MCGI Presiding Minister Gives Biblical Outlook on Natural Disasters

By Cecile Vizcaya

In light of the recent disasters and on-going relief missions in earthquake-struck Japan, Members Church of God International Presiding Minister Bro. Eli Soriano shares enlightening thoughts and biblically-inspired perspectives to what is now seen as a tragic global newsmaker.

While expressing his sympathy and condolences to the Japanese people who were affected by the 8.9 tremor on March 11, Bro. Eli Soriano, Presiding Minister to Members Church of God International also looked at the catastrophe in a different light – one that is biblical in context.

“Natural calamities are sent as God’s reminder, a manifestation of His power and wrath towards those who worship other gods,” he explained during the March-15 Bible Exposition in the Philippines.

Although this seems to have a hostile tone especially for the victims experiencing post-disaster trauma, the Presiding Minister preferred to be frank and biblical in looking at matters concerning natural calamities.

“There really is a reason for God to get angry,’ said Bro. Eli, and added that Japan’s disaster and other disasters before and after it were caused by God’s anger, as stated in Job 9:5-6.

He said, “If we are to examine the religious profiles of the countries which were beaten by these strong earthquakes, like Indonesia in 2004, Haiti in 2010, New Zealand and Japan this year – it all comes to a conclusion: great natural disasters fall upon those who do not acknowledge the God of Israel.” Bro. Soriano connected the religious beliefs and practices of the countries he mentioned to the disasters which came upon them.

As reported by www.guardian.co.uk in December 2004, a destructive 9.0 megathrust earthquake hit the Indonesian coast, triggering tsunamis that crashed onto the coastal regions of Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. The calamity claimed hundred thousands of lives and destroyed properties, coastal villages, and businesses.

Global news reports, statistics, and video uploads over the Web reveal a high level of religious intolerance and conflicts in Indonesia. Ruthless killings and violence are day-to-day affairs, especially in the Poso District where scythes, guns, and other forms of ammunition are commonplace.

Also, religious diversity and odd forms of worship are a usual sight in the four countries that were tsunami-hit. “They embrace mostly Buddhism and Hinduism. In India, cow and elephant worship are tolerated. The Bible clearly states that idol worship is an abomination unto God,” Bro. Eli emphasized.

“Why should you worship animals, idols, and graven images? asked Bro. Eli to his audience from different parts of the globe connected via the Internet. He explained that idol worship is the reason why God gets as He expressed to His people, the Israelites, thousands of years ago in Deuteronomy 5:8.

“By worshipping Buddha and revering animals, Buddhists and Hinduists are earning for themselves God’s curse,” he added, stressing also that “what is written in Acts 17:29 and Romans 1:25 are being fulfilled in them.”

Like Indonesia, impoverished Haiti was devastated by a magnitude 7 temblor in January 2010, one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the nation in the last two centuries, according to geologists. Many people died because buildings collapsed on them. Investigations by engineers further revealed the crumbled edifices to be defective, used substandard building materials, and did not follow customary building codes.

Haitians practice idol worship, Baha’i Faith, and 50% of the current population practice Vodou (variation voodoo), an old but complex form of heathenism which believes in the existence of primordial spirits and deities, and in some of its offshoots, perform the dark magic arts. Again here, Bro. Eli stressed that idol worship is a big no in the Bible.

In previous Bible Expositions, Bro. Eli explained that those who perform magic arts and consult the dead are abominable to God. This teaching is in the Book of Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Finally, the latest disasters to have quaked New Zealand and Japan suggest a similar connection between religious convictions and natural disasters. New Zealand, aside from it rests on an active seismic plate, hosts a medley of religions. In a national periodical released in 2008, a study indicated that from 1996-2006 there was a steep rise in the number of people who are either practicing their ethnic religions, such as the Maori sect and its offshoots, or do not practice religion at all.

On February 22, a 7.0 tremor shocked the country, putting New Zealand on the map for humanitarian action. To this, Bro. Daniel Razon, Vice Presiding Minister to MCGI, commented that “He shakes the earth because of his anger, a way of saying we need to remember, ignore not His might, His power and counsel.”


The world is quite familiar with the earthquake-prone location of Japan, as it lies, like New Zealand, on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Earthquakes are frequent visitors, but most tremors are ignored until the one which thumped Japan on March 11. Linking its religious systems, research data tells of Japan as the second in 20 states in the world having the largest number of atheists and agnostics. Figures account for 2/3 of the population or roughly 82 million Japanese who do not believe or doubt the existence of God. Bro. Eli Soriano furthermore observed that the “Japanese are more inclined to material gain; they do not have interest for spiritual matters. Those who profess they worship God do not worship Him at all. They believe in Shinto and worship graven images as well.”

