The Six Pillars of Character

I’ve talked before about the importance of making moral judgments. The idea is not to categorize or label others’ character but to clarify personal moral obligations in terms of specific values and attributes that make us better people and produce a better society.

The most effective framework I know is built on six core ethical values called the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Thus, if you want to be a person of character:

First, be worthy of trust. Live with honor and integrity. Be honest. Keep your promises. Do what’s right even when it costs more than you want to pay.

Second, treat others with respect. Live by the Golden Rule. Avoid physical violence, verbal abuse, prejudice, and all acts that demean or offend human dignity.

Third, be responsible. Exercise self-discipline and self-restraint. Do your best. Be self-reliant and accountable for the consequences of your choices.

Fourth, strive to be fair. Don’t cheat. Be open and consistent. Don’t jump to conclusions. Be careful when making judgments about others.

Fifth, be caring, kind, empathetic, and charitable. Avoid selfishness. Do what you can to improve the lives of others.

Sixth, be a good citizen. Do your share to make your community better. Protect the environment. Participate in democratic processes. Play by the rules. Obey laws unless you have a compelling conscientious objection.

Michael Josephson

Christians and the Economy: Is There Hope?

A generation ago, Francis Schaeffer prophetically lamented that the West had lost its spiritual moorings in its pursuit of prosperity, personal peace, and affluence. Now, as Arthur Laffer, Stephen Moore, and Peter Tanous suggest in their recent book The End of Prosperity, it appears that this prosperity is fast slipping away, too (though, as will become clear later on, while I agree with their diagnosis, I believe their solution does not nearly go deep enough). In fact, the current economic crisis is global in scope, and the depth of the recession increasingly approaches the magnitude of the Great Depression. The major economic indicators paint an exceedingly dismal picture, as the following sampling of relevant information illustrates. Consider this disturbing set of data.

The unemployment rate in the US is currently 8.1 percent; it is projected to rise to 9.4 percent by 2011. The total number of unemployed Americans as of February 2009 is 12.5 million. Almost two million jobs were lost in the last three months alone (the highest number since 1945). Since the Obama inauguration, the stock market declined by 32 percent; the decline since October 2008 is 62 percent. The projected budget deficit for 2009 is $1.752 trillion (12.3 percent of the GDP). By comparison, the deficit in 2007 was $162 billion (1.2 percent of the GDP), and the total federal spending in 2000 was $1.79 trillion! (i.e. in nine short years we went from what amounted to the total spending per year becoming equivalent to the annual federal deficit).

The recent federal government bailout for the US banking system totaled over $700 billion; the price tag for the bailout for the auto industry stands currently at $17.4 billion and is likely to rise to at least $40 billion. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the GDP declined by 3.8 percent, the worst performance since the first quarter of 1982. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2008 trade deficit with China amounted to over $266 billion. Housing starts were down 15.5 percent in December 2008 compared to the same time the previous year and are at the lowest level since 1991, while foreclosures increased by 81 percent from 2007 to 2008. 2.3 million American homeowners face foreclosure, and 860,000 properties were repossessed in 2008 (more than double from 2007).

The rapid economic decline, in turn, coincides with the growing moral malaise in our culture. This includes the increasing fragmentation of the family, divorce and teenage pregnancy rates, and the number of abortions. While simplistic cause-and-effect relationships are to be eschewed, this economic and social data is hardly unrelated. In fact, the moral dimension of economics has rarely been clearer than in recent months. Reckless, irresponsible lending practices by financial institutions, corporate greed, especially by the executives of large corporations, and a mentality of mortgaging the future of coming generations underscore that this economic crisis is at the center a spiritual and moral crisis of major proportions.

Will economic policy be the likely cure? This, of course, seems to be the conviction exuded by political operatives and other economic talking heads in the media. When in trouble, turn to the experts, and they will figure out and fix the problem. But how do we know that a given course of action will really take care of the issue and not merely be a stopgap measure? How do we know, for example, if increased government spending, or tax cuts, or a combination of measures to stimulate economic activity will turn the economy around? For some of us who are skeptical, Ronald Reagan’s famous quip comes to mind: “Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” What is more, as Milton Friedman once remarked, and as recent efforts at the federal level to revive the economy seem to confirm, “The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.”

On the whole, even though it is of course true that economic trends are cyclical in nature, it seems increasingly naïve to assume that mere economic solutions, no matter how ingenious (even those proposed by the authors of The End of Prosperity!) will reverse the course of our nation. In my opinion, at least, we ought not to overestimate the ability of specialists to remedy a problem whose root cause is ultimately beyond their grasp. However, the economic downturn has been good for at least one (albeit very minute) segment of our population: economists. On this point John Kenneth Galbraith had it exactly right: “Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.” (One may be forgiven the thought that this is the only thing some economists are useful for.) In this increasingly dire situation, gallows’ humor may be one of the few things still left to alleviate the situation.

In all seriousness, when all is said and done, my conclusion, as one whose first Ph.D. is in economics, is this. As with the social crisis in our society, only a return to the biblical foundations will prove to have a lasting positive impact (for a similar diagnosis with regard to marriage and the family, see my book God, Marriage & Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation; see also the late Harold O. J. Brown’s provocative volume Sensate Culture). On a larger societal scale, short of a spiritual revival this is unlikely to happen. On a personal level, biblical values ought to guide and undergird the way we live and the way we spend our money once again. With regard to the church’s proclamation, the current crisis presents us with a golden opportunity for presenting the gospel. Do we trust in the economy or in the Lord Jesus Christ? Is our confidence in our 401(k)s or in the blessed hope of his return?

For those who built their houses on the shifting sands of the American economy, the gospel stands ready to help with an eternal message of good news: faith in Christ is recession-proof, and where profits fall, faith may rise. As Jesus stated, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matt 16:24-28). For those with ears to hear, this is good news indeed.

Note: This post first appeared as an Editorial in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Kultura ng Pilipinas

Ang kultura ng Pilipinas o kalinangan ng Pilipinas ay pinaghalong impluwensya ng mga katutubong tradisyon at mga kultura ng mga unang mangangalakal at mananakop nito noon. Ang papanakop ng mga Kastila sa Pilipinas, sa pamamahala ng Mehiko, na tumagal ng mahigit 350 taon, ay may malaking kontribusyon sa Kultura ng Pilipinas. Ang Wikang Pilipino, na mas kadalasang kilala bilang Tagalog, ay maraming hiniram na salita galing Kastila. Karamihan sa mga pinagdiriwang na mga tradisyon ay magkahalong Kristiyano, Pagano, at iba pang lokal na seremonya. Bilang halimbawa, bawat taon, ang mga bayan sa buong bansa, ay nagsasagawa ng malalaking Pista, nagpapaalala sa mga Santong Patron ng mga bayan, barangay, o ng mga distrito. Ang mga Pista ay kadalasang may patimpalak sa katutubong pagsayaw, at sa ibang lugar ay mayroon pang sabungan. Ang mga ganitong tradisyon ay ginaganap din sa mga bansang nasakop ng mga Kastila. Sa Katimugang bahagi ng bansa na karamihan ay mananalig Islam ay nagdiriwang din ng kanilang mga tradisyon at nakagawian.

Bago pa man dumating ang mga unang mananakop, ang mga mangangalakal galing sa India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tsina at Hapon ay may malaking kontribusyon din sa Kultura ng Pilipinas. Ang Hinduismo at Budismo ay may impluwensya sa mga katutubong paniniwala ng mga Pilipino bago dumating ang mga Kastila at ang mga mangangalakal na Muslim. Ang wikang Tagalog at iba pang wika sa Pilipinas ay maraming hiniram sa wikang Sanskrito. Isang mabuting halimbawa ang karma, na hanggang ngayon ay pinaniniwalaan pa rin ng mga Pilipino. Marami sa mga pamahiin, hiniram na salita at pagkain, tulad ng pansit, siopao at iba pa ay minana sa mga mangangalakal na Instik.Ang ibig sabihin ng kultura ay ang paraan ng pamumuhay ng mga tao nagpapakita ng kaugalian,tradisyon,mga sining,sistema ng edukasyon,musika at pamahalaan.
Mga nilalaman
[itago]

* 1 Lipunang Pilipino
o 1.1 Kaugaliang Pilipino
* 2 Mga Pagdiriwang
* 3 Sanggunian
* 4 Tingnan din

Lipunang Pilipino [baguhin]

Ang Lipunang Pilipino ay magkahalong lipunan. Isa bilang bansa, at marami dahil sa pagkakahiwalay ng mga ito ng lugar, dahil sa pulo pulo nitong ayos at mga kasanayan. Ang bansa ay nahahati sa pagitan ng mga Kristiyano, Muslim, at iba pang pangkat; sa pagitan ng mga nasa lungsod at sa mga nayon; mga tagabundok at tagapatag; at pagitan ng mga mayayaman at ng mga mahihirap.

Kaugaliang Pilipino [baguhin]

* Bayanihan: Nabuo ang Bayanihan sa mga samahan ng mga magkakapitbahay na nagtutulungan kahit kailan o saan man kailanganin ng tulong. Kadalasan makikita ang bayanihan sa mga sasakyang nasisiraan ng gulong. Ang mga tambay at ang mga taong-bayang na malapit dito ay agad agad ding tutulungan ang drayber kahit ano pa man ang mangyari maayos lamang ang nasirang sasakyan. O kaya naman mas kadalasang inilalarawan ito ng paglilipat bahay noon ng mga nasa lalawigan. Ang mga bahay ay sabay sabay bubuhatin ng mga kalalakihan na sinasabayan pa kung minsan ng awitin upang di gaanong madama ang kabigatan nito. Ito ay kabaligtaran ng ugaling indibidwalismo ng mga lipunang Europeo at Amerikano.

