pessimistic, perhaps overly insensitive and walang delicadeza, those are really strong words to tell somebody who is not a believer let alone a skeptic… hmm… I wonder if those are the same things the early disciples feel whenever they are preaching the word of Christ to the pagans, but thats another story.
As for Jun being offended I can take that, the thing is I can write the same thing on the muslim tradition of only marrying to the same religion and the next thing we know I’ll be dead or considered anathema as the old catholic term for people who doesn’t believe in their religion.
But I have a dream tol a very simple dream, where people find God not through religion or the sacrament of exchanging vows. I dream that there will come a time that people will find God in Love, encompassing religions and beliefs, for this world is created out of Love and not because of religion. Where people are free to choose their faith and whom to marry regardless of faith. But I guess it will always remain a dream…
I hope to see you soon bro have a blessed birthday and May God Bless you and keep you and make you prosper, may your kind multiply and sow good seeds.
Regards din kay Rousell! kelan kayo mag aanak? punta ka sa kasal ko ha pwamis? ^_^