Prelude to 2012 Catastrophe?

Could it be that the unusual activities of the Earth's crust (series of volcanic eruptions, sporadic earthquakes) that had been going on in the recent months are simply preludes to the much hyped 2012 Mayan prediction of a changed world?

Could it also be that the geomagnetic storms sparked by solar eruptions are also a part of the dramatic preludes to the 2012 prediction? Please check Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world.

Could it also be that the unusual weather patterns that the world is experiencing now, either caused by global warming or not, are a result of the gradual shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of the dreaded polar shift believed to regularly take place on earth every 26,000 years?

While many skeptics believe that there is no truth to the Mayan prediction about the 'end' of the world in 2012, the signs and symptoms of a dynamic earth are showing up more often.

Many believe that God would never allow the earth to be destroyed again. I also ask, why then has Jesus warned us of some form of destruction which are graphically described in the Bible?

Consider the following: Mark 13:24-25 (cf Matthew 24.29-31; Luke 21.25-28)

v24"In the days after that time of trouble the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, v25the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses.

Let's take a look at Luke 21:11; 25-28

v11There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and plagues everywhere; there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky.

v25"There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides. v26People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. v27Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. v28When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near."

So will the skeptics refute also what Jesus himself 'said' about the 'end of days'?

In Mark 13:31, we read

v31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

In fact, from Mark 13:24ff, the entire entry which speaks about unimaginable disasters, gives us a warning:

(Matthew 24.29-31; Luke 21.25-28)


v24"In the days after that time of trouble the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, v25the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses. v26Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in the clouds with great power and glory. v27He will send the angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather God's chosen people from one end of the world to the other.


(Matthew 24.32-35; Luke 21.29-33)

v28"Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near. v29In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.a v30Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died. v31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

For the non-believers, the above entries could be translated into other ways. The theologians might even have beautiful, philosophical explanations on them. Debates on it might even confuse us more. If Jesus himself warned that his words will never pass away, then his imagery of destruction can not just be an exaggeration to illustrate his point, which the philosophers and theologians are fond of interpreting differently (not in toto).

What about the warnings as allegedly described by the Lady in Portugal to the three children, which had been kept for a long time until before the death of one of the seers, Sr. Lucia?

Will you simply adopt a wait-and-see attitude or give the prophecy the benefit of the doubt and be prepared for any eventuality in 2012? What if the prediction erred? By a year? By 5 years? By 10 years? Or more years, yet will happen just the same? Could we say that the Mayan Prediction was wrong because the destruction did not occur in 2012?

Just asking.

Blogger in Tagalog?

I was surprised on the newest move of Blogger.com to fit to the local language the instructions to sign in for my blog site. Tagalog? Why? Which makes me wonder what up with these sites that always assume as if you don't understand their default language of English.

This holds true also to Google.com which chooses the language of your geographical location based probably on the IP address that you have. It is quite weird and annoying that the assumption is that you would prefer the local language than the default English. There is also this continued effort to translate some sites into the local language of the geographical location of the net surfer.

It is not that I don't like my national language of Filipino. But I am not so comfortable seeing buttons and links in the Filipino language. Take for example Mga tool sa wika in Google. Or Mag-sign out also in Google. Good if the translations are purist. then and only then could I say that it is indeed an authentic translation of the English language to Filipino.  But for as long as they remain Taglish or Engalog, I still prefer the default English language for me to navigate the site.

Forgiveness

I had been following closely the death of former AFP Chief of Staff and Sec. Angelo Reyes. The stern stance of the family immediately after his death towards his detractors and accusers gradually melted into forgiveness.

I almost could feel how the family members felt on Day 1. Anger. Denial. Hatred. Cynicism. Distrust. Grief. Name it. It must have been very painful, indeed. The family was in a state of shock, much like the entire country was also in a state of shock. It was legitimate for the family to feel all these.

But gradually, the family's doors began to open, even to those who may have pushed Reyes to pull the trigger. Gradually, I saw in the family their value system which only God-fearing and God-loving families may have. Reyes is still lying in state, yet, the wife and children already expressed forgiveness to the people whose hands are dripping with Reyes' blood. What a gesture of Christianity and a display of statesmanship!

I guess, Sec. Reyes is smiling at them on how his family is handling his untimely demise.

The outpouring of love and support from all kinds of people to the bereaved family is indeed making them strong. It is helping them cope and heal their wounds. The family has suffered and bruised to black and blue, but in stead of wallowing on their pains, they chose to forgive...

I just hope that in the next days to come, they continue to show a similar stance - meek and humble, forgiving and accepting.

Suicide

Photo courtesy of inquirer.net

The news that former Sec. Angelo Reyes took his own life came as a shocking surprise to me early this morning as I was listening over the radio in my Office. I followed the developments as they unfolded as early as before 8:00 a.m.

I don’t know personally Sec. Reyes but I felt that his death will become a celebrated one and might even trigger some serious and big future events in the country. I was shocked that a former General and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines would succumb to pressure or perhaps depression amid the controversies he was facing vis-à-vis allegations that he received a huge P50M as a send-off gift when he finally retired from the military service.

I say it is unlikely for a strong-willed person like him to easily give up his life, knowing that he was a principled man. I knew him as someone who served in the military in the interest of the Filipino nation – no matter what others think of him as otherwise. For him, his honor and dignity were utmost. Not to mention his beloved family. Whatever were the accusations against him, even up to his last day, to me he was reasonable and statesman even as he was facing one of the most humiliating experiences one could ever imagine. To think that military men are known to be “officers and gentlemen”. If one is accused of something that he is innocent of, it comes as a devastating blow on one’s person. It must have been so painful to Sec. Reyes, especially, if in his heart he knew he was not guilty. But the events took the better of him. He allegedly pulled the trigger that eventually ripped his heart apart and fell on the grave of his mother – known to be very close to his heart.

This brings so many questions left unanswered, which only the Secretary could.

I condole with the family – especially to the children who could still be in a state of shock. I almost feel how the family feels. It is too difficult to lose a loved one, especially in the thickness of a battle.

No, don’t get me wrong. I am not siding anyone on the controversies surrounding the investigations going-on in the Senate. I am a person who does not easily jump to conclusions. I am just shocked that a former General allowed himself to be overcome by accusations not yet proven beyond reasonable doubt. In the guise of “in-aid-of-legislation”, the powerful Senate grills anyone even as one already begins to lose dignity in public because the media is always around to scoop and nose for the latest, juiciest, and sizzling twists and turns of the dramas of real lives. These resource persons become public properties waiting to be devoured by the best predators that can mince the most brutal, harshest, most pungent words that the ear maniacs love to applaud. And there is hardly a way that the victim-resource persons could subject the “honorable” members of the Senate or Congress to grill them also like what they did to them. And everything is done “in aid of legislation.”

Many investigations had been conducted by the Congress and the Senate. I was not able to follow up all of them – as I also have other interests. But may I ask: How many among those hot and high profile investigations really produced the laws much needed by this country for it to become the nation we all dreamt to be? I only have ten fingers. And I hope each finger could represent these legislations which were offshoots of high profile investigations. I would have preferred that serious accusations be tackled in the proper courts so that when those found guilty of graft and corruptions could be convicted right there and then.

The loss of one General Angelo Reyes is a big one. No matter what may have been his alleged involvements in some irregularities, ending his life is not redemptive either because it made us wonder more of the truth.

To Sec. Reyes, Godspeed. You will be missed by so many people whose lives you’ve personally touched. Meanwhile, I pray that your self sacrifice will bear much fruit for this nation. And let history be the judge of who you have been to the Filipino people.