The disaster on March 11 which caused a string of other blows such as the tsunami and the damage inflicted on the four nuclear reactors in Fukushima prefecture is an evidence of God’s anger, he said.

During a related Bible Exposition, Bro. Eli Soriano answered an inquiry about disasters, citing the verses Job 9:5-6 and Psalms 104:32, describing God as the “earth shaker and mountain mover.” The tsunami is recorded in Amos 9:6, although differently worded. On the other hand, similar disasters such as typhoons, tropical storms, and cyclones are described in Jeremiah 25:32.

Just as he was about to end his sermon in MCGI’s weekly Thanksgiving service on March 19, Bro. Eli received news from the coordinating center in Tokyo that an earthquake had just occurred, and that the brethren inside the worship house had to step out for a while for safety.

The Presiding Minister also cautioned all to prepare for and remember that natural disasters are acts of God and are an evidence of His wrath. He said, “In all these disasters occurring, I rest my trust and faith in the Almighty Who will save and spare His servants.”

Bro. Eli refutes claim that 90% of scientists are atheists

By Robert Clarita

“Ninety percent of scientists are atheists.” This is the claim of an atheist that Bro. Eli Soriano, an international preacher, had refuted during the “Ang Dating Daan” Bible Exposition held at Batangas, Philippines on February 8, 2011.

Gerome Almodovar of Rationals and Darwinians of Nasugbu, Batangas had attempted to hold debate with Bro. Eli, the Presiding Minister of Members Church of God International (MCGI). When it was his turn to ask question, Almodovar challenged the preacher with his belief that evolution is a fact and that 90% of scientists are atheists.

Bro. Eli addressed his opponent’s claim, challenging him to produce and show to the people the reference where he got the figure.

“I do not like to waste your time and that of others. My reference is in the computer at the computer shop (café).” This was the answer of the Darwinian atheist.

 According to Encyclopedia Britannica, with their study “Worldwide Adherents of All Religions by Six Continental Areas, Mid-1995”, there are 219,925,000 of atheists from 139 countries against 5,496,500,000 of adherents of religious faith or 3.8% from the total number that is 5,716,425,000.

Narrowing down the demography, a survey conducted by an American Psychologist, James Leuba in 1914 revealed that there are some 42% non-believers in God. By 1933, the same survey conducted by Leuba stated that 56% are non-believers. In 1998, an American Historian, Edward Larson conducted the survey using the same template created by Leuba, and it stated that 45% are non-believers.

These figures covered the “All Scientists” demography of the conducted survey. In an examination of the survey conducted by Leuba, it was revealed that selected participants were known as having no-religious affiliations, while some were agnostics. Leuba had counted having no-religious affiliation as atheism or non-believers. Even then, the claim that 90% of scientists are atheists is uncertain.   

Bible writes of Foreknowledge

Bro. Eli underscored the existence of foreknowledge that is present in the Bible that cannot be explained by atheism or science.   

He stated that the Bible has the foreknowledge of technology and microbiology long before men witnessed the realization.

“It is some sort of advance knowledge. The Bible calls it ‘foreknowledge’. The Bible states, as far back as 1,600 years ago, that knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:4). Scientific knowledge was not yet written then. But now we are witnessing that. That is my basis why I am saying someone has spoken of it. There is a being that has knowledge of what is going to happen in the future, and that is God.”

Bro. Eli gave technology as an example of the manifestation of foreknowledge. “With people during the time of Daniel, when he wrote the prophesy, it didn’t occur to them that the cellphone will be invented, as well as the satellite and space station . . . It’s a foreknowledge - a knowledge that is ahead of time.”

He also cited the discovery of bacteria, viruses, and of antibiotics and explained that those were not yet known by Science but were already forewarned by the Bible to the people.

“We didn’t come from Apes”

The preacher had then brought the discussion profoundly to science. “If you are to study microbiology, you will never believe that we came from apes.” Bro. Eli cited the scientific fact about the gene having a very strict substance through its designed number and information that dictates the physical form of a being. He also emphasized that there’s a great difference in the genes and DNA of the apes and of men.