* Matinding Pagkakabuklod-buklod ng Mag-anak: Ang mga Pilipino ay kadalasang malalapit sa kanilang mag-anak at iba pang kamag-anak. Ang pangunahing sistemang panlipunan ng mga Pilipino ay mag-anak. Maraming mga Pilipino ang tumitira malapit sa kanilang mga kamag-anak, kahit pa sila ay may edad na o kaya naman ay may sarili na ring mag-anak. Kadalasan ang isang bahay sa Pilipinas ay binubuo ng mahigit sa dalawang mag-anak. Sa mga lalawigan, ang mga nayon ay kadalasang binubuo ng iisang angkan, at halos lahat ay mag-kakakilala.

* Pakikisama[1]: Ang pakikisama ay ang kaugaliang Pilipino na nagnanais magkaroon ng maganda at mabuting pakikitungo sa iba.

* Hiya: Ang kaugaliang Hiya ay isang panlipunang kaugalian. Ang mga Pilipino kasi ay naniniwala na dapat na kumilos sila kung ano ang mga tinatanggap na kaugalian ng lipunan; ang kung sila ay nakagawa ng kaugaliang hindi tanggap, ang kahihiyan na ginawa nila ay hindi lang para sa kanilang sarili kundi kahihiyan din ito para sa kanilang mag-anak. Isang halimbawa ay ang pagiging magarbo ng paghahanda kahit na hindi napat sapat ang kabuhayan niya. Kung ay isa ay pinahiya sa maraming tao, sila ay nakararamdam ng hiya at nawawalan ng lakas ng loob.

* Utang na Loob[1]: Ang Utang na Loob, ay isang utang ng tao sa taong tumulong sa kanya sa mga pagsubok na kanyang dinaanan. May mga kasabihan nga na: Ang Hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay Hindi makararating sa paroroonan
* Amor Propio: Pagpapahalaga ng isang tao sa kanyang dignidad.
* Delicadeza: Isang ugali na kailan na dapat ang isang tao ay kumilos sa tama at nasa lugar.
* Palabra de Honor: "May isang salita" Isang kaugalian ng mga Pilipino na kailangan tuparin ang mga sinabi nitong mga salita o pangako sa iba at hindi paiba iba ng opinyon.


Mga Pagdiriwang [baguhin]

* Pebrero 25 - Himagsikang EDSA
* Abril 9 - Araw ng Kagitingan
* Mayo 1 - Araw ng Manggagawa
* Hunyo 12 - Araw ng Kalayaan
* Agosto 28 - Araw ng mga Bayani
* Nobyembre 30 - Araw ni Bonifacio
* Disyembre 30 - Araw ni Rizal
* Disyembre 25 - Pasko

Culture and Values

The complexity of the history of the Philippines had made the Filipino culture diverse as it has been under many influences.
The Spanish colonizers greatly shaped our culture and values since its regime lasted for more than three and a half centuries. This is most evident in our folk music, dance, language, art, and religion.

Family. The family is the basic unit of society. Family ties are valued highly because Filipinos tend to be very close with family members. The nuclear family setup is the standard with Filipinos, which is why divorce is illegal in the Philippines.

Pamilyang Pinoy

Common Values. Being respectful is one of the most common Filipino values that is being especially instilled in the minds of young Filipinos. The use of “Po” and “opo”, for instance, is an expression of respect to elders in the Tagalog culture (especially true among those living in Luzon). Grandparents and the elderly are also shown a special gesture of respect by the placing of the back of the elder’s hand (at the fingers) against one’s forehead, called “mano”.

Most of the time, you will hear children calling their neighbors and distant relatives “auntie†and “uncle†or “tiyo†and “tiya†in the Visayan area.

Shame or hiya is the Filipino way of living up to accepted standards of behavior.
Utang na loob or “debt of gratitude”s, is owed by one to a person who has helped him through some difficulties he had undergone.
Death. Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. It is a tradition to hold a wake where families, relatives, neighbors, and friends gather to pay respect to the deceased’s remains. This is one of the biggest gatherings of family members and friends, aside from weddings and baptism. Similar to Latin America, women also wear white veils and black pins to show that they are mourning.

UNDERSTANDING THE FILIPINO

VALUE SYSTEM

VITALIANO R. GOROSPE, S.J.


Since the February 1986 Revolution(1), values development has been one major concern of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). Undersecretary Minda Sutaria has publicized the second draft of the DECS Overall Values Framework, designed to assist teachers at all levels. This latest draft, basically similar to that proposed by Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J. in "Paideia, Humanism, and Magpakatao: Values for National Reconstruction,"(2) bases its framework on the provisions of the Philippine Constitution of 1986.

If we are to discover our traditional values and make sure that they contribute to the "just and humane society" and "total human liberation and development" of which the Philippine Constitution speaks, we must ask some basic questions.

1) What is the philosophical basis of Filipino values?

2) What is distinctive about the Filipino value system?

VALUE PHILOSOPHY

A brief introduction to the philosophy of human values is necessary for an understanding of Filipino values and values education. A Filipino experiences family closeness and solidarity (pagpapahalaga sa pamilya), politeness (use of po or ho), hospitality (tuloy po kayo), gratitude (utang na loob) from "within", that is, subjectively and emotionally, unlike a non-Filipino observer, social scientist, or psychologist who studies Filipino values objectively from "without" or "from a distance". Such Filipino values as social acceptance, (pakikisama, amor propio, economic security, pagmamay-ari), and trust in God (paniniwala sa Diyos, bathala or Maykapal) find their philosophical basis in man's dynamic openness toward nature and the world (e.g., the value of hanap-buhay ng magsasaka), one's fellowmen (the values of paggalang, hiya, katarungan, pag-ibig), and God (the values of pananampalataya, pananalangin, kabanalan).

This dynamic openness of man is an openness to the possibilities of the future. That is why values are something to be realized. Take the value of peace. The Philippine situation is now characterized by insurgency; conflict between the NPA, the MNLF and the AFP; vigilante groups; hostility and division--in short, an absence of national peace and order. Human values are not merely private. All values have a social aspect. The government official who demands porsiyento, the fireman or policeman who extorts tong or lagay for a service which is his duty, all contribute to the worsening graft and corruption. We are all responsible for one another (tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't-isa).

Values are both subjective and objective. They involve a subject or person who values (e.g., a young girl) and an object or value to be realized (e.g., pagkamahinhin). Justice is objective because it is a value that should be realized by all. It also becomes subjective if justice becomes a value for me. There is an objective difference between value and disvalue, pleasure and pain, life and death, poverty and affluence, heroism and cowardice, truth and error, right and wrong, holiness and sinfulness. The difference is not only in the mind or a matter of personal taste or preference. Even if I close my eyes to the ugly poverty around me, the poor will not disappear.

Values are not objective in the sense that they are found in some static heaven: they are relational and embodied in person-value-types (ideal moral persons). For example, to a tipong-mukhang kuarta [an avaricious look] profit is more important than service; to a tipong-politiko [political type], pera [money], propaganda, politika [politics] are more valuable than honesty; tipong siyentipiko [scientist type] or tipong-artista [actor type] personify agham [science] and sining [art]; tipong madasalin [pious type] may exemplify kabanalan (piety). Cory Aquino embodied all that we wanted our President to be--credible, honest, just, with a strong faith in God and in our people. The ideal type or Filipino model during the "parliament of the streets" was the tipong-maka-Diyos (religions), makatao (people-oriented), makabayan (nationalistic).

The heroes of EDSA placed the good of the Filipino people before the safety and security of their families. They were willing to risk their lives for God and people. Value-ranking or the priority of values is not merely arbitrary or subjective. There is an objective ranking of values based on existence or reality and other objective criteria. Using the criteria of permanence, ability to be shared, and depth of satisfaction, Max Scheler ranked human values from the lowest to the highest as follows:(3) sense values like sensual pleasure are exemplified by the lakuatsero or pabling; utilitarian values like profit and efficiency by the businessman and technocrat; life values, by the doctor and the hero, e.g., Dr. Bobby de la Paz and Emilio Jacinto; cultural values, by the genius and the artist, e.g., Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas; religious values, by the saint, e.g., Mother Teresa or Lorenzo Ruiz. Moral and religious values are pre-eminent and claim the highest priority in the objective scale of values because they are absolutely necessary in order to become fully human (magpakatao).


FILIPINO VALUES: NATURE, CONSTELLATION

AND CONTEXT

What are Filipino values? What is distinctly Filipino in our value system? The Filipino value system arises from our culture or way of life, our distinctive way of becoming human in this particular place and time. We speak of Filipino values in a fourfold sense.

First, although mankind shares universal human values, it is obvious that certain values take on for us a distinctively Filipino flavor. The Greek ideal of moderation or meden agan, the Roman in medio stat virtus, the Confucian and Buddhist "doctrine of the Middle", find their Filipino equivalent in hindi labis, hindi kulang, katamtaman lamang.

