Never Put to Test the Faith of a Person

Never Put to Test the Faith of a Person

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

Some people have the habit of putting to test the faith of others. They should take extra care as regards this kind of attitude due to the rise of so many groups that used to be part of the Roman Catholic Church, for instance, and whose primary reason for leaving is the realization that the ceremonious Mass is not for them, though their exit does not necessarily mean the erosion of their faith in God.

 

Not only are some of the Roman Catholic adherents have this kind of attitude but others who belong to other churches and the various congregations that mushroomed around, assuming different names – all in the name of Jesus. For them, those who “deprive” themselves of the “words of God” will not be saved. But then, what can these “holy” words do when they are not put into action or practiced? A fanatic person may eat the whole Bible, page by page every day, but it will not do him any good if he or she cannot even say “Hi!” to a neighbor.

 

The best test of faith founded on what Jesus really wanted done, is the test of one’s own. If one can honestly sacrifice for others, share with others, and be consistent in doing them, there is no need to look around and see what others are doing. By then, others will instead emulate what he does. That is what I call faith by practice…that everyone should do, instead of testing that of someone else’s. Do not give somebody the opportunity to put you to shame by sarcastically asking, “…how about you?”

On Respecting the Exemplar Biblical Personalities…and the non-believers

In Respecting the Exemplar
Biblical Personalities…and the non-believers
By Apolinario Villalobos

My views about the Bible are very personal. I have always been honest about my limited knowledge of this Book, as I do not delve on “deep analysis”. For me, it is enough that I know the parables and the sayings as understood by simple lay people like me. What is important as far as I am concerned is their impact on my life so that I can put them into practice and I do not give a hoot what others say. For as long as I do something good for others, because I love God, that is enough for me. I leave it to others if they want to emulate my ways or not, as I do not perceive myself as a saint, anyway. What I am trying to share is that I put into practice what I read and such effort did not kill me or give me disease. Simply said, everything good that comes from the Bible is an inspiration that guides human actions.

If man’s faith has not been polluted by doubts because of unnecessary “analysis” of the Bible passages by “wise people”, the world would not have been divided into so many religions, sects, and occults that try to outdo each other in preaching the “right way”, based on…of all things, the Bible itself! And worst, NOBODY will ever be able to tell who among these groups is telling the truth.

So, what other things will these “preachers” still do to further pollute the mind of the faithful? Had there been respect, since the very start that the differences developed, there could have been no competition as to who has got the “best” religion. Without their knowing it, these “preachers” have caused some faithful to leave their church to become agnostics and atheists due to confusion, aside from giving rise to sects and occult groups. In other words, these “preachers” have dismally failed in many ways. And, since these non-believers have lately come out in the open with all honesty, nothing can be done about it but give them due respect for their choice.

All the venerated personalities in the Bible, including Jesus are with sins. If I say that the Virgin Mary was born with sin, I will surely earn the ire of the Marian devotees. But in my understanding, the “virgin” attached to her name refers to the “virgin birth of Jesus” which is even questioned, and not to her person who just like any man and woman born into this world has been tinted with the “original sin”, that is why Jesus, as they say, had to die to save mankind from it. Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc….they did not lead ideal lives. However, what made all of them remarkable was their unquestionable Faith, and that is what I am trying to bring out in this blog. And, more so with Jesus who died on the cross to save mankind which then was His greatness. Why don’t we just leave it that way? Why not just respect and emulate their deeds which are not evil?

If we go deeper into the character of each Biblical personality, mankind will be left with nobody to emulate, not even God, who showed His cruelty in the Old Testament by commanding the Israelites to practically annihilate the tribes who blocked their effort in claiming the Promised Land. The “preachers” are oozing with “revelations” and “exposures” about just everything in the Bible – God, creation, Jesus, Virgin Mary, etc. The poor listener becomes the victim of these all-knowing guys, and he becomes confused, instead of being enlightened.

Rather than feel victim to these “all-knowing” guys, why can’t we just maintain, at least, our “respect” to the Biblical personages whom we have been taught early on, as the sowers of Faith? And, since the sowed Faith blossomed and bore numerous branches, why not also just respect those who prefer any of them? All branches came from just one seed, anyway.