At the discourse of the subject, Bro. Eli let Bro. Daniel Razon, Vice-Presiding Minister of MCGI read an excerpt from a research journal, stating that with primates, 1% to 2% difference in DNA already represents 80 million different nucleotides if compared to the 3 to 4 billion nucleotides that make up the human genome.

Bro. Eli then affirmed the scientific fact about genes with the knowledge written by St. Paul in his book I Corinthians 16:39 “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.”

“This is what St. Paul had written 2,000 years ago. Science was not yet developed, human anatomy was unknown yet, but the Bible already stated that flesh of men, beasts, birds, and fishes are different from one another. Can any scientist refute that?” Bro. Eli said.

In due course, Bro. Eli challenged Almodovar about the atheists’ claim of the alleged “missing link” to prove the evolution theory. However Almodovar failed to provide a straightforward answer or evidence. Bro. Eli then read before the audience an article, “The Top 25 Crimes of the century” that was published in Time Magazine about the missing link being a hoax.


THE FAKE APE-MAN, 1912

Eoanthropus dawsoni was the scientific name of this alleged missing link, and it would have been an extremely early example of a creature showing both human and apelike qualities. At 375,000 years old, it put England in contention for a cradle of humankind, being found in the Sussex town of Piltdown. The "first Englishman" he was proudly called when the anthropologist Charles Dawson found him in 1911. For decades, Piltdown Man was cited along with Neanderthal man and Heidelberg man as an example of early hominid life in Europe. Then in 1953, the fragments, including a jawbone, were tested: they did not contain enough fluorine to be the age that Dawson claimed; worse, the jawbone was that of a 10-year-old orangutan, its teeth ground down to simulate age, and a crude chemical wash applied to the bone to make it appear ancient. No one knows who perpetrated the hoax: Dawson had died in 1916. Very quickly, however, Piltdown became a synonym for phony; and England's claim to antiquity was cut short by several hundred thousand years.”

 

“Do not speak lies in my program. This is the most informative religious program in the United States of America. Remember that. That’s why I won’t let you speak of any foolishness in my program.” Bro. Eli reminded Almodovar for claiming of something yet failed to produce his proof.

The Old Path or “Ang Dating Daan” in its Filipino title was awarded The Most Informative Religious Program by Gawad Amerika Awards in 2006. Bro. Eli was awarded as well as the Most Educational to Follow by Mashables’ Open Web Award in 2009 through his official blog, esoriano.wordpress.com.

The Ang Dating Daan Bible Exposition is held every Tuesday in the Philippines with live coverage via the internet thru www.livestream.com/elisoriano.

Ang Dating Daan is in its 30 years of broadcast and currently being aired in UNTV. Its international counterpart, The Old Path, is also being broadcast in various countries with recent additions in India, Uruguay, Argentina, and Bolivia.

Man’s Law Enforcers get best advice from God’s Law Enforcer

By Robert Clarita

Although he is being defamed in his own country with wrong reports and alleged accusations, some 77 policemen from Pasig City still chose to listen to Bro. Eliseo Soriano of “Ang Dating Daan.” Some of the police in the unit who attended the February 8, 2011 Bible Exposition had become inquirers to personally ask the preacher.

“I would say to you law enforcers, that you should believe that there is God. Learn to fear the Lord,” Bro. Eli said, addressing the policemen.

He then read the book of Luke 3:14,

"And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages."

“That’s what the Lord said to the law enforcers of man, through John the Baptist. ‘Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”

In a different light, Bro. Eli sympathizes with the condition of the police officers in the country. He expressed his grievances for them with the “injustice” system that has been long plagued the country way back from previous administrations.

“I sympathize with you, those police in low ranks, how low your salary is. Sad but true, low ranking police’s lives are in danger at the roads. You inhale the smoke of vehicles, you risk your lives, yet the pay is puny.”

Bro. Eli enumerated the employees in the country that needed much salary.

“The nurses who work hard at the hospitals. The police officers on the roads, sleepless, exposed to the criminals, and are being thrown to with bombs by the rebels. The keepers of the nation whose lives and their families’ are being threatened. They are the ones whose wages should be raised.”


The Philippine National Police (PNP) has reported that in 2009, crime rate has reached up to 63% compared to those in the previous years. The total figure recorded by that year was 101, 798 crimes, with 61.26% of the total as robbery, murder, and other offences against persons, while 38.74% was of the total are crimes against poverty.