Secondly, when we speak of Filipino values, we do not mean that elements of these Filipino values are absent in the value systems of other peoples and cultures. All people eat, talk and sing, but they eat different foods, speak various languages and sing different songs. Thus, we easily recognize Filipino, American, Chinese, Japanese or any other foreign food, language or music. The difference lies in the way these elements are ranked, combined or emphasized so that they take on a distinctively Filipino slant or cast. For instance, in China, honesty and hard work may rank highest; Chinese and Japanese cultures give great value to politeness and beauty; American culture to promptness and efficiency; and Filipino culture to trust in God and family centeredness. In this sense of value-ranking and priority of values, we can speak of dominant Filipino values.

Thirdly, universal human values in a Filipino context (historical, cultural, socio-economic, political, moral and religious) take on a distinctive set of Filipino meanings and motivations. This is true not only of the aims and goals, beliefs, convictions, and social principles of the traditional value system of the lowland rural family(4) but also of what Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.J. calls the Filipino "nationalistic" tradition (pagsasarili, pagkakaisa, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao, and pagkabayani.(5)

A Filipino value or disvalue does not exist alone, in isolation or in a vacuum. Filipino values like bahala na, utang na loob, hiya, pakikisama, pakiusap are clustered around core values like social acceptance, economic security, social mobility, and are always found in a definite context or set of circumstances. Both positive values and negative disvalues together form a characteristic constellation in school (aralan at dasalan [studying and praying], kuwentuhan at laruan [story telling and game], inggitan at tsismisan [envying and gossiping]), which differs from the configuration found in government offices (pagkakaisa [unity] , pagkabayani [heroism], intriga [intrigue], palakasan [show of power], sipsipan [bribery], palusot), in business firms (palabra de honor [word of honor], delicadeza [finesse], "commission", "kickback", padulas [grease money], lagay [bribe]), or in the barrio barangays (paggalang [honoring], pagdadamayan [comforting], bayanihan [cooperation], bahala na [come what may], utang na loob [gratefulness], hiya[shame]/pakiusap[appear], palakasan [show of power]). To change a framework of values, it may be necessary to change the constellation and context of those negative values that hinder Filipino and Christian development.

Fourthly, we can speak of Filipino values in the sense that the historical consciousness of values has evolved among our people. The Filipino concept of justice has evolved from inequality to equality, and to human dignity; from the tribe, to the family, and to the nation(6). Filipino consciousness of these different values varies at different periods of our history. It is only in the last two decades that the Filipino people have become more conscious of overpopulation and family planning, environmental pollution (Kawasaki sintering plant) and wildlife conservation (Calauit Island), and the violation of human rights (Martial Law), active non-violence and People Power (1986 non-violent Revolution).

FILIPINO VALUES: AMBIVALENCE AND

SPLIT-LEVEL CHRISTIANITY

Are Filipino values good or bad? The truth is that Filipino values are ambivalent in the sense that they are a potential for good or evil, a help or hindrance to personal and national development, depending on how they are understood, practiced or lived. They can be used in a good or evil context, e.g., pakikisama sa kabuktutan or sa kaunlaran. Filipino values have both positive and negative aspects depending on the context in which they are found. In a social system or atmosphere of extreme insecurity, the positive qualities of the Filipino take on negative and ugly appearances. For example, utang na loob can lead to pakiusap, nepotism and "cronyism". Pagmamay-ari ng kapangyarihan (the possession of power) and their abuse could lead to class distinction or the "malakas-mahina system". Hiya can become pakitang tao or gaya-gaya; machismo (tunay na lalake) is partly responsible for the "querida system" and the doble kara morality.

To show the ambivalence of Filipino values, one example will suffice. Take the well known but ambivalent Filipino bahala na mentality. On the one hand, this Filipino attitude could be the root of the positive value of risk taking, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. Prof. Jose de Mesa, in a pioneer book on the Filipino and Christian meaning of bahala na, stresses the positive meaning of this virtue of risk- taking, enterprise and joint trust in both human effort (bahala tayong lahat) and divine Providence (bahala ang Maykapal)(7). A people's will to take chances and risks, no matter what difficulties and problems the future entails, is necessary for a nation's growth and destiny. Bahala na could be a genuine faith and trust in Divine Providence that also presupposes a self-reliance (pagsasarili) that took the form of People Power in the EDSA revolution. Bahala na was a positive and nationalistic virtue for Jose Rizal, who believed that Filipinos could no longer rely on the Spaniards, but only on themselves and on God.

On the other hand, in the past the negative aspect of bahala

na which dominated Filipino life meant a false sense of resignation (ganyan lang ang buhay), a superstitious belief or blind faith (malas/suwerte, tadhana, kapalaran), or escape from decision-making and social responsibility. As such it may be the root cause of national apathy (walang pakialam) and collective paralysis of action (bakit pa kikilos) to solve both local and national problems. Everything is already predetermined or fated. Negatively, bahala na could engender a false sense of security with God as insurance or a security blanket. For example, if God wants Filipino families to have plenty of children (anak ay kayamanan), God will take care of everything. Bahala na could be the cause of the absence of national initiative and of that discipline required for national growth. When negative bahala na prevails, nothing ever gets done. Potholed roads, uncollected garbage, countless unsolved murders, carnaping and smuggling remain year after year. How many have ever been arrested, convicted or jailed for wanton murder or for notorious graft and corruption? A sense of national frustration, helplessness, and despair grips the nation and the people no longer care. Nothing is going to happen--Bahala na, come what may.

From a Filipino perspective, what social reforms are necessary to transform bahala na positively? No society will long endure unless there is justice; that is, unless a system of reward and punishment exists and is effective. If in Philippine society lying and stealing people's money are rewarded and truthfulness and honesty are punished, what else can one expect but a badly broken political will for national reform? The present government should therefore prioritize an effective system of universal sanctions for those who hold power. From a Christian perspective, the Christian doctrines of divine Providence, creation, stewardship of land and property, and the conservation of our natural resources remain the challenge and task of parents, educators, and Christian evangelizers.

Split-level Christianity or double-standard morality, the immorality and hypocrisy of many so-called Filipino Christians, is a scandal to both Christians and non-Christians alike.(8) It is important to distinguish between pseudo Christianity in all its varied forms and authentic Christianity; between bad and good Christians. We must also take into account the ambiguity of any religious commitment, which is not something made once and for all, but a life-long process which demands constant conversion and renewal. We must also distinguish between Filipino actual and normative behaviour (between what is and what ought to be). Filipino values are not static, i.e., they are not simply what they are, but dynamic, i.e., they become. From a historical perspective, the question to ask about Filipino values is: Ganito kami noon: paano kayo ngayon? How are we to know towards what goal or direction Filipino values ought to move or become?

Now that we have regained our democratic form of government once again and have arrived at a privileged historical kairos, how do we transform Filipino values to build a more "just and humane society" (Preamble, 1987 Constitution)? We need both external structural and internal cultural change. It is here that the Christian faith should, in the last analysis, point the way to the kind of values education needed for national reconstruction.

Ateneo de Manila University



Culture of the Philippines reflects the complexity of the history of the Philippines through the blending of cultures of diverse indigenous civilizations, and foreign influences.

Spanish colonization of the Philippines, governed from Spain, and Mexico, lasted for more than three centuries. There is a significant amount of Spanish-Mexican influence in Philippine custom, and tradition. Hispanic influences are visible in traditional Philippine folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion.

Pre-Hispanic, and non-Christian Philippine culture are derived from the Indigenous tradition of the Austronesian primitive tribes called Malayo-Polynesian. The prehistoric Philippine Mythology, and Philippine indigenous culture has been influenced by the Malayo-Polynesian cultures of Oceania, accompanied by a mixture of Western-Christianity, Eastern-Islamic, Hinduism, and Buddhism tradition.

The Philippines were a territory of the United States from 1898 until 1946. American influences are evident in the use of the English language, and in contemporary pop culture, such as fast-food, music, film, and basketball.

Other Asian ethnic groups such as the Chinese, and Japanese have been settling in the Philippines since the colonial period, and their influence are evident in the popularity of gambling games such mahjong, jueteng, Filipino martial arts, and other Asian cuisine.

Muslim Filipinos living in the Philippines celebrate their own custom, and tradition. These groups follow a Philippine Islamic culture, and other Muslim recreation such as the Kali, Kulintang, and Gamelan, are used by Islamic groups in the southern islands of Mindanao, and Sulu archipelago.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Way of life
o 1.1 Religion in the Philippines
+ 1.1.1 Superstition
* 2 Arts of the Philippines
o 2.1 Literature
o 2.2 Performance art
+ 2.2.1 Music
+ 2.2.2 Dance
o 2.3 Visual art
+ 2.3.1 Folk art
+ 2.3.2 Primitive art
+ 2.3.3 Islamic art
o 2.4 Cinema and television
o 2.5 Architecture
* 3 Cuisine
* 4 Martial arts
* 5 Education in the Philippines
* 6 Sports in the Philippines
* 7 Traditional Filipino games
* 8 Tribal groups
* 9 Philippine diaspora
* 10 Celebrations
o 10.1 Regular holiday
o 10.2 Nationwide holiday
o 10.3 Native holiday
* 11 Other cultural realm
o 11.1 Homosexuality
* 12 See also
* 13 References
* 14 External links

[edit] Way of life

About two-fifths of the Philippine population live in urban areas, while three-fifths of the people live in rural areas, although the proportion of people living in towns, and cities is steadily increasing. Most people live in urban areas, while farmers, and agriculturalists lived in rural towns, and villages. The majority of the people follow an old-age tradition in addition to the latest contemporary life styles, and fashion trends.

