Ignorance is Pardonable

12/26/2015 , 253 Comments


Christmas – allegedly the birth of Christ – is celebrated in almost all parts of the globe on the 25th of December yearly: a joyful season whose celebrants are ignorant children.

I came from a family of eight (me being the 7th). Being always “borrowed” from my family by my childless Auntie Toyang and Lola (grandma) Pilar, who, being two devout Catholics, loved me as much as my mother did.I can still remember looking for a big sock before I sleep at around 7 or 8 o’clock at the evening of December 24 each year at my aunt’s house. I felt very much at home at my aunt’s house, especially during the Christmas season, where I was excited for the coming of Santa Claus. At our house there is no image of Santa Clause, nor were they waiting for his arrival. My mother became a member of the Church of God as early as 1934. Since then, they have stopped celebrating Christmas like they used to do when they were Catholics. My father and mother were devout Catholics. Until age 17, the coming of the Christmas season lifted my spirits yearly because my aunt and grandma taught me that this is the “greatest time of the year” being the supposed “birthday” of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have learned to respect the Christ of the Catholic Church – ignorantly. In my aunt’s house there was a big statue (even bigger than me) which they call the “sacred heart of Jesus”. I was taught to give the utmost reverence on this statue. I had to bow down my head when I walked in front of it and I could not even point my finger towards it, which I deeply regretted upon knowing the true Christ of the Bible.

The morning of December 25 was a special morning for me because I woke up with gifts inside and around the sock which I hung the night before by the window. Today, as I reminisce the past, I see a pitiful boy in me fifty-seven years ago; but more pitiful are those who have died not knowing what Christmas is and all the practices surrounding its celebration. I am lucky (thank God) to have found wisdom in the most educational book to follow – the Bible.

The story begins from Caesar Augustus that the entire world should be taxed:

Luke 2:1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

Joseph and Mary, being from the tribe of David, have to travel from Galilee to Bethlehem (which is called the city of David) to be “enrolled” and taxed. This was the particular time of the year when Mary should deliver the child Jesus.

Luke 2:3-7 (RSV)
3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

On that same evening, the evangelist Luke tells us that there were shepherds in the fields watching over their flock to whom the angels announce the birth of the savior Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:8-11
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

At this juncture, let us pause for a while and think. Could all of these happen on the 25th of December?

No Roman emperor as wise as Caesar Augustus (refuted to have changed the political and financial system of the Roman Empire to start a “new order”, which firmly established the empire for the next two centuries and was called as the “Golden Age of Rome’s Empire”), will order a census for the purposes of taxation, on December or in winter – rendering it impossible for Christ to be born on December 25 when the landscape of the Holy Land was filled with snow, making it very difficult to travel. Using simple common sense, no shepherd will bring out his sheep at night when fields were covered with knee-deep snow. The infamous term “three kings”, incidentally, is not mentioned in the Bible, wouldn’t have traveled to look for a new-born baby – in winter!

Matthew 2:1-6
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

It is hard to believe that the “three kings” traveled alone on such a considerable distance in winter. 

David, being a king that he is, travels with six hundred men with him. It is a pitiful sight to behold “three kings” travelling all by themselves.

1 Samuel 23:13
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth.

The complex errors created by the Catholic celebration of Christmas have gone too far in influencing even supposedly intelligent composers and songwriters. The First Noel has a very beautiful melody, but has disgusting lyrics influenced by the ignorance of the Catholics belief on Christmas. The line “on a cold winter’s night that was so deep” made stupid out of the shepherd by bringing their flock on a winter’s night.

“The First Noel, the Angels did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep

On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!”

To add insult to the ignorance, the church in Rome assigned the birth of Jesus on December 25 which was the feast of the pagan sun god of the Roman Empire.

Christian Overlays of Christmas

Two important contributions that the reign of Constantine wrought were the establishments of the dates of Christmas and Easter. However, neither holidays are unique and original to the church, they are overlays of much earlier traditions, and both are connected to the sun, the former to the winter solstice and the latter to the vernal equinox. Again, the passage of the sun across the ecliptic demonstrates the astronomical motif that has been grafted onto the Christian god.

