Why is our nation a mess despite what we believe to be our people's firm faith and religiosity?

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: That’s a good question. It is my opinion that we may be a nation steeped in religiosity, but our collective faith is not strong enough to move mountains or our prayers are channeled towards our own personal agenda.  

R.F. Layug, Metro Manila: It’s obvious that one’s religiosity is not a guarantee for good management. Some are consumed by their own power and some are hungry as ever for power, at all costs.  

We do not follow the laws of God

Rod Villar, Iriga City: I think there are many factors why our country is a mess despite the fact that we are the only Catholic nation in this part of the globe. One factor is that we do not follow the laws of God. We need to follow the teachings of our Lord anchored on genuine love for everyone. The absence of love for our fellowmen and the environment entrusted to us by God has resulted in greed, corruption, crab mentality, treachery, immorality, war, and destruction.  

Athena Presto, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a nation of strong believers. However, we fail to put into action the things that we believe in. We don’t lack faith and religiosity. The only thing we lack is obedience to our beliefs.  

Felix Ramento, Manila: Guys, forgive me, but if I may speak my mind, our nation is a mess because her people, like the early Israelites, continue to defy God’s law about worshiping man-made idols. We cannot communicate with Him without some sort of intervention. The Bible is clearly against this.  

Aldo Apostol, Quezon City: Filipinos practice idolatry. What is the first command of the Ten Commandments? You shall have no other gods before me. God hates idolatry because He is a jealous God.  

Frances Charito Alonzo, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because we don’t follow the teachings of the Lord even if we go to church to praise the Lord. We should follow the teachings of the Lord and apply the words of wisdom of the Lord.  

Daniel Bautista, Quezon City: Our nation is a mess because we lead ourselves into addiction of drugs, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes. We lead ourselves into crimes and wars because peace within us is gone forever. We lead ourselves not to care for our country because of addiction, crimes, and war.  

Our faith is superficial

Benjamin Nillo, Las Piñas City: Undoubtedly, Filipinos are deeply religious people but in spite of this, we still have our old bad traits such as selfishness, factionalism and vindictiveness.  

Juan Eduardo, Baguio City: The problem is that both our faith and religiosity are superficial, not firm. It’s for show at best, superstition at worst.  

Leonard Villa, Batac City: It’s because most of us are not God-fearing, despite most of us being religious. In Filipino, pakitang tao lang ang karamihan sa atin. That’s the sad reality.  

Eddie Yap, Kabankalan City: It’s discouraging that much of our public officials’ display of religiosity is merely for public image enhancement and not for real. It’s easy for someone to fake religiosity by faithfully going to church every Sunday and in giving tithes, but in reality his heart is far from the Lord. As evangelist Greg Tingson often says in his message, people can be religious but not righteous and marami sa atin ay maka-Diyos sa nguso, ngunit hindi sa puso.     

Jose Jumawan, Palawan: Being religious in form and appearance does not equate to being righteous in substance, in heart and mind. You can deceive people that way.  

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: Nowadays, religiosity has become a pakitang tao na lamang. It’s a practice or a fad to undertake lest one be ostracized as a non-believer.  

Col. Dennis Acop, Ret., Baguio City: Simply put, we Filipinos, despite our being predominantly Christian, do not practice our faith. As Fr. Bulatao has said, we seem to have a split-level Christianity. We regularly go to mass or church worship but behave otherwise once outside, in the real world. We find altars and grottos in many government offices but some of these offices are well-known for being ridden with graft and corruption. Nominal faith without good work does not translate into positive development.  

Rose Anne Quyo, Ilocos Sur: True, we Filipinos are firm in faith and religiosity, but I think the problem lies in our lack of action. Honestly speaking, many of us nowadays go for religious activities to show off. The heart to practice what we know just isn’t there.  

Jarel Aubrey Apelin, Vigan City: Our people are only externally religious  we practice the rituals, revere symbols, accept certain doctrines, but we simply can’t integrate in our daily lives appropriate actions in consonance with our religious credence. Despite our apparent faith and religiosity, we still live in disarray because we lack the cohesiveness and will power to bond what we believe in and what we should rightfully do.  

Lolong Rejano, Marinduque: Faith in God is not being taken too seriously. Most of us Filipinos have not learned from mistakes; we do it again and again and just say sorry to God. I can see that morality has something to do with the mess.  

Dante de los Reyes, Bacolod City: When in church, we tend to be cherubic, forgiving, benevolent, and what have you, but once we step out of the church, we become rumor-mongers, abusers of the environment, apathetic, and even human rights violators.  

Charissa Tuazon, Ilocos Sur: Faithfulness and religiosity are simply words. We rarely see Filipinos who are truly faithful and religious. That is why the Philippines is still suffering and our nation is still a mess.  

