Feb 12, 2009
Bro Eddie for President? (A reply to Kuya Genis' post)
Posted by D. Decolongon
* Gender: Male
* Industry: Student
* Location: Vancouver : BC : Canada

So as said in the title, this is a reply to Kuya Genis' post regarding the speculations of Brother Eddie Villanueva running for the Filipino presidency. The Philippines is with no doubt a corrupt country, one full of problems on many different levels. I personally have not grown up in the Philippines or adapted to its culture, but I cannot deny that the blood of a Filipino courses through my veins. I still feel chained to the Philippines, even though this country seems like a parent who bailed out on me at the age of 2. My insight on the situation is therefore limited, but here it is anyways.

I think that this situation is quite the complicated debacle that needs to be fixed in a way more complicated than just simply electing a Righteous government. I think that yes, there does need to be a holy leader, but I don't think that Bro Eddie should be the one. Yes he does have the passion for change, but he already is creating a social upheaval through the hearts of the people. I think if a functioning Righteous government were to arise it would be from a person that was influenced or raised by the Christian leadership in the Philippines.

By that same token simply electing a Holy leadership will not solve the problem. Keep in mind that whoever is given the daunting task of reforming the Philippines will be a pariah within the Filipino political circle. Corruption seeping in will be inevitable. Actual political reform will not be the solution, but the first fruits of a true solution. A solution that makes political reform look like the cheap and easy, but only temporary bandage solution that it is.

My solution is to change the hearts of the people, individual reform, which then leads to political reform. The Philippines is a democracy, a corrupt one, but nonetheless a democracy. The past administrations have made the Philippines the ugly maiden of the Pacific. Stop pointing your fingers at these politicians, they are only the reflections of the intentions within the populous. Some may say, "Corrupt? Filipinos are supposed to be nice and compassionate!" Well if you look at it that way, we're so compassionate that we give discounts to people, and that simply doesn't work in politics. We kill ourselves with our own hospitality! That's just our "good" flaw. Might I remind you about all the stories I hear of adultery and drunkenness in the Philippines!

I think the JIL church is on a roll, changing the hearts of people. Brother Eddie in politics will only lead to this being undone. If you want a Holy leader, raise a Holy politician, a political leader with the grit to show that he's not afraid to be God's lawyer in the midst of Godlessness! Don't promote the pastor to being a pastor/president/spiritual/physical/fiscal leader of the Philippines. Let the people be changed and given a functioning government when deserved!

My Comment:
Mel Mendoza said...

The Biblical way, based on the many accounts in the Holy Bible is that God uses the least to shame the great or the famous. In choosing a successor to the disobedient King Saul, God chose the least and the youngest in the house of Jesse, and that is David. But in the context of Bishop Eddie Villuanueva, it's far, far different from how God appoints leader. We all know that E.V. is an anointed pastor and church leader...he has a PRIESTLY ANOINTING, but that doesn't mean that he was chosen to be a "king". My comment to E.V. is he is going beyond the limits of his anointing. Spiritually, E.V. was anointed by God to be one of the great church leaders of this country, but I believe in my heart, he is not called to be "king" or leader of a state. He must "be still and know that God is Lord and King" and must listen only to Him and not just to anyone. I concur with David...a righteous leader is not the cure for graft and corruption in the Philippines. The heart of the people must be changed. Transformation of a nation does not come from the leader, it comes from each individual who allows his/her mind to be renewed and it is only possible if we allow the SPIRIT OF GOD to renew our minds (Letter of Paul to the Romans, Chapter 12: verse 2)
August 12, 2009 11:19 PM