Constantine may not have completely established the date of Christmas, but what is clear is that he had considerable influence in setting the date of December 25 as Christ’s birthday. After Constantine’s victory, in perhaps 320 or 353 C.E. the church decreed that December 25 would become the standard day of observance for the birth of Christ. However, this date had long been recognized in antiquity as the return of the sun, for in ancient times, before the establishment of the Gregorian calendar, December 25 was the date of the winter solstice, the point when the sun has reached its southern most trek below the equator, where it appears to stand still for three days…

…Pope Julius I, in the fourth century commanded a committee of bishops to establish the date of the nativity of Jesus. December 25 (the day of Sol Invictus, the invincible sun) was decided upon. Not coincidentally, that is the day when the “pagan world celebrated the birth of their Sun Gods-Egyptian Osiris, Greek Apollo and Bacchus, Chaldean Adonis, Persian Mithra-when the Zodiacal sign of Virgo (the sun is born of a virgin) rose on the horizon. Thus the ancient festival of the Winter Solstice, the pagan festival of the birth of the Sun, came to be adopted by the Christian Church as the nativity of Jesus, and was called Christmas” (Crosbie). The church found itself:


The wise men (not the three kings) followed a star (not hanging on a “tree” because there was no tree associated with the birth of Jesus) to locate the baby Jesus on a house and not on a manger because no loving parents would let their new-born baby to tarry on manger. They eventually moved to a house as the crowd that came to Bethlehem who filled all the inns during the height of the census period presumably have turned back home.

Matthew 2:9-11
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

The facts about…

Christmas tree

Truth about Christmas

Santa Claus

Who is Santa Claus

The errors that resulted from ignorance on facts are uncorrectable. Until today, Santa Claus dominates the landscape on Christmas season. Catholics were not duly informed of the disappearance of Santa Claus in their roster of saints. If we are to adopt the international concept of Ignorantia juris non excusat, which historically came from the Roman Empire itself, many Roman Catholics will be losing their salvation because of a belief on a false Christ born on a false date, surrounded with false teachings, and a celebration so highly commercialized — unreachable by the poor for whom the real Christ was born for; but, ignorance is pardonable upon the acceptance of truth.

This topic to follow God willing.

Truly yours in Christ,

Bro. Eli Soriano

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The Literature of the Bible is Superbly Excellent!

12/19/2015 , 257 Comments


As a book, the Bible can be trusted as being the highest degree of literary work. Words used in the Bible came directly from the Creator, the origin of information that expresses His thoughts and wisdom to His created beings like humans. Words used by God Himself must be acknowledged and believed with our highest respect. They are pure!

PSALMS 12:6 
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

They are true!

JOHN 17:17 
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

They must be spoken by a preacher as they were spoken by God.

JEREMIAH 26:2 
Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word

Even the Lord Jesus, though He is the Son, faithfully spoke God’s word!

JOHN 12:49 
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Inventing words or using man-made synonyms is an utter disrespect to God who originally chose the words that He speaks.

People seem to be irreverently choosing words or phrases other than the word used by God in a particular occasion. A good example is the word used in Matthew 16:18 when the Lord said "...upon this rock I will build "my church" or "ἐκκλησία" or "ekklēsia" (ek-klay-see'-ah) in Greek or " קהל" or "qâhâl" (kawhal) in Hebrew.

The community of God's people is called "the Church of God" in the Bible.

THE ACTS 20:28 
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

But other people chose to be called "Jehovah's Witnesses", substituting the word "witnesses" to the word "church" used to describe God's congregation!

Others, although using the word "church," changed rebelliously the name "Church of God" to "Wesleyan Church" or "Presbyterian Church" or "Lutheran Church", etc.

A faithful servant of God must respect to use the word of God which God used in a particular occasion to show complete submission to His wisdom!

MATTHEW 4:4 
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The reasons why the word “pope” is not found in the Bible are:

(1) There is no office in the church created by God as the office of the pope, and

(2) The Apostle Peter, which the Catholics allege to be the first pope, was never a pope!