Kaeneille Antonette Rabena, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because many of us Filipinos are only religious on the outside. We lack action, we lack discipline, and we lack leaders who will lead us along the way.  

Religiosity has nothing to do with it

M. Sunico, Caloocan City: Faith and religiosity do not have anything to do with the mess we are in. People are the reason for the mess. We are acting like a bunch of jokes, and somebody has the temerity to ask why we are in a mess?  

Beatriz Dominique Pira, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur: Our nation’s problems do not revolve around faith and religion. In fact, firm faith and religiosity help us through these dark times. There are more problems triggering our nation’s slow drift, like corruption and lack of discipline. These make our nation a big mess despite our strong faith.  

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: If the head of the nation is reluctant to change and sticks to his own rules without considering the masses, the firm faith and religiosity of the citizenry alone is of no use. People should continue to criticize the wrongdoings done by our leaders to wake them up and suggest reforms for the common good of all. If we have a trusted, honest, respectable, and noble leader, our nation will be free of this mess we’re facing.  

We don’t practice what we preach

Eduardo de Jesus, Quezon City: Okay ang may firm faith and religiosity. Heto ang siste, baka naman puro tayo dada, puro ngawa, pero kulang sa gawa. Hindi ba, nasa Diyos ang awa, pero nasa tao ang gawa?  

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: Partly to blame are the four bishops of the Catholic Church for sowing hatred and not love among us. We are Christians only in name, not in action.  

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Yes, we have firm faith and are religious, but like the scribes and Pharisees, we don’t practice what we preach.  

Glaiza Jaqueca, Metro Manila: Most people are really proud to claim that they are religious, but they do not put their religiosity into practice.  

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: There’s no doubt that we have firm faith and religiosity. What we lack is putting into practice and action what we believe in. In politics, we call it lack of political will.  

Ken Manlang, Mt. Province: Our country is a mess despite our firm faith and religiosity because we don’t practice our beliefs.  

Ronali dela Cruz, Quezon City: It’s because we don’t practice our firm faith and religiosity. Our integrity remains negotiable, and our character, questionable.  

Romeo Nabong II, Saudi Arabia: It’s because we hardly apply in life what our religion teaches us. Just read the news or go out in the streets for a while and see for yourself that wrongdoing always dominates goodness.  

We don’t know who we are

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: We don’t know who we are and what we are. We must have been victims of identity theft, or, worse, we are suffering from identity crisis. The Japanese will always insist on buying and patronizing Japanese products. The same is true of Koreans. Whatever surplus production they make, they sell to Pinoys!  

Our nation is not in a mess

Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: I refuse to believe that the Philippines is a mess, but let’s go back to the basics: Love God and one another.  

Josh Pacatang, Dipolog City: I don’t think that our nation is in a mess. What have the great institutions of higher learning, like the Ateneo, Silliman, UP, UST, CPU, UV, and Zamboanga University, done in the last 50 to 100 years? For your information, as a republic we are No. 3 among the presidential types of government, after the US and Mexico. Since 1946, the Huks and now the NPA and MNLF/MILF have not toppled the Republic of the Philippines.  

Misdirected faith and religiosity

Marilou Sy, Metro Manila: Our colonizers gave us Christianity without giving us a very good example (the friars and early church leadership were rotten to the core, save for a few). We inherited the pompous rituals and all, but a lot of the teachings were lost.  

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Belief and reality are two different things. Pinoys say one thing and do another. Pinoys have blind faith and misplaced religiosity. Even hypocritical trapos and shrewd businessmen give large tithes and go to church.  

We are not so religious anymore

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: It’s highly doubtful that people today are as faithful or religious as they were in yesteryears. Many consider religion like a social club. “I go to so and so church” is like saying “I’m a member of the Manila Rotary Club.” The church and priests are no different either. Many have made religion a business, especially the neo-church organizations that meet in grandstands or parks. We need religious renewal for our faith and belief. The faithful should also practice what they believe.  

C.B. Fundales, Bulacan: I know more people who haven’t even opened the Holy Bible than those who regularly read it. How then can faith and religiosity factor in the mess?  

Lust for power and money

Digoy Coro, Batangas: Because our people’s faith and religiosity end when temptation for power and money begins. We have a “me and my family first” attitude.  

Avelino Falcon, Saudi Arabia: People in government, because of rampant graft and corruption, perpetrate it. From the lowly barangay chairman to people in high offices of the land, walang pinagkakaabalahan kundi papaano kumarakot sa bayan. Papaanong hindi maghihirap ang Pinoy?  

Nuhreen Roxas, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because of the selfishness and thirst for power of politicians. It can sometimes be futile to fight such politicians.  

Lucas Banzon Madamba II, Laguna: Our nation is in a mess because of corruption, poverty, greed for power and wealth. If the dark forces continue to reign, there will be no chance of economic growth.  