[edit] Religion in the Philippines
Main articles: Religion in the Philippines and Philippine mythology
The Manila Cathedral in Luzon is one of many Christian churches in the country.

The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nation in Asia-Pacific, the other being East Timor. About 90% of the Philippine population are Christians. About 5% are Muslims, and about 5% practised other religions, and those with no religion.

[edit] Superstition

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, and the introduction of Roman Catholicism, and Western culture in the 1500s, the Indigenous Malayo-Polynesian tribes of the Philippine Islands were adherents of a mixture of Animism, Islam, Hinduism, and Vajrayana Buddhism.

Bathala was the supreme God of the Tagalog people, represented by the "Langit" (Sky), The Ninuno, or the ancient ancestors, were the people who taught believed in the supreme God. For the Bikolanos, the supreme God was "Gugurang". Other primitive gods, and goddesses include "Araw" (Sun), "Buwan" (Moon), "Tala" (Star), and Nature (such as trees, shrubs, mountains, or rocks).

Monsters, and spirits such as the "Aswang" (Vampire), the "Tikbalang" (Half Horse, and Human), the "Kapre" (Giant), the "Tiyanak" (Demon infant), the "Santelmo" (Fireball), "Duwende" (Dwarves, and Elves), the "Manananggal" (person with no lower half of their body), "Engkanto" (Spirits), "Diwata" (Fairies, and Nymphs), and Satanism are believed to exists in the Philippines.

Other paranormal beliefs such as "Voodoo" (Pangkukulam), "Witchcraft", "Usog" (Stranger), and "Lihi" (Food for the fairy) are also present. These beliefs have been practised to the present generation of Filipinos, which has led to some foreign scholars to incorrectly describe them as Pagan-Christians.

Voodoo, psychic surgery, and the rituals of medicine men and women are commonly practiced in most indigenous Filipino societies. These rituals are found mostly in rural areas throughout the islands. In Luzon, people who cast spells, and lay curses are called "Mangkukulam". People who curse their enemies by putting insects inside their bodies are called "Mambabarang". The healers of these curses are called "Albularyo".

Psychic surgeons are people who appear to remove tumors, and diseased tissue by sticking their hands into a patient's body, and extracting human flesh, and blood, but leaving the patient scar free. Some see this performance as a sleight of hand false interpretation. Believers accept it as true, and accept it as an alternative healing method, and a way to take advantage of the placebo effect.

[edit] Arts of the Philippines
Main article: Arts of the Philippines

Arts of the Philippines cover a variety of forms of entertainment. Folk art, Primitive art, and Islamic art consists of a classic, and modern feature that flourished as a result of European, Indigenous, and Islamic influence.

[edit] Literature
Main article: Literature of the Philippines

The literature of the Philippines illustrates the Prehistory, and European colonial legacy of the Philippines, written in both Indigenous, and Hispanic writing system. Most of the traditional literatures of the Philippines were written during the Mexican, and Spanish period. Philippine literature is written in Spanish, Filipino, English, and other native Philippine languages.

[edit] Performance art

[edit] Music
Main article: Music in the Philippines

Early Spanish settlers, and Filipinos played a variety of musical instruments, including flutes, guitar, ukelele, violin, trumpets, and drums. They performed songs, and dance to celebrate festive occasions. By the 21st century, many of the folk songs, and dances have remained intact, and are presented by dance, and song groups throughout the Philippines. These groups are the Bayanihan, Filipinescas, Barangay-Barrio, and Hariraya groups, as well as the Karilagan Ensemble, and the groups associated with the guilds of Manila, and Fort Santiago theatres have been performed. Many Filipino musicians have risen prominence such as the composer, and conductor Antonio J. Molina, the composer Felipe P. de Leon, known for his nationalistic themes, and the opera singer Jovita Fuentes.

Modern day Philippine music features several styles. Most music genres are contemporary such as Filipino rock, Filipino hip hop, and other musical styles. Some are traditional such as Filipino folk music.

[edit] Dance

Philippine folk dances include the Cariñosa, and Tinikling. In the southern region of Mindanao, there is a dance called Singkil using long bamboo poles. However, it is primarily a dance which showcases Islamic culture. In this dance, there are bamboo poles arranged in a tic-tac-toe pattern in which the dancers exploit every position of these clashing poles.[1]

[edit] Visual art

[edit] Folk art

Filipinos began creating artistic paintings in the 17th century during the Spanish period, and have continued up to the present.[2] The earliest paintings of the Philippines were religious imagery from Biblical sources, as well as engravings, sculptures, and lithographs featuring Christian icons, and European nobility. Most of the paintings and sculptures between the 19th, and 20th century produced a mixture of religious, political, and landscape art works, with qualities of sweetness, dark, and light. Early modernist painters such as Damián Domingo was associated with religious, and secular paintings. The art of Juan Luna, and Felix Hidalgo showed a trend for political statement. Artist such as Fernando Amorsolo used post-modernism to produce paintings that illustrated Philippine culture, nature, and harmony. While other artist such as Fernando Zóbel used realities, and abstract on his work.

[edit] Primitive art
A primitive Ifugao fabric.

Pottery, weaving, and wood carving, are popular among Filipinos. Pottery was first made in the Philippines about 6000 B.C. The Manunggul jar is the most valued prehistoric artifact that has been discovered in Palawan Island. The jar features a carved scroll lines, painted with iron oxide, accompanied by a figure of a boat, a boatman, and passenger.

The sculptures of the Kankana-ey, and Ifugao tribes possess a unique sculptural tradition. The bulol tradition features a pair of figures carved in wood. The figures have a styled primitive features. They have religious significants, and are associated with the protection of rice harvests. The hagabi is perhaps the best example of a wood carving in the Philippines. It was carved by a large wooden bench with the sculpted pig-like heads at each end. The natives regard it as a sign of social status.

The Itnegs tribes are known for their intricate weaving production. The binakol is a blanket which features an optical illusion design. Weaving of the Ga'dang tribe usually has bright red tones. Their weaving is identified by beaded ornamentation. Other tribes such as the Ilongot made jewellery from pearl, red hornbill beak, plants, and metals.

The tribes of Mindanao such as the B'laan, Mandaya, Mansaka, and T'boli became skilled in art of dyeing abaca fibre. Abaca is a plant, and its leaf are used to make fibre known as Manila hemp. The fibre is dyed by a method of tie dyeing called ikat. Ikat textiles are woven into geometric patterns with human, animal, and plant pictorial themes.

[edit] Islamic art

Islamic art in the Philippines have two main artistic styles. One is a curved-line woodcarving, and metalworking called okir, similar to the Middle Eastern Islamic art. This style is associated with men. The other style is a geometric tapestries, and is associated with women. The Tausug, and Sama-Bajau exhibit their okir on elaborate markings with boat like imagery. The Marananaos make similar carvings on housing called torogan. Weapons made by Muslim Filipinos such as the kampilan are skillfully carved, with lines.

[edit] Cinema and television

The advent of the Cinema of the Philippines can be traced back to the early days of filmmaking in 1897, when a Spanish theater owner screened imported moving pictures.

The formative years of Philippine cinema, starting from the 1930s, were a time of discovering film as a new medium of expressing artworks. Scripts, and characterizations in films came from the popular theater shows, and Philippine literature.

In the 1940s, the Philippine cinema brought the consciousness of reality in its film industry. Nationalistic films became popular, and movie themes comprised primarily of war, and heroism had proven to be successful with Philipine audience.

The 1950s saw the first golden age of Philippine cinema,[3][4] with the emergence of more artistic, and mature films, and significant improvement in cinematic techniques among filmmakers. The studio system produced frenetic activity in the Philippine film industry as many films were made annually, and several local talents started to earn recognition abroad. Award winning filmakers, and actors were first instituted during this period. When the decade was drawing to a close, the studio system monopoly came under siege as a result of labor-management conflict, and by the 1960s, the artistry established in the previous years was in decline. This era can be characterized by rampant commercialism films.

The 1970s, and 1980s were considered as turbulent years for the Philippine film industry, bringing both positive, and negative changes. The films in this period now dealt with more serious topics following the Martial law era. In addition, action, western, drama, adult, and comedy films developed further introducing picture quality, sound, and writing script. The 1980s brought the arrival of alternative or independent cinema in the Philippines.

The 1990s saw the emerging popularity of drama, teen-oriented romantic comedy, adult, comedy, and action films.[4]

The Philippines, being one of Asia's earliest film industry producers, remains undisputed in terms of the highest level of theater admission in Asia. Over the years, however, the Philippine film industry has registered a steady decline in the movie viewership from 131 million in 1996 to 63 million in 2004.[5][6] From a high of 350 films a year in the 1950s, and 200 films a year during the 1980s, the Philippine film industry was down to making films in 2006 to 2007.[5][6] The 21st century saw the rebirth of independent filmmaking through the use of digital technology, and a number of films have once again earned nationwide recognition, and prestige.

[edit] Architecture
Puerta del Parian in Manila.

Pre-Hispanic architecture is characterized by its use of Indigenous wood materials. The Nipa hut (Bahay Kubo) is the mainstream form of housing. It is characterized by primitive materials such as bamboo, and coconut as the main sources of wood. Cogon grass, and Nipa palm leaves are used as roof thatching, although coconut fronds are also used. Most primitive homes are built on stilts due to frequent flooding during the rainy season. Regional variations include the use of thicker, and denser roof thatching in mountain areas, longer stilts on coastal areas especially if the structure is built outright on the water. The architecture of other Indigenous tribes in the Philippines is characterized by an angular wooden roofs, bamboo in place of leafy thatching, and ornate wooden carvings.