Although by half of the 2010, the crime rate percentage was reported to have dropped to almost 70% compared to 2009 report, the risk for the police of being exposed to dangers with the criminals is still high due to the nature of their work.

“I hope you remain honest as you go on with your duty even with low salary. Nevertheless, there is blessing of God in the future, my brother policemen,” Bro. Eli added.

The Ang Dating Daan host further said, “Police’s perspective should be that they are servants of the public; preserver of law and order, and are protectors of the rights of the people. They are not oppressors of the people.”

Ang Dating Daan Bible Exposition is continuously being held every Tuesday with different venues even as far as international shores. Bro. Eli Soriano can be followed in his internet broadcast through www.livestream.com/elisoriano and www.truthcaster.com, also with his 2009 Mashable’s Most Educational to Follow blog, www.esoriano.wordpress.com. He can also be consulted personally through his Twitter account, www.twitter.com/broelisoriano.

As usual: Bro. Eli triumphs over on-the-spot debate with INC challenger

By Robert Clarita and Jason Veran

Muntinlupa, Philippines – Despite the distance of locations, the Walking-Bible Preacher did not miss the chance to put on a good fight with an Iglesia ni Cristo challenger. Bro. Eliseo Soriano, during the live Bible Exposition held on November 30, 2010, once again used his biblical skills to enlighten the INC advocate as well as the thousand audiences who attended the event.

An hour-long debate took place on-the-spot when an inquirer, an INC member, challenged the Ang Dating Daan host. This was least anticipated for that moment as inquirers were supposed to ask questions related to biblical matters. The question-and-answer portion is part of the regular exposition program

The issue raised by the challenger was that there is no god called “Real God” in the Bible except one, the Almighty God.

The Iglesia ni Cristo’s eminent doctrine is that Jesus Christ is human and never a god. This is the crux of the stand of the challenger. Bro. Eli, in contrast, had defended the MCGI belief that Christ is God according to the Bible.

The INC challenger cited Jeremiah 10:10-11. He interpreted that the verse stated that the real God is the one who created the heavens and all of the creations as well. His supposition was that the Creator was alone during the time of creation, and that Jesus Christ is human because he was also a creation of God the Father. He also stated that other gods are not real gods and shall perish. He supported this argument with the verse with John 17:3, stating that the verse cited “only true God”.

Bro. Eli took his turn and he agreed that false gods will perish by also citing Jeremiah 10:10. However, he strongly refuted the challenger’s claim that Christ is not a real God. Citing Hebrew 13: 8, he emphasized the obvious statement in there that Jesus Christ shall live forever. Christ is not included in those who will perish; therefore Christ is real God, as Bro. Eli explained.

The Ang Dating Daan host also gave an explanation of Christ’s deity. Upon creation, God the Father casts the foundations of the heavens and Christ was with the Father then. Christ is a witness of the creation. These were the explanations of Bro. Eli citing the book of Proverbs 8:22.

Bro. Eli also added that in I Corinthians 1:24 and I Corinthians 2:6 -8, Christ is the power and the knowledge of God. The biblical fact mentioned had disproved the claim of the opponent that Christ wasn’t part of the creation.

Addressing the other claim of the INC challenger that Christ is human and countering it, Bro. Eli read John 1:18. It stated that the son of God came from His bosom. Christ was not created but he was brought out from the bosom of God. In contrast man was created from dust. Therefore Christ is not man but God, as explained by Bro. Eli.

The debate reached three rounds before it wrapped up. Bro. Eli had no record of being defeated by any religious debate since he started leading the organization, Members Church of God International (MCGI). The recent debate is no different from the previous ones.

In concluding, Bro. Eli addressed his opponent’s hardcore belief, stating sympathy to the opponent’s state and wishing him to have his understanding in the Bible be corrected.

Although there were many incidents and attempts of debates during the live Bible Expositions, the recent debate once again reminded the audience of Bro. Eli’s flair with the Bible.

Bro. Eli, is the only preacher today who could hold programs like “Itanong Mo Kay Soriano” and Bible Exposition series that are dedicated for the audience’s queries with their concerns basically about the Bible and spirituality. For that, he became very much in-demand with his broadcasts both in local and international territories. This also attracts enemies who wanted him down.

Early quarter of 2011, countries like Argentina and India were the most recent additions to the countries where Bro. Eli’s broadcast could be heard through radio and Television programs with the international title of the program “The Old Path.” In India the reception of the audience was overwhelming through letters being sent to the administrators also by the number of the listeners as reported to the congregation during the weekly gathering of MCGI.