I CORINTHIANS 12:28 
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

If the office of the apostles is the first in the church, and Peter was one of the first apostles called by Christ, then it is apparent that the office of the Pope, which the Catholics invented, is non-existent in the Bible! The office of the pope is the most important office in the entire Catholic Church. He is the head of the entire organization.


How can the Catholic Church be the true church when the highest office in it is nowhere to be found in the Bible! Moreover, if the Catholic Church were the true church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ, “the gates of hell must not prevail against it!” Is this true in the office of the pope? We will let Catholic authorities answer.


The phrase, “most notorious” means there were so many notorious popes in the history of Roman Catholicism! Can anyone now prove that there really was an undisturbed and unbroken succession of power from the Apostle Peter up to the present pope? When the leaders of the Israelites became subject to the “gates of hell” (Gate is a passage to enter into a particular place, and evil is the gate of hell), God left them, and so there was no God with them.

II CHRONICLES 15:3 
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

Why? Because they commercialized religion!

MICAH 3:11 
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Isn’t it true that Catholic priests perform for money? Baptisms, confirmations, marriage ceremonies, masses and so many other rituals are paid for by members of the Catholic Church.  With this happening in Roman Catholicism, is it true that “none evil can come upon them?” Even the office of the pope, the highest in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, was stricken by all sorts of evil in the long history of the Catholic Church. Currently there are complaints of so many sorts of abuses popular enough to merit an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.


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Experience is a Good Teacher; but the Lord of the Bible is the Best!

12/11/2015 276 Comments


I salute the noble objectives of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). In my country, I know of commissioners in the CHR who are impartial and stand by their principles and integrity. They deserve the highest commendation for it is due them.

ROMANS 13:7 
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

To be impartial and equitable in the disposition of a case while someone is surrounded by threats and influence peddlers, more so, if these influence peddlers are holding high positions in government is not a very easy task to do.

A person who does not steal cannot out rightly be tagged as honest and not a thief. An honest person (and not a thief) is someone who does not steal even when there is a chance to do so. A person who stands in the principles of justice even under pressure is a just person.

I know that this has been the situation of those who handled my petition in the CHR-NCR who decided in favor of me against a government official whom they found out to have violated my human rights. For this and their effort I pray that they may be rewarded by the Almighty.

To give honor and praises to whom they are not due is the highest of folly that a man may commit.

PROVERBS 24:24 (RSV) 
He who says to the wicked, ” You are innocent, ” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations… 

PROVERBS 15:5 (ASV) 
To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Nor to turn aside the righteous in judgment.


But my appreciation is coupled with pity and sympathy to these people of integrity and courage in serving true justice.

The Commission on Human Rights in my country cannot prosecute those they have found to be guilty of violating human rights. The process is for them to recommend the filing of a case against an erring official to the Ombudsman. An Ombudsman, although, regarded as an independent official is appointed by the President. If the office of the Ombudsman will dismiss the petition of a complainant, the toils of the CHR are almost wasted. If the person complained of is appointed by the President; and the Ombudsman is also appointed of the President, can you guess what will happen to the complainant?

Experience is a good teacher; but the Lord of the Bible is the best!

JOB 9:24 
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

Many countries of the world are plagued with corruption and injustice. Corruption can not emanate from ordinary citizens. They come from corrupt officials and leaders.

MICAH 3:11 (NASB) 
Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money Yet they lean on the LORD saying, “Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.” 

But the true faces of corrupt leaders are hidden from the people because of their earthly wisdom and intelligence.

ECCLESIASTES 8:1 (RSV) 
Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his countenance is changed.

But no amount of make-up, wisdom, or hypocrisy can hide the true being of corrupt leaders from someone who knows the wisdom of God in the Bible. Mounting evidences will be easily discerned by the able guidance of the best teacher!

PROVERBS 29:2 
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Unrest and discontent are symptoms of a prevailing culture of corruption in any government.

PROVERBS 29:2 (ASV) 
When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.

Sighs and mourning of people will definitely determine the cause of the illness in society.