The Spaniards introduced stones as housing, and building materials. The introduction of Christianity brought European churches, and architecture which subsequently became the center of most towns, and cities. Spanish architecture are found in Intramuros, Vigan, and other parts of the Philippines. While, Islamic, and other Asian architecture are depicted on buildings such as mosque, and temples.

Contemporary architecture have Western style structures although pre-Hispanic housing is still largely common in rural areas. American style suburban gated communities are popular in the cities, including Manila, and the surrounding provinces.

[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Filipino cuisine
A roasted pig known as the Lechón, one of the Philippines most popular cuisines.

Filipinos cook a variety of foods influenced by Spanish, and Asian cuisines.

A typical Philippine diet consists of at least three meals a day served with boiled or fried rice, corn, and other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together with forks, and knives. Some, also eat with their hands, especially in informal settings, and when eating seafood. Rice, corn, and popular dishes such as adobo (a meat stew made from either pork or chicken), lumpia (meat or vegetable rolls), pancit (noodle dish), and lechón (roasted pig) are served on plates.

Other popular dishes include: afritada, asado, chorizo, empanadas, mani (roasted peanuts), paksiw (fish or pork, cooked in vinegar, and water with some spices like garlic and pepper), pan de sal (bread rolls), pescado (fried or grilled fish), Sisig and torta (omelette). Filipino cuisine includes kare-kare (ox-tail stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang (tamarind soup with a variety of pork, fish or prawns). Some delicacies eaten by the Filipino people but which may seem unappetizing to the Western palate include balut (boiled egg with a fertilized duckling inside), longanisa (sweet sausage), and dinuguan (soup made from animal blood).

Popular snacks, and desserts are chicharon (deep fried pork or chicken skin), halo-halo (crushed ice with condensed milk, flan, and sliced tropical fruits), puto (white rice cakes), bibingka (rice cake with butter or margarine, and salted eggs), ensaymada (sweet roll with grated cheese on top), polvoron (powder candy), and tsokolate (chocolate) are eaten outside the three main meals. Popular Philippine liqour includes the San Miguel Beer, Tanduay Rhum Masters, lambanog, and tuba.

[edit] Martial arts
Main article: Filipino martial arts

Filipino martial arts is a term used to describe the numerous martial art forms that originated in the Philippines, similar to how Silat describes the martial arts practiced in Asia. Filipino martial arts include Panantukan (empty-handed techniques), Eskrima, Kali, Arnis de Máno (blade, and stick fighting), and Pananjakman (kicking).

[edit] Education in the Philippines
Main article: Education in the Philippines

Education in the Philippines has similar features to that of the United States, and Europe.

Philippine students enter public school at about age four, starting from Nursery up to Kindergarten. At about seven years of age, students enter grade school (6 to 7 years). This is followed by High school (4 years). Students then enter for the College Entrance Examinations (CEE), after which they enter collegiate school (3 to 5 years). Other types of schools includes Private school, University-preparatory school, International school, Laboratory High School, and Science High School.

The school year in the Philippines starts in June, and ends in March, with a two-month summer break from April to May, two week of semestral break in October, Christmas, and New Year's holiday.

In 2005, the Philippines spent about US$138 per pupil compared to US$1,582 in Singapore, US$3,728 in Japan, and US$852 in Thailand.[7]

[edit] Sports in the Philippines
Main article: Sports in the Philippines
An amateur basketball game being played in a rural province in the country.

Sipa is the national sport in the Philippines. Other popular sports include basketball, boxing, football (soccer), billiards, chess, ten-pin bowling, volleyball, horse racing, and cockfighting. Dodge ball, and badminton are also popular for those who play sports.

Filipinos have gained international success in sports. These are boxing, football (soccer), billiards, ten-pin bowling, and chess. Popular sport stars include Manny Pacquiao, Flash Elorde, and Francisco Guilledo in boxing, Paulino Alcántara in football (soccer), Carlos Loyzaga, Robert Jaworski, and Ramon Fernandez in basketball, Efren Reyes, and Francisco Bustamante in billiards, Rafael Nepomuceno in ten-pin bowling, and Eugene Torre in chess.

The Palarong Pambansa, a national sports festival, has its origin in an annual sporting meet of public schools that started in 1948. Private schools, and Universities eventually joined the national event, which became known as the "Palarong Pambansa" in 1976. It serves as a national Olympic Games for students, competiting at school, and nationwide competitions.

The year 2002 event included football (soccer), golf, archery, badminton, baseball, chess, gymnastics, tennis, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, track and field, and volleyball.

[edit] Traditional Filipino games
Main article: List of traditional Filipino games

Traditional Filipino games include yo-yo, piko, patintero, bahay kubo, pusoy, and sungka. Pusoy is a popular gambling game. Individuals play the game by trying to get rid of all the cards by choosing poker hands wisely.[8][9][8] Sungka is played on a board game using small sea shells in which players try to take all shells. The winner is determined by who has the most shells at the point when all small pits become empty.[10] Filipinos have created toys using insects such as tying a beetle to string, and sweeping it circular rotation to make an interesting sound. The "Salagubang gong" is a toy described by Charles Brtjes, an American entomologist, who traveled to Negros, and discovered a toy using beetles to create a periodic gong effect on a kerosene can as the beetle rotates above the contraption.[11]

[edit] Tribal groups
A Negrito woman, one of many indigenous ethnic groups in the Philippines.
Mangyan (Malayo-Polynesian) indigenous people of Mindoro.
Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Philippines

The Indigenous peoples of the Philippines consist of a large number of Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups. They are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the Philippines, that settled in the islands thousands of years ago, and in the process have retained their Indigenous custom, and tradition.[12]

In 1990, more than 100 highland tribes constituted approximately 3% of the Philippine population. Over the centuries, the isolated highland tribes have retained their Indigenous culture. The folk art of these groups was, in a sense, the last remnant of an Indigenous tradition that flourished throughout the Philippines before the Islamic, and Spanish contact.

The highland tribes are a primitive ethnic group like other Filipinos, although they did not, as a group, have as much contact with the outside world. These tribes displayed a variety of native cultural expression, and artistic skills. They showed a high degree of creativity such as the production of bowls, baskets, clothing, weapons, and spoons. These tribes ranged from various groups of Igorot people, a group that includes the Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg, Kalinga, and Kankana-ey, who built the Rice Terraces thousands of years ago. They have also covered a wide spectrum in terms of their integration, and acculturation with Christian Filipinos. Other Indigenous tribes include the Bukidnon, and Kalinga. These groups have remained isolated from Western, and Eastern influence.

[edit] Philippine diaspora

An Overseas Filipino is a person of Philippine origin, who lives outside of the Philippines. This term is applied to people of Filipino ancestry, who are citizens or residents of a different nation.

Often, these Filipinos are referred to as "Overseas Filipino Workers".

There are about 11 million overseas Filipinos living worldwide, equivalent to about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.[13]

Each year, thousands of Filipinos migrate to work abroad through overseas employment agencies, and other programs. Other individuals emigrate, and become permanent residents of other nations. Overseas Filipinos often work as doctors, nurses, accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects,[14] entertainers, technicians, teachers, military servicemen, students, caregivers, domestic helpers, and household maids.

International employment includes an increasing number of skilled Filipino workers taking on unskilled work overseas, resulting in what has been referred to as brain drain, particularly in the health, and education department. Also, the employment can result in underemployment, for example, in cases where doctors undergo retraining to become nurses, and other employment programs.

[edit] Celebrations
Main article: Public holidays in the Philippines

[edit] Regular holiday

* January 1 - New Year’s Day
* March or April - Holy Week (Semana Santa)
* April 9 - Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan, and Corregidor Day)
* May 1 - Labor Day
* June 12 - Independence Day
* August - National Heroes Day
* November 30 - Bonifacio Day
* December 25 - Christmas Day
* December 30 - Rizal Day

[edit] Nationwide holiday

* August 21 - Ninoy Aquino Day
* November 1 to November 2 - Day of the Dead
* December 31 - New Year's Eve

[edit] Native holiday

* January 9 - The Black Nazarene procession in Quiapo, and Manila.
* Third Sunday of January - The Fiesta del Santo Niño de Cebu (Festival of the Child Jesus of Cebu), Sinulog in Cebu, Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan.
* Last Sunday of January - The Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo.
* March or April - Semana Santa (Holy Week).
* May - Flores de Mayo. A festival celebrated by farmers as they welcome the fertile season. Celebrations around towns showcase crops, food, and delicacies. One of the most celebrated festivity is the "Pahiyas", a colorful festival in Lucban, Quezon where houses are decorated mainly with dried rice papers in different shapes, and colors. Crops also accentuate these houses in artistic shapes, and styles.
* Third Saturday and Sunday of September - The Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Bicol Region. During the festivities, people attend church services, followed by parades on the streets, fireworks, and feasting. The Peñafrancia Festival is also celebrated by a fluvial procession in the Bicol River.
* October 31 to November 2 - "Araw ng mga Patay", "Día de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day). Also known as "Undas". During All Saints, and Souls Day, friends, and families visit the cemeteries, and pay homage to their dearly departed. The cemetery becomes a party atmosphere, rather than a solemn celebration.
* December 24 - Noche Buena (Christmas Eve).
* December 25 - Araw ng Pasko, Navidad (Christmas).
* January 1 - Bagong Taon, Año Nuevo (New Year).