The debate that took place is viewable in the YouTube and it became almost viral within the debate-aficionados and followers of Bro. Eli’s broadcast alike.

Bro. Eli is actively preaching over the Internet through live stream broadcast in his web video site, Truthcaster.com and also in his official blog Esoriano.Wordpress.com. He has been in media broadcast for 30 years now and is in his 47th year in leading the MCGI congregation.

Crime Rate Peaks at Christmas Season and Why

Preacher exposes celebrating Christmas as false

By Robert Clarita Jr

Manila, Philippines - What’s with the Christmas Season that crime rates go up? What does December have to do with the behavior of men?

Some 1,000 Regional Mobile Groups (RMG) officers of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) are set to deploy in the metropolis this Christmas season for security measures, says NCRPO Director Jeffrey Soriano in an interview with Quismundo.

“We need the RMG as our frontliners for terrorism and other serious crimes . . . in malls and bus terminals, that’s where we have to put additional visibility,” Soriano said addressing the operation.

This is the Philippines. Robbery syndicates were said to have victimized a National Food Authority, a soft drinks company and several commercial establishments during this time according to Tarra Quismundo of Philippine Daily Inquirer (11/20/2008).

In the United States, it is not any different. In there, the incident of crime rate rising during winter also prevails. There are more crimes committed during the months of November and December, says Barboursville Sgt. Jim Bellomy in interview with The Herald- Dispatch last year.

The police officer Bellomy enumerated some crimes regularly committed during the season to be shoplifting, fraud, false pretenses, breaking in cars and forgery. Crimes are observed to be rampant in Huntington Mall, West Virginia as in other similar places.

“Yes, the crime rate as far as larcenies go up during Christmas because people can’t afford certain things or want to have a nice Christmas for someone else,” added Bellomy. He was asked if the perception that more crimes are committed during the holiday.

“Winter months prompt crime rate surge,” reported a study of University of Nottingham in December 2005. It said that winter months leading up to Christmas are when domestic robberies have recently been at their highest. In line with this, warnings are given out to homeowners that Christmas gifts can make an attractive target for thieves.

However, some minor areas have different reports. Crime levels over the Holidays are typically much lighter in the University of Oregon but that is because they have low student population. Spokeswoman Pam Olshanki of Eugene Police Department (EPD), in an interview with Lisa Catto of Daily Emerald in 2004 said crime rate is at peak where there is crowd celebrating Christmas season.

The mounting crime rate during Christmas season also extends in other continents as well, like in Africa. “The crime rate here (North Kivu, Congo) jumps at this time of year because people are desperate to provide something extra to meet their families’ expectations of new clothes and good food on the table,” observed by Nicola Reiss. Reiss maintained a blog, Nicky’s Itchy Feet and on December 18, 2007 gave a graphic description of what happens during this season.

As far back as two centuries ago, Jacques Guerry de Champneuf observed that whereas the crimes against persons are more numerous in the summer, the crimes against property are more numerous in winter. Jacques was the director of affaires criminelles in the Ministry of Justice, France. The Christmas season falls in winter.

These disturbing facts occur within this supposedly peaceful holiday. What is alarming is that this most celebrated holiday is a product of inaccuracy of a traditional belief. Many thought that December 25th was the birthday of Jesus Christ since AD 354.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica Online, the Roman Catholic Christmas links to the Roman Festival of Saturnalia. It was celebrated by Romans from 17th to 25th of December, which had no traits of Christian custom, but actually celebrates the festival of Saturnus.

Roman History also cited that during this period, Roman courts were closed and no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people, according to the research of William Ramsay, M.A. of University of Glasgow. This implies that some Romans can deliberately do crimes during the period, as if the law and justice also had their holidays. This manner perhaps made transition in our times where crime rates are at its peak during the same season.

The fraudulence of the Christmas tradition has been long being shouted about by Bro. Eli Soriano, an international preacher of Members Church of God International (MCGI), through his popular exposition program Ang Dating Daan Bible Exposition.

Soriano gave a reasonable justification of the absence of the data of Jesus Christ’s birthdate in the Bible. “Christ came from eternity. If we are to put his birth, it will appear he just existed during that time. They said Christ just existed when being borne by Mary. What they don’t know is that before Mary or even the world existed, there is already an entity being called the Son of God.” This was the evangelist’s answer during one of the live Bible Expositions held in Lucena. He supported his statement with a passage in the book of Proverbs as his reference.