Although in the religious sector, I have been in media for the last three decades. I have mingled with the best and known personalities in media. I have been a guest in almost all kinds of television and radio programs. It was not until now, very recently, that I have known that media men covering some ‘political developments’ were tied like pigs by authorities. I am lucky I was not there. In my opinion, this is another violation of human rights, especially of press people, but I cannot advise them to file a case with the Commission on Human Rights because they might experience my good teacher. It certainly will not be a pleasant experience. Our only hope for true justice is in the judgment seat of God.

ECCLESIASTES 12:14 
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Somebody told me, that somebody (maybe a false apostle) who commented “…pinakawalan na sila, hindi sila finaylan (no case was filed against them)…” (“… they were freed and were not charged”); I heard what he said, “I sympathize with you. I pity you if you do not feel pity for yourself because what you have said must not be said by a person of an expected caliber that others presume you have.” To this I say, “No comment.” But the Bible has this to say:

JUDE 1:10 
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

To our people in media, next time don’t be too close in covering any event, your braveness might bring you to jail. It is good if you would be like Enoch.

HEBREWS 11:5 (NIRV) 
Enoch walked with God. Then he couldn’t be found, because God took him from this life.

Sincerely in Christ,

Brother Eli

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Stop! Suicide Is Never a Solution, Period.

12/04/2015 303 Comments


Bro. Eli, 

Is it sin to commit suicide? 

Sincerely, 

Suicide is the only solution

Dear Suicide is the only solution,

Suicide is only for fools who do not believe in the power of God. In this world, we will experience tribulations. Things that make us feel uncomfortable are all around us. You are not the only person troubled.

JOHN 16:33 
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Statistically speaking the incidence of suicide is constantly rising.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds. 

The WHO further reports that: 

In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 (male and female). Suicide attempts are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicides. 

Although suicide rates have traditionally been highest amongst elderly males, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of all countries. 

Mental health disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide. 

However, suicide results from many complex sociocultural factors and is more likely to occur during periods of socioeconomic, family and individual crisis (e.g. loss of a loved one, unemployment, sexual orientation, difficulties with developing one's identity, disassociation from one's community or other social/belief group, and honour). 

http://www.befrienders.org/suicide-statistics

I can say with confidence that my problems and responsibilities are much greater than most people I know, but I live in hope because I have trusted that what I cannot do can be done by my great God. He is greater than everything in this world.

1 JOHN 4:4 
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Maybe, you cannot see God but, He moves people and makes them instruments of His goodwill to help someone like you.

Believe in the power of prayer! Pray and you will find peace and solutions to your problems — whatever they may be.

REVISED STANDARD VERSION 
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 
6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 
7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Committing suicide is idiotic. Normally, in all aspects of life, even in lower forms of being, like animals and birds, life is being defended and preserved. The ability to adapt oneself in an environment and special defense mechanism are present in almost all forms of life: teaching us that the preservation of life is a will of the divine Creator.

It is only God, and God alone, who has the unquestionable power to take life.

DEUTERONOMY 32:39 
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

He allows nobody to take life! A murderer, He condemns.

1 JOHN 3:15 
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

He does not allow anybody to take life from another human being, regardless of the intent or the excuse, anybody may assert. Even mercy killing or euthanasia is not an excuse.

God is most merciful.

PSALMS 103:8 
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

To say that anybody is killing anybody because it is an act of mercy, is tantamount to claiming that you are more merciful than God — and it is foolish.

God deals with people not only in this life, but through the hereafter, and no human perception can see what God has in store for anybody. He may let somebody in this life suffer a little but, there is reserved for him: Happiness in that which is to come.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:9 
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

REVELATION 2:10 
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

REVELATION 21:4 
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And He that promises all these things can not lie.

TITUS 1:2 
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Lazarus suffered all his life. Nobody on earth knew then what is in store for him, but it was revealed in the afterlife.

LUKE 16:19-25 
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 
21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 
23 And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Considering all these, and the dignity of the one who promised all these things, there is not an iota of reason for you to commit suicide.

Sincerely Yours,

Brother Eli Soriano

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