[edit] Other cultural realm

[edit] Homosexuality

Homosexuality in the Philippines is widely accepted, and viewed as part of normal life, though it is viewed with some discrimination because of the nation's straight philosophy, and beliefs. However, due to the Philippines' strong Roman Catholic religion, gay marriage, and civil unions are prohibited. "Thoughts on the Bakla, the Filipino gays". http://laurganism.com/2005/09/22/bakla-the-filipino-gay/.

Manila

Cultural pluralism is a term used when small groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities. One of the most notable cultural pluralisms is the caste system, which is related to Hinduism. Another example is Lebanon where 18 different religious communities co-exist on a land of 10,452 km². In a pluralist culture, unique groups not only co-exist side by side, but also consider qualities of other groups as traits worth having in the dominant culture. The current contemporary art world in the 21st century is an example of cultural pluralism. For another example, a community center in the United States may offer classes in Indian yoga, Chinese calligraphy, and Latin salsa dancing. That community may also have one or more synagogues, mosques, mandirs, gurudwaras, and/or Buddhist temples, as well as several churches of various Christian denominations.

The existence of such institutions and practices are possible if the cultural communities responsible for them are protected by law and/or accepted by the larger society in a pluralist culture.

The idea of cultural pluralism in America has its roots in the transcendentalist movement and was developed by pragmatist philosophers such as William James and John Dewey, and later thinkers such as Horace Kallen and Randolph Bourne. One of the most famous articulations of cultural pluralistic ideas can be found in Bourne's 1916 essay "Trans-National America" .

Hispanic influence on Filipino culture are custom, and tradition performed in the Philippines. Spanish colonization produced a mixed culture of primitive Malayo-Polynesian and Iberian tradition. The Philippines has also received influence from the United States, and other Cultures of Asia such as Islamic, and Chinese. This makes the Philippines a multi-ethnic society.

Filipinos speak various languages such as Tagalog, Cebuano, English, Spanish, and other Philippine languages. There are thousands of Spanish loan words in Philippine languages, and a Spanish creole language called Chavacano is spoken by about one million Filipinos in the southern Philippines.

The Philippines, having been one of the most distant Spanish colonies, received less migration of people from Spain, compare to the colonies in Latin America. Nonetheless, many of the Hispanic elements in the Culture of the Philippines have become part of the native tradition.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
* 2 Language
* 3 Names of the Philippines
* 4 People
* 5 Religion
o 5.1 Fiestas and religious holidays
o 5.2 Holiday
* 6 Arts, literature and music
* 7 Cuisine
* 8 Business
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 External links

[edit] History
Main article: History of the Philippines

Negrito, and Austronesian peoples called Malayo-Polynesian are the primitive tribes of the Philippines.[1] The Negritos, and Malayo-Polynesians migrated to the Philippines during the last ice age some 30,000 years ago, when land bridges connected the Philippine Islands to mainland Asia.[2][1]

The Philippines was governed from Mexico City as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, from 1565 to 1821, and became a province of Spain from 1821 to 1898.

In the past few years, the Philippines has begun to re-establish closer ties to its former colonial ruler. The King, and Queen of Spain attended the Centennial celebration of Philippine Independence from Spain on June 12, 1998 in recognition of a shared history, and tradition.

[edit] Language
Main article: Spanish in the Philippines

Spanish spoken in the Philippines today has a great affinity to Mexican Spanish. In fact, the number of Mexican Spanish loan-words that appear in various Indigenous Filipino languages are of Nahuatl origin that were first incorporated into Mexican Spanish, and which do not exist in European Spanish. These words include nanay (nantl), tatay (tatle), bayabas [from guayaba(s), guava], abokado (avocado), papaya, zapote, palengke, and other Nahuatl words.

Spanish was introduced in the 16th century, and by the 19th century remained as the official language of Philippines. However, it was never spoken by the majority of the Philippine population as lingua franca. At its peak in the early 20th century, the language was spoken by approximately 60% of the population (with different degrees of fluence), and by 10 to 15% as a first language. After the Spanish-American War of 1898, settlers from the United States introduced English to the islands. Spanish remained as a co-official language, along with Tagalog, and English until 1987, when it lost its status, prompting the Philippine government to declare Tagalog, and English as the official languages of the Philippines. Today, Spanish is spoken by the Philippines' Hispanic communities, that includes other Filipinos, Spaniards, and Mestizo of Hispanic ancestry.

However, various Philippine Indigenous languages have significantly assimilated aspects of the Spanish language, and contain thousands of loan words. Numerous words, and some grammatical concepts of Spanish origin are used in Chavacano, Cebuano, and Tagalog.

[edit] Names of the Philippines

The name of the Philippines comes from the king of Spain, Philip II. It was given by the Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos who named the islands of Samar, and Leyte "Las Islas Filipinas" (The Philippine Islands), during his expedition in 1543. Throughout the colonial period, the name Filipinas (Philippines) was used, and became the official name of the Philippines.

There are many Provinces in the Philippines with Spanish names, such as Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, La Union, Marinduque, Antique, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Valle de Compostela.

Many cities, and towns are also named in Spanish, such as Medellin, Santander, Nueva Valencia, Naga City (prior to 1919 was known as Nueva Cáceres), Las Piñas, Prosperidad, Isabela, Sierra Bullones, Angeles, La Paz, Esperanza, Buenavista, Pilar, La Trinidad, Garcia Hernandez, Trece Martires, Los Baños, Floridablanca and many more. There are numerous other towns named after saints, such as San Fernando, Santa Rosa, Santa Rita, San Jose, San Pablo, and San Marcelino, as well as after Spanish cities, such as Sevilla, Toledo, Cadiz, Zaragoza, Ávila, Lucena, and Salamanca.

Many other Indigenous names are spelled using Spanish orthography, such as Cagayán de Oro, Parañaque, and Cebú.

[edit] People
Main article: Demographics of the Philippines

Most Filipinos are an Asian ethnic group called Malayo-Polynesian people. A group of the Austronesian-speaking people.

Throughout Philippine history, different races and nationalities, such as the Chinese, Spaniards, and Americans have intermarried with the Philippine population. Their descendants are known as Filipino mestizos. The official population of all types of mixed-blood individuals in the Philippines remained unknown. However, according to a recent study conducted by the Stanford University based in the United States, stated that an estimated figure of about 3.6% of the Philippine population has varying degrees of European ancestry from Spanish and United States colonization. [3]

[edit] Religion
Main article: Religion in the Philippines

The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia, the other being East Timor. About 90% of the Philippine population are Christians. About 5% are Muslim, and about 5% practiced other religion, and those with no religion.

Filipinos at home set up altars in Hispanic Catholic tradition, adorned with Christian icons, flowers, statues, and candles. On festival season, most barrios organized religious church service, and processions in honor of their patron saint, and cooked a variety of Philippine food.

[edit] Fiestas and religious holidays
Main article: Public holidays in the Philippines

All major Roman Catholic holy days are observed as official national holidays of the Philippines. Spanish-Mexican culture, and Christianity has influenced the custom, and tradition of the Philippines.

Every year on the 3rd week of January, the Philippines celebrates the festival of the "Santo Niño" (Holy Child Jesus), the largest being held in Cebu City.

[edit] Holiday

* March or April - Semana Santa (Holy Week or Easter)
* October 31 to November 2 - Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), Araw ng mga Kaluluwa (All Souls' Day), and Todos Los Santos (All Saints' Day) where families spend much of the 3 days and 3 evenings visiting their ancestral graves, showing respect and honoring the departed relatives by feasting, decorating and offering prayers.
* December 24 - Nochebuena (Good night or Christmas Eve)
* December 25 - Christmas (Navidad or Pasko)
* January 1 - New Years Day (Año Nuevo or Bagong Taon)

[edit] Arts, literature and music
Main articles: Arts of the Philippines, Literature of the Philippines, and Music in the Philippines

Hispanic influence is based on Indigenous, and European tradition. Folk dance, music, and literature have remained intact in the 21st century. These were introduced from Spain, and Mexico in the 16th century, and can be regarded as largely Hispanic in constitution, which have remained in the Philippines for centuries.

[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Filipino cuisine

The food of the Philippines reflects on the adaptation of Spanish, and Mexican cuisine.

They include:

* Adobo
* Albondigas
* Afritada
* Asado
* Avocado
* Calabaza
* Galantina
* Caldereta
* Camote
* Chicharrón
* Chorizo
* Dulce de membrillo
* Empanadas
* Embutido
* Ensaymadas
* Flan
* Galletas
* Jamón
* Lechón
* Longaniza
* Menudo
* Mazapan
* Natilla
* Paella
* Pan de sal
* Pastel de lengua
* Pescado
* Picadillo
* Pochero de bacalao
* Relleno
* Tamales
* Torta del cielo
* Tortas
* Tortilla quesada
* Tocino

[edit] Business

In the business community, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) plays an integral role in the economic, political and social development of the nation. Historically, the chamber can be traced back as early as the 1890s with the inauguration of the Cámara de Comercio de Filipinas. This organization was composed mainly of Spanish companies such as the Compañía General de Tabaco de Filipinas, Fábrica de Cerveza San Miguel, and Elizalde y Cia, among other Spanish, and Philippine companies.