Perhaps a tradition that was based on a deception and lies has caused serious mishaps to society, and gave a disturbing effect on the character of those who were affected by it. “I am sorry, am just telling the truth. Your Christmas is different from the Christmas in the Bible,” Soriano, who bears the title, “the most sensible preacher in our times” by the congregation he is leading, added.

Instead of celebrating along with the erroneous Christmas, MCGI celebrates offerings of Thanksgiving that is being participated in by the international chapters of the congregation. This is being celebrated in the manner of the activities cited on the Bible. The MCGI tradition of International Thanksgivings is being done quarterly, and with December being its last quarter.

Bible Expositions hosted by Bro. Eli Soriano and its interactive section Itanong Mo kay Soriano (Ask Soriano) is being regularly aired in Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path), a program in UNTV channel and in TOP channel in United States. This is also accessible online 24/7 though Truthcaster.Com and The Old Path.TV.

Gawad Amerika Awards in California have awarded Soriano the most informative religious program of the year with his Ang Dating Daan program in 2006. Many souls are being continuously served with their spiritual and religious queries that are being answered based on the facts in the Bible with Bro. Eli’s program. It is now being aired, not just in the Philippines, but in different countries like in the United States, and some parts in Europe, Africa and in Asia.

The Shroud of Turin is a hoax!

By Cecile Vizcaya

Philippines - Eliseo F. Soriano, the Presiding Minister of the Church of God International, said the Shroud of Turin is one of those religious inventions around.

In a particular thanksgiving session this year before the congregation of the Church of God, International, Bro. Eli Soriano disproved the claim of the Shroud’s believers. What was needed was only a single Biblical citation.

John 20:5 -7 states, “And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”

Bro. Eli Soriano said the shroud is a fraud. The Shroud, as being shown to the public, is a single sheet of cloth. In contrast, the Bible mentions multiple cloth pieces – which were “linens” and a “napkin.”

In the verse, the napkin was wrapped about the Lord’s head. The so-called Shroud of Turin does not have a napkin with it. In the shroud, the image of the head is also seen where the image of the body is projected. But the Bible mentions that there was a napkin “about his head.” What was used to wrap the head was a different piece of cloth from what was used to wrap the body.

Since its discovery, the Shroud of Turin had been a popular object of worship of the Roman Catholic Church. The devout would even pray to it. Many faithful Catholics have an overwhelming respect for this artifact because they believe it to be the burial shroud of Christ. It will offend them if someone speaks maliciously about it.

However, an intelligent talk about the Shroud of Turin must be welcomed. Discussing and examining it objectively would fan a critical view of faith, therefore treating religious topics as things that require careful study and investigation. Whether the discussion upsets or esteems various religious systems, it is important that issues of faith are approached with an academic mindset and confidence that these religious concerns are addressed. For this, the Biblical perspective, supported by scientific proofs, are the most satisfying methods to realize the objective of this worthwhile investigation.

Forensic science and radio carbon dating technology exacts the physical qualities of the shroud. Primarily, it is a woven cloth that is 14 feet long and 3.5 feet wide with an image of a man on it. It has two images, one frontal and one rear. It is kept in the cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Carbon-dating has shown that the cloth, which has been kept in Turin 1587, was made between 1260 and 1390. (http://skepdic.com/times.html)

The first historical mention of the shroud as the "Shroud of Turin" is in the late 16th century when it was brought to the cathedral in that city, though it allegedly was discovered in Turkey during one of the supposedly "Holy" Crusades in the Middle Ages, a historical period of confusion. Three centuries later, in 1988, the Vatican allowed it to be dated by three independent sources – Oxford University, the University of Arizona, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – and all dated the cloth as originating in medieval times, around 1350.

Historical records say that the shroud caught fire during the early part of the 16th century and, according to believers in the shroud's authenticity, that is what accounts for the carbon dating of the shroud as being no more than 650 years old. Dr. Walter McCrone, a famed microscopy expert, said that “the suggestion of the 1532 Chambery fire changed the date of the cloth is absurd. Samples for carbon dating are routinely and completely burned to carbon dioxide as part of a well-tested purification procedure. The suggestions that modern biological contaminants were sufficient to modernize the date are also ridiculous. A weight of 20th century carbon equaling nearly two times the weight of the Shroud carbon itself would be required to change a 1st century date to the 14th century. Besides this, the linen cloth samples were very carefully cleaned before analysis at each of the carbon dating laboratories.”

