My American journey, Part 2: Religious pluralism, immigration, and assimilation

My personal experiences and journey in the United States continue to be theologizing in a sense that spiritual growth and maturity progresses by employing the role of philosophy and rational inquiry in a continuous search for the truth concerning Jesus/God and His work. Having been exposed to Western thought and other cultures, allowed me to see different perspectives that otherwise would have been a near impossibility given the rigidness of religion back home had I stayed.

Truly, Western philosophy has shaped modern democracies and espoused concepts like human rights, the rule of law and practice of democratic principles. These concepts evolve in functioning democracies. Philippine democracy, however, is a work in progress. Although the First Philippine Republic (Malolos) was considered a constitutional democracy, the Philippines was never recognized at that time as an independent state despite its proclamation as an independent, autonomous nation.

Two things come to mind. First, Western philosophy came to Philippine shores but not in a true fashion because the Spanish and American efforts were colored by colonization ambitions. Consequently, the outcome from “Western thought” immersion was starkly different. During Spanish colonial years, the primacy of religion presented a Eurocentric version of Christianity that was purposely bent to accommodate the need of Spain for trade to finance their ambitious territorial expansion.

This is what Dr. Jose Rizal and other progressive minded Illustrados who ventured in Europe during the 19th century saw. They were immersed in the unvarnished version of democratic life and freedom, changed their ways of thinking and recognized that the Catholic Church in the Philippines, as run by the friars, was the culprit. For three hundred years, Filipinos were subjugated by the state through the sword and the cross that worked in tandem.  

The state’s goal was economics by monopolizing the tobacco trade from the north and abaca from the south. The other goal was spiritual and was used as the means to control people’s mind by instilling fear in their hearts and minds about God’s wrath and the concept of hell. It was brilliant and despite pockets of rebellion, individual heroism, and sacrifice; the Spaniards perfected Julius Caesar’s “divide et empera” – divide and conquer. The Americans followed suit.

Rizal became the national hero through the “benevolent assimilation” policy of the United States and promoted the hero for his excellent life’s narrative and non-violent character. Over the years of national commemoration, Rizal’s brilliance and critical thinking skills escaped the very young people who the hero believed would be the “hope of the Fatherland.” It’s not really the youth’s fault (and that includes me) because Philippine education centered on Rizal’s works and writings during an era far too removed from the present.

The essence of Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” is to advocate for social reform through nonviolent means to ignite a sense of nationalism by exposing the injustices, abuses, and oppression during the Spanish colonial rule. As a man of letters, Rizal wrote his best-sellers for future generations of educated Filipinos using fictitious characters to satirize his indictments of the Spanish colonial rule.

Did we interpret his novels correctly as he said we would? Injustices, abuses, and oppressions is an ongoing legacy of Philippine society. Rizal’s legacy of pressing for freedom continues as well. Most Filipinos believe they are free from previous colonial rules despite vestiges of their oppressive rules. Filipino rebels like the mutinous soldiers (RAM) of the right, and the NPA of the Left believe otherwise and so they continue to perform their roles to speak truth to power.

As an American colony, Filipinos were provided public education to assimilate them into the American culture and exorcise them of their pagan religion (Catholicism). The Americans tried to wean Filipinos from the clutches of Catholicism through the concept of democracy and Reformation (Protestantism) but failed miserably in that regard. Rizal’s prophetic inquiry was spot on. “What’s the use of independence if the slaves today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?

The Americans, however, succeeded in ensuring the slave-style secondary education curriculum they’ve introduced would produce graduates who will adore and idolize anything American-made and put a premium on friendship, special relations, and the magic of democracy. We call it a colonial mentality. We always run to Uncle Sam for help because our minds have been conditioned that way.

Furthermore, they also succeeded in keeping the Philippines under the clutches of the American Eagle  through control of military bases on Philippine soil and policies that enabled the United States to advance its national interest by exploiting the local economy and furtherance of military objectives including projecting power in the Indo-Pacific region.

Another bright mind, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., would come along and ask a similar question, “What’s the use of democracy if it does not benefit the poor?” Today’s tyrants are cloaked with democratic façade to give them legitimacy by holding regular elections. They are aided by today’s Illustrados (the wealthy and educated elites) who benefitted the most from the people power revolution of EDSA 1986.

The restoration of the two-party political system created a veneer of democracy through the people’s exercise of suffrage – the right to vote. Elections after elections, however, are marked by electoral cheating, massive vote-buying, foothold of political dynasties, and election-related killings. Such practices clearly subvert the will of the people. Rizal must be turning in his grave.

Rizal’s enlightened mind must have been buried under the ground in Luneta Park where his monument stands. Today’s facts are irrefutable. The Philippines is 85% Roman Catholics or higher, the majority are poor (86%) who are proudly Catholic. Corruption in government remains high and idealistic young politicians become the traditional politicians of tomorrow once power and wealth are acquired. What’s wrong with this picture? Rizal must again be turning in his grave.

Rizal was well-aware of the struggle between faith and reason, with Christianity and rationalism between theology and science. Afterall, he was a man of science being a Doctor of Medicine. He joined Freemasonry but that got him in hot water with the friars. His blockbuster novels did not endear him to the Spanish clergy either. He was executed by a firing squad composed of Filipinos for show and tell.

Every year that Rizal’s Day is celebrated, some localities would reenact Rizal’s martyrdom with actors playing characters involved in the iconic event that took place several hundreds of years before. That part is easy for many Filipinos to remember, yet the part that truly matters like his message to future generations are still recited or read but not taken to heart. Rizal’s Noli & Fili, however, have been included in people’s  reading bucket list. Beyond that, your guess is just as good as mine. (TO BE CONTINUED)