During the first half of the 20th century commerce, and industrial trades with other Hispanic countries declined due to the United States administration of the Philippines. However the resurgence of trade between Spain, and Latin American nations had risen toward the closing of the century. 1998 marked the centennial celebration of Philippine independence, it also opened a new opportunity for both Spanish, and Filipino businesses to reconnect their historic ties as trade between the Philippines, and Spain continues to rise during the 21st century.



The Filipino is basically of Malay stock with a sprinkling of Chinese, American, Spanish, and Arab blood. The Philippines has a population of 76.5 million as of May 2000, and it is hard to distinguish accurately the lines between stocks. From a long history of Western colonial rule, interspersed with the visits of merchants and traders, evolved a people of a unique blend of east and west, both in appearance and culture.

The Filipino character is actually a little bit of all the cultures put together. The bayanihan or spirit of kinship and camaraderie that Filipinos are famous for is said to be taken from Malay forefathers. The close family relations are said to have been inherited from the Chinese. The piousness comes from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century. Hospitality is a common denominator in the Filipino character and this is what distinguishes the Filipino. Filipinos are probably one of the few, if not the only, English-proficient Oriental people today. Pilipino is the official national language, with English considered as the country's unofficial one.

The Filipinos are divided geographically and culturally into regions, and each regional group is recognizable by distinct traits and dialects - the sturdy and frugal llocanos of the north, the industrious Tagalogs of the central plains, the carefree Visayans from the central islands, and the colorful tribesmen and religious Moslems of Mindanao. Tribal communities can be found scattered across the archipelago. The Philippines has more than 111 dialects spoken, owing to the subdivisions of these basic regional and cultural groups.

The country is marked by a true blend of cultures; truly in the Philippines, East meets West. The background of the people is Indonesian and Malay. There are Chinese and Spanish elements as well. The history of American rule and contact with merchants and traders culminated in a unique blend of East and West, both in the appearance and culture of the Filipinos, or people of the Philippines.

Hospitality, a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these people legendary in Southeast Asia. Seldom can you find such hospitable people who enjoy the company of their Western visitors. Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.

The Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos. At least 83% of the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic faith.

The American occupation was responsible for teaching the Filipino people the English language. The Philippines is currently the third-largest English speaking country in the world.
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Society

A society is a body of individuals of a species, generally seen as a community or group, that is outlined by the bounds of functional interdependence, comprising also possible characters or conditions such as cultural identity, social solidarity, or eusociality. Human societies are characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive culture or institutions. Like other groups, a society allows its individual members to achieve individual needs or wishes that they could not fulfill separately by themselves, without the existence of the social group. Society, however, may be unique in that it is ontologically independent of, and utterly irreducible to, the qualities of its constituent individuals. As a reality sui generis, or "of its own kind", it is emergently composed of social facts that often hinder rather than help the pursuits of the subjects that form its physical and psychological underpinnings.

More broadly, a society is an economic, social or industrial infrastructure, made up of a varied multitude of individuals. Members of a society may be from different ethnic groups. A society may be a particular ethnic group, such as the Saxons; a nation state, such as Bhutan; a broader cultural group, such as a Western society; or even a social organism such as an ant colony.

The word society may also refer to an organized voluntary association of people for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes. Sociology is the study of society and social behavior.
Contents


* 1 Origin and usage
* 2 Evolution of societies
* 3 Characteristics of society
* 4 Organization of society
o 4.1 Shared belief or common goal
* 5 Ontology
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References

Origin and usage

The English word "society" emerged in the 15th century and is derived from the French société. The French word, in turn, had its origin in the Latin societas, a "friendly association with others," from socius meaning "companion, associate, comrade or business partner." The Latin word is probably related to the verb sequi, "to follow", and thus originally may have meant "follower".

In political science, the term is often used to mean the totality of human relationships, generally in contrast to the State, i.e., the apparatus of rule or government within a territory:

I mean by it [the State] that summation of privileges and dominating positions which are brought into being by extra-economic power... I mean by Society, the totality of concepts of all purely natural relations and institutions between man and man...[1]

In the social sciences such as sociology, society has been used[citation needed]to mean a group of people that form a semi-closed social system, in which most interactions are with other individuals belonging to the group. Society is sometimes contrasted with culture. For example, Clifford Geertz has suggested that society is the actual arrangement of social relations while culture is made up of beliefs and symbolic forms.

According to sociologist Richard Jenkins, the term addresses a number of important existential issues facing people:

1. How humans think and exchange information – the sensory world makes up only a fraction of human experience. In order to understand the world, we have to conceive of human interaction in the abstract (i.e., society).
2. Many phenomena cannot be reduced to individual behavior.
3. Collectives often endure beyond the lifespan of individual members.
4. The human condition has always meant going beyond the evidence of our senses; every aspect of our lives is tied to the collective.[2]

Evolution of societies

A half-section of the 12th century Song Dynasty version of Night Revels of Han Xizai, original by Gu Hongzhong; the painting, which is a masterpiece of the era's artwork, portrays servants, musicians, monks, children, guests, hosts all in a single social environment, serves as an in-depth look into 10th-century Chinese social structure.
A half-section of the 12th century Song Dynasty version of Night Revels of Han Xizai, original by Gu Hongzhong; the painting, which is a masterpiece of the era's artwork, portrays servants, musicians, monks, children, guests, hosts all in a single social environment, serves as an in-depth look into 10th-century Chinese social structure.

According to anthropologist Maurice Godelier, one critical novelty in human society, in contrast to humanity's closest biological relatives (chimpanzees and bonobo), is the parental role assumed by the males, which were unaware of their "father" connection[clarification needed].[3][4]

Gerhard Lenski, a sociologist, differentiates societies based on their level of technology, communication and economy: (1) hunters and gatherers, (2) simple agricultural, (3) advanced agricultural, (4) industrial.[5] and now (5) virtual. This is somewhat similar to the system earlier developed by anthropologists Morton H. Fried, a conflict theorist, and Elman Service, an integration theorist, who have produced a system of classification for societies in all human cultures based on the evolution of social inequality and the role of the state. This system of classification contains four categories:

* Hunter-gatherer bands (categorization on duties and responsibilities.)
* Tribal societies in which there are some limited instances of social rank and prestige.
* Stratified structures led by chieftains.
* Civilizations, with complex social hierarchies and organized, institutional governments.

In addition to this there are:

* Humanity, mankind, that upon which rest all the elements of society, including society's beliefs.
* Virtual-society is a society based on online identity, which is evolving in the information age.

Over time, some cultures have progressed toward more-complex forms of organization and control. This cultural evolution has a profound effect on patterns of community. Hunter-gatherer tribes settled around seasonal foodstocks to become agrarian villages. Villages grew to become towns and cities. Cities turned into city-states and nation-states.[6]

Today, anthropologists and many social scientists vigorously oppose the notion of cultural evolution and rigid "stages" such as these. In fact, much anthropological data has suggested that complexity (civilization, population growth and density, specialization, etc.) does not always take the form of hierarchical social organization or stratification.

Also, cultural relativism as a widespread approach/ethic has largely replaced notions of "primitive," better/worse, or "progress" in relation to cultures (including their material culture/technology and social organization).

BABY KONGA

Characteristics of society

The following three components are common to all definitions of society:

* Social networks
* Criteria for membership, and
* Characteristic patterns of organization

Organization of society
Main article: Social organization

Human societies are often organized according to their primary means of subsistence. As noted in the section on "Evolution of societies", above, social scientists identify hunter-gatherer societies, nomadic pastoral societies, horticulturalist or simple farming societies, and intensive agricultural societies, also called civilizations. Some consider industrial and post-industrial societies to be qualitatively different from traditional agricultural societies.

One common theme for societies in general is that they serve to aid individuals in a time of crisis. Traditionally, when an individual requires aid, for example at birth, death, sickness, or disaster, members of that society will rally others to render aid, in some form—symbolic, linguistic, physical, mental, emotional, financial, medical, or religious. Many societies will distribute largess, at the behest of some individual or some larger group of people. This type of generosity can be seen in all known cultures; typically, prestige accrues to the generous individual or group. Conversely, members of a society may also shun or scapegoat members of the society who violate its norms. Mechanisms such as gift-giving and scapegoating, which may be seen in various types of human groupings, tend to be institutionalized within a society. Social evolution as a phenomenon carries with itself certain elements that could be detrimental to the population it serves.

Some societies will bestow status on an individual or group of people, when that individual or group performs an admired or desired action. This type of recognition is bestowed by members of that society on the individual or group in the form of a name, title, manner of dress, or monetary reward. Males, in many societies, are particularly susceptible to this type of action and subsequent reward, even at the risk of their lives. Action by an individual or larger group in behalf of some cultural ideal is seen in all societies. The phenomena of community action, shunning, scapegoating, generosity, and shared risk and reward occur in subsistence-based societies and in more technology-based civilizations.

Societies may also be organized according to their political structure. In order of increasing size and complexity, there are bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and state societies. These structures may have varying degrees of political power, depending on the cultural geographical, and historical environments that these societies must contend with. Thus, a more isolated society with the same level of technology and culture as other societies is more likely to survive than one in closer proximity to others that may encroach on their resources (see history for examples}. A society that is unable to offer an effective response to other societies it competes with will usually be subsumed into the culture of the competing society (see technology for examples).

Shared belief or common goal

People of many nations united by common political and cultural traditions, beliefs, or values are sometimes also said to be a society (such as Judeo-Christian, Eastern, and Western). When used in this context, the term is employed as a means of contrasting two or more "societies" whose members represent alternative conflicting and competing worldviews (see Secret Societies).