Dr. McCrone had another interesting discovery. After subjecting the Shroud to other several tests and analyzing it, he found traces of pigments commonly used by Italian artists of the 14th century, which were red ochre and vermillion tempera paints. This was supported by forensic analyst John E. Fischer and publicized by Joe Nickell. How did 14th century paints reach the ‘supposedly 2, 000 year old’ cloth? If the cloth is of Christ, why would someone ‘bastardize’ it, and why did the Catholic Church tolerate that?

Another verse in the book of John tells how the Lord Jesus Christ was exactly buried. In John 19:40, it reads, “Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.” Note the word ‘wound’, the past participle of ‘wind’, taken as a verb. Comparatively, the Shroud of Turin projects an image of a body that was draped in cloths. There is a lexical difference between draping and winding. Draping is covering not involving the joints. Winding is coiling the entire surface of something, extended to the joints (in this case, a corpse). Ancient Egyptians practiced it, and they would literally coil a body with several linens, since the human body is jointed. Further, British and American syntax tells that the word “linens” is plural. This supports Bro. Eli Soriano’s statement on the falsity of the Shroud.

If a single sheet of linen was used to cover the entire body, there should be a space where the halves of the face and the body meet because the Shroud has dorsal and frontal images. If the wrapping was done at the dorsal side or frontal side first, there must be a space in the dorsal or frontal view of it. This is not true in the case of the Shroud of Turin which projects a perfect, whole image of both frontal and dorsal images. (http://skepdic.com/shroud.html)

A close-up look of the Shroud at the head will lead to another ‘misrepresentation of Christ’ as it projects a hippie. According to Bro. Soriano, one of the basic doctrines for Christian males is to keep their hair short. I Corinthians 11:14 clarifies this: “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” Why would Christ violate this teaching?

The believers of the Shroud reason out that the man in the image suffered brutally by whipping. It is true that Christ was scourged, but it doesn’t mean that the man on the Shroud is Christ. Flagellation or whipping was a common form of torture, especially in early Rome. Many authors call it “half death” because the number of victims who died from it due to infection, loss of blood, or organ damage, was significant. Excessive whipping would result in the eruption of the skin, leading to profuse bleeding. (http://www.medievality.com/flagellation.html)

Research and history unveils that there were at least forty-three shrouds in Middle Age Europe. This fact could make one ask if the Turin cloth is authentic. There were many copy-cats, so to speak.

An interesting and controversial account of a religious scandal involving the Shroud of Turin was recorded in a bishop’s report written by Pierre d’ Arcis and presented to Pope Clement VII, in 1389. It recounts that the Shroud was used as part of a faith-healing scam to draw money. The dean of the diocese at Lirey in Northern France deceitfully used the garment and hired men to pretend that they were healed by the ‘miraculous cloth’ at the moment it was shown. Investigations led that it was human skill and not miracle that brought the cloth, that an artist painted it. Even the pope himself, Clement VII, after reading the report, declared that the Shroud is just a representation, not the true Shroud of Christ. However, this does not say that the Roman Catholic world accepted the decree of Clement VII. But if the Catholics respect Clement VII as a pope, just like the late Pope John Paul II, they would readily accept his statement and stop believing that the shroud of Turin is of Jesus Christ.

These evidences ‘shroud’ the Shroud of Turin with religious controversy and heresy.

It is always wise to use the Bible and science in examining religious issues and bringing out the truth in them. In these times of exponential increase in knowledge, misinformation is also prevalent. Being Biblical and scientific are essential to avoid getting swayed with inventions and unscrupulous artifice that endanger one’s belief, and ultimately, salvation. As Bro. Eli Soriano has said many times, “You can always retrieve things that have been stolen, or have been lost to fire. But once you lose your soul, there’s no getting it back.”

Seat of Government Vulnerable to the Devil’s Influence

By Andrei Nicholas S. Bonete

Is the Philippines’ Malacañang Palace the base of operations of the devil?

In the political arena, there are winners and losers, successes and failures, unity and misunderstandings. Each government has its distinctive story to tell of daily endeavors. There are actions or decisions that gain recognition from or degrade the integrity of its position in both the local and the international community. They are surrounded by different political problems. There are vulnerabilities that are being exploited to level down the credibility of the governing body and seize control. It is here, in this arena where many battles take place everyday to keep good governance standing firm.