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: We can’t get out of the mess due to the politics of greed, envy, hatred, selfishness, disunity and crab mentality. It’s a vicious cycle that can go on and on till kingdom come.  

Rose Leobrera, Manila: Simply because our nation is governed by unscrupulous leaders, who just can’t resist the money that goes with their position. Seldom can we find an honest and sincere leader. The majority are corrupt and power-hungry.  

Sahlee Reyes, Las Piñas City: To put it bluntly, the PGMA administration falls short of shame and decency. Wala talagang delicadeza, kahit karampot. They display traits that foul up or make a mess of our ailing nation because of insatiable lust for power, fame and fortune.  

Erwin Espinoza, Pangasinan: Because of our corrupt and ambitious politicians. It’s as pure and simple as that. Buwaya na, may crab mentality pa sila.  

We lack discipline

Dave Lazo Velasco: The country is a mess because people abuse freedom openly without responsibility, making mountains out of molehills and being too judgmental of others.  ,

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: It’s because we lack or have lost our sense of values, specifically discipline. We have a tendency to negate things coming our way.  

Alecza Mae Savella, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is still a mess despite our firm faith and religiosity because the Spaniards taught us that God is the source of everything and that He will provide everything for us without having to work. Discipline is what the nation really needs.  

There is too much hypocrisy

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: It is saddening to note that the faith and religiosity of Filipinos, especially the Christians, are only skin-deep. They usually use the name of God in vain.    

Romeo Caubat, Masbate: Our nation is a mess because we are great pretenders, pretending to love and care for the poor, yet we only fool them.  

Our faith can only do so much

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: It’s because our President and politicians don’t practice what they profess in their faith. GMA looks so religious, but her actions don’t show it.  

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: We are a banana republic. The executive and legislative branches of our government are weak and the judiciary is rotten. No amount of prayer can fix this.  

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: Our nation is a mess because our leaders are a mess. Just watch TV, listen to the radio, and read about them in the papers. I now realize that even with our faith and religiosity, it all boils down to the examples we get from our government leaders and from our church leaders and elders.  

Delfin Todcor, Quezon City: Our nation is in a mess due to wicked leadership in government, business, judicial, and religious institutions.  

Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: The gaya-gaya virus afflicts this nation and because of this, despite what we believe to be our people’s firm faith and religiosity, we are generally topsy-turvy and in disarray  a real mess! Our people mimic and imitate our leaders in all sectors of society. Add to that the influence of those in showbiz and what have you? From these supposed paragons of good example, what do we see? The mess is further exacerbated by the growing callousness among us who now accept venalities as if they are facts of life!  

The voting public is to blame

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Our country is a mess and the ones to blame are the voting public, the majority of whom are more interested in love stories, showbiz news, money, and other cheap gimmickry than controversial issues and corruption.  

Victoria Antonia Rafanan, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because of the leaders we choose. It has something to do with them because we imitate what they are doing even if it is wrong. We need to be wiser in choosing leaders to serve our country and to lead us properly.  

Florimar Narcise, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because we don’t trust each other. I think we will have to vote a better leader in the coming elections.  

Ma. Vida de los Santos, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is indeed a mess because people in our nation are choosing the wrong leaders. People need to be more vigilant in choosing leaders for our country.  

Denice Victoria Reyes, Ilocos Sur: Our nation is a mess because of us and our leaders. We have the freedom to choose our leaders. Because of vote-buying, we vote for the wrong leaders. Because we have wrong leaders, we have rallies and wars that make our nation a mess.  

We are a divided people

Rey Onate, Palayan City: Our nation is a mess despite our firm faith and religiosity because such faith and religiosity are not national traits. We are still clannish.  

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Because our people and leaders are divided due to too much politics, backbiting, and crab mentality. Unless we unite, we can expect the same problem.  

Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: By their sheer numbers alone, religions are divisive. They may set the moral guideposts for us Filipinos to follow.  

Many factors contribute to this

Ed Gulmatico, Yemen: There are too many reasons. First, we elect into office the wrong kind of political leaders. Second, we sell our votes to the highest bidder. Third, the majority have a distorted sense of moral values. Fourth, we patronize and idolize superstars/actors/actresses with questionable integrity and characters. Fifth, we prefer hypocrisy and lies over truth and realities. And sixth, we have too many false messiahs claiming to be the savior of our nation.  

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

NEXT INBOX QUESTION: Do you consider the Noynoy-Mar tandem the team to beat in 2010?

You may also email your views to: [email protected].

(Editor’s Note: We have just added another channel to reach Inbox World via the growing Facebook community. If you have a Facebook account, add up PhilStar Inbox and give us a glimpse of your views on raging issues of the day. Selected comments will be published in The Philippine STAR Inbox World. Readers may also post intriguing questions for other Inbox friends to comment on. See you there.)