Looking back into history, during medieval times, a king’s castle represents the seat of power of a country and is also the focus of attack from enemies. A variety of methods are being done in order to capture the seat of power and be claimed victorious. Before a direct attack proceeds, cunning yet effective methods such as employment of spies to gather search for weak spots, poisoning of water supply, capturing supply routes to starve the people and weaken the defense force and much more are used.

German forces used the Blitzkrieg military offensive tactic to seize control of France during the 1940’s. Blitzkrieg means “Lightning War” and it uses surprise attacks to prevent the enemy from forming a coherent defense. It concentrates its forces on a focal point and uses initial bombardment followed by a ground attack composed of tanks and infantry.

In this modern era, aside from a direct military offensive like those applied to Iraq to fight Saddam Hussein and Afghanistan to combat the Al Qaeda, a more subtle approach is being employed to gain control of the key positions in the government and eventually increase its influence to its constituents.

There are two kinds of human beings in this world: The good and the bad, the hero and the enemy. The enemy uses different approaches to determine a government’s strengths and weaknesses and exploit it for their benefits. What is a human being’s weakness that is being exploited by the enemy, ultimately by the devil? Is it love for money, power?

Corruption in politics, for example, is one of those man-induced difficulties that is of concern to the international community. The Transparency International (TI) director for anti-corruption and governance initiatives David Luna once said that “Corruption clearly results in the misallocation of resources and tends to be more prevalent where systems of governance and political will to combat corruption are weak.”

This statement of Luna was made following the release of the 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International (TI). Many of the much needed sums of money are being diverted to the greedy who just can’t have enough.

Greediness on the other hand is the selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, power, food, or other possessions, especially when this denies the same goods to others. A person who lacks material wealth can be bribed with material wealth. In the Global Corruption Report 2007 which was issued on May 2007 by Transparency International,“different forms of judicial corruption continue to afflict many parts of the world.”

The report also mentioned that in Africa, of those who have dealt with courts, one out of five admitted paying bribes to favor them. If bribing doesn’t work, there are other forms wherein the enemy can influence the person involved and one way is blackmail.

There are instances that some are being blackmailed as published in the newspapers. Blackmail is defined as the act of forcing somebody to pay money or do something by threatening to reveal shameful or incriminating facts about him or her. This is nonetheless an effective tactic to influence anyone, particularly in different areas in the government. The assailant gathers information that is related to the target: personal information, character references and other pertinent data. Once the necessary information is gathered, if the target doesn’t carry out the conditions of the assailant, then the information is used against the target.

One option to gain control any key area in the government is to inflict fear. The assailants threaten the person with a variety of methods like threatening to harm or to an extent, kill somebody dear to the target such as family, friends, or relatives. Once the target cannot bear the pain and agony being inflicted, eventually submits to the assailants to do their bidding. This is also considered a form of corruption.

These are some of the many methods that the enemy uses, whose influences come from the devil, towards any individual, most especially to key areas in the government where power is enough to influence anyone.

Other approaches are much more subtle. The results could be devastating as it affects the economy. The enemies are constantly on the move to gain a strong foothold and gain control of the system. Once in control, there’s no telling what will happen next.

It has indeed come to the world that the seats of power are being influenced by the devil because it is here where laws are being made and being taken into effect. It is also here where the influence of the devil is strong. Deceit, lies, temptations, money, wealth, power are what the devil tempts the person in order to gain control of him and his thoughts.

Why is the seat of power vulnerable to such attacks? It is because the high positions within the government are the best place to start spreading the devil's misdeeds. Compared to a much smaller scale, he could only do damage to a very few number of individuals whereas when he has total control of the head of state or key positions in the government, the terror is in a much grander scale.

The enemy or the devil uses innumerable methods in order to lure the person to his traps. Money, women, power are some of his works. When the person falls into his trap, he is being blinded little by little until he is under the devil’s control.

What the Philippine government needs, since the 2010 elections is fast approaching, is a person who has a strong character, a person who isn’t easily swayed by the influences that the devil could possibly induce to gain foothold in the high positions in the government.

How does one avoid the devil? What are the characteristics of the devil? If you want to know more, Ask Bro. Eli Soriano. The Bible will answer. When you hear that a Bible Exposition will be held in your area, grab the opportunity to ask him.

Soriano said, “Malacañang is the base of operations of the devil.” The Philippines is corrupt according to surveys and that won’t change for as long as the devil has control of the system.