Some academic, learned and scholarly associations describe themselves as societies (for example, the American Mathematical Society). More commonly, professional organizations often refer to themselves as societies (e.g., the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Chemical Society). In the United Kingdom and the United States, learned societies are normally nonprofit and have charitable status. In science, they range in size to include national scientific societies (i.e., the Royal Society) to regional natural history societies. Academic societies may have interest in a wide range of subjects, including the arts, humanities and science.

In some countries (for example the United States and France), the term "society" is used in commerce to denote a partnership between investors or the start of a business. In the United Kingdom, partnerships are not called societies, but cooperatives or mutuals are often known as societies (such as friendly societies and building societies). In Latin America, the term society may be used in commerce denoting a partnership between investors, or anonymous investors; for example: "Proveedor Industrial Anahuac S.A." where S.A. stands for Anonymous Society (Sociedad Anónima); however in Mexico in other type of partnership it would be declared as S.A. de C.V. or S.A. de R.L., indicating the level of commitment of capital and the responsibilities from each member towards their own association and towards the society in general and supervised by the corresponding jurisdictional civil and judicial authorities.

Ontology

In 1987 Margaret Thatcher famously said "There is no such thing as society".[7]

"The imaginations which people have of one another are the solid facts of society." - Charles Cooley[8]

VAED 111 COURSE OUTLINE

WEST NEGROS UNIVERSITY
City of Bacolod

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION


Course No. : VAED 111 Revision Date : June 2, 2008
Descriptive Title : HUMAN AND FILIPINO VALUES Effectivity : S. Y. 2008 - 2009
Credit Units : ( 3 ) units

Course Description : This course is designed to assist students to discover, develop and enhance their personal values. It tackles the basic human values as well as the distinct Filipino values and its relevance and significance in the light of the teaching from the Bible and other values–related literatures. It includes studies that would help the students become aware of their relationship with God and the community he lives.

General Objectives :
1. This course is intended to assist students to discover and understand that every individual has his own set of values that are developed through the influence of his family, religious affiliation and surroundings.

2. The students will understand that the popular values of the society may vary over a period of time and that the absolute standards for values are those set by Christ himself.

OBJECTIVES / VALUES EDUCATION

PRELIM

With the guidance and facilitation of teachers, students should be able to:

* Get acquainted to the school premises and facilities.

* Appreciate the thrust of the school to help conserve the environment.


1. Briefly discuss the history of WNU.

2. State the vision, mission, and objectives of WNU and recognize the values learned from such.

3. Sing the Alma Mater song correctly from memory.

4. Identify the Administrative Personnel of the school.

5. Give the definition of society, culture and values.

6. Describe the Filipino Society.

7. Cite the different components and aspects of society.

8. Identify the elements of culture

9. Appreciate the beauty and uniqueness Filipino culture, traits and values.

10. Explain the concept of value.


UNDERSTANDING VALUES AND THE VALUING PROCESS

General Objectives:

1. The lessons are intended to help every WESNECAN student discover their personal and interpersonal values.

2. The students will realize that their values influence their choices and decisions and hence have to clarify them.

11. Identify the value indicators.

12. Identify the indicators of their personal values.

12. Present a clear view of the seven criteria of the valuing process.

13. Show how each criterion can be applied in determining a value.

14. Identify the elements of values and their influence in the person’s decision making process.

15. Understand the nature of values in order to show the essence of their personal values.

16. Identify the properties, classification hierarchy and conflicts of values.

17. Identify the different values of some Asian philosophers.


MIDTERM

FILIPINO VALUES

General Objectives :
1. The lessons are intended to help every WESNECAN student discover their personal and interpersonal values that are basically Filipino.
2. The students will realize that there are values that are ambivalent and hence have to clarify them.


1. Identify the ways Filipinos show the spirit of cooperation and helpfulness esp. in times these values are needed.

2. Develop the attitude of helpfulness and good relationships in his community.
3. Understand the concept of pagkakaisa and pakipagkapwa-tao.

4. Affirm that this value will enable the students to stand strong and support the programs of the community for the common good of the citizens.

5. Strengthen their national consciousness.

6. Recall the events Filipino encountered and surpassed, and the source of strength to go on with life.

7. Appreciate and apply this value especially in tough times.


8. Exercise standing for the truth with courage, honesty and sincerity.

9. Appreciate the Filipino way of valuing dignity over material things.
10. Apply the Filipino character traits that are commendable as a citizen.

11. Understand the beauty of hospitality and the ways Filipino overdo/abuse it.
12. Cite ways to show patriotism and nationalism.
13. Identify the attitudes that hinder the Filipino quest for national development.
14. Perform willingly their duties above their personal good and interest being members of the Filipino society.

15. Differentiate the three forms of Filipino reciprocity.
16. Learn to express their gratitude and appreciation of whatever favor they receive.
17. Understand that this value while good could also be abused.

SEMI-FINAL


1. Explain the concept of “pakikisama” as a value among Filipinos.

2. Answer set of questions related to this concept.
3. Discuss the concept of “panata” in the Filipino context.

4. Cite concrete examples on how this value is being practiced by Filipinos.

5. Understand the Biblical view of “vow” or “covenant”

6. Define the practice of “swerte” among Filipinos.

7. Demonstrate situations where belief in “swerte” influences the decision-making endeavors of Filipinos.

8. Learn Biblical truths about “swerte”


9. Define the term “Bahala Na” in the context of the Filipino culture.

10. Cite concrete examples of the positive and negative effects of the practice of this concept among Filipinos.

11. Differentiate between “Bahala na” as fortitude and as “que sera sera”.


12. Demonstrate how crab mentality is being practiced among Filipinos.

13. Cite situations where this practice becomes harmful to both self and others.



14. Discuss the concept of “hiya”.

15. Present a clear view of the Filipino concept of”hiya”.

16. Differentiate between “hiya” as shame and as propriety.

17. Illustrate situations where the practice of the concept can be positive or negative.

18. Explain the meaning concept of “gulong ng palad”.

19. Cite situations where this concept is being valued by Filipinos.

20. Know the Biblical principle of blessing.

FINAL



1. Define Lagay, Lusot and Lakad.

2. Comprehend how these phenomena operate in our culture.

3. Know the Biblical principles regarding lagay, lakad and lusot.


4. Define the term respect.

5. Appreciate the Filipino gesture of respect.

6. Learn the different ways of showing respect to authorities.


6. Define the terms used.

7. Appreciate the old Filipino tradition of courtship.

8. Compare the Filipino love affairs and practices in the different eras.

9. Define the term ningas cogon.

10. Explain how ningas cogon affects every Filipino corporate endeavor.

11. Justify how ningas cogon is beneficial or detrimental as a value.

12. Define the term fiesta.

12. Explain how important fiesta and other festivals are to the Filipino culture.

14. Rationalize the positive and negative consequences of having fiesta and other festivals.

15. Compare Filipino festivals with those in the Bible.

What is a Christian?

What is a Christian? This is a question that is not easily answered. A Google query brings up some 20 million hits on the topic. They cover a wide range of anwers.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the term Christian as "one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ." Historically, the term "Christian" was originally a derogatory term directed at believers in Jesus Christ by Jews who regarded them as a heretical sect of Judaism. It was used in the same derogatory manner as the term "Mormon" was hurled as an epithet at Christians who believed in the Book of Mormon in the 19th century. Over time, the usage changed as it lost its perjorative edge.

The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance's Definition

The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (www.religioustolerance.org) cites several definitions of the term "Christian."

"--To conservative Protestants, a Christian is often defined according to their salvation status. Their definition is "true" to them, because it agrees with some of their foundational beliefs: that the Bible is inerrant, that salvation is by grace, and that one must be "born-again" to be saved and avoid eternal punishment in Hell.

"--To Roman Catholics, a Christian is often defined according to their baptism status. Their definition is "true" to them, because it agrees with their fundamental beliefs, including their understanding of the Bible, the declarations of many Church Councils, the statements of many popes, and their church's tradition.

"--To many in the very early Christian movement, a Christian was defined as a person who was baptized and proclaimed "Jesus is Lord." Their definition was "true" to them because it agreed with their understanding of their religious belief at a time when the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) had not yet been written and assembled.

"Each group has their own definition of "Christian" which agrees with their own beliefs about the nature of Jesus, God, church tradition, written text, evolved theology, the cultures in which they are implanted, etc. There appears to be no way to compromise on a single definition that is acceptable to all. One apparently cannot call on a higher power to resolve the problem, because there seems to be no way to assess the will of God on such matters. If there were such a method, then different definitions would have been harmonized centuries ago. People would simply have prayed to God and asked Him to define what a Christian is. Then, a consensus would exist today on the true meaning of the word "Christian."

There is no consensus on what the "correct" definition of "Christian" is. There is only a near consensus within individual faith groups.

"We realize that we are defining Christians in terms of being Christian. As one person e-mailed us, that is like defining a parrot as "something that has the characteristics of a parrot." But since there is no consensus on the definition of "Christian," there is no other choice. On the other hand, there is a general agreement about what a parrot -- or mountain, or car, or computer -- are."

The Pope's Definition

Pope Benedict XVI gave this definition of what a Christian is:

"Witnesses of the Risen Jesus": this definition of the Christian comes directly from the Gospel passage of Luke proclaimed today, but also from the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 1: 8, 22). Witnesses of the Risen Jesus. That "of" must be well understood! It means that the witness is "of" the Risen Jesus, that is, belonging to him, and exactly as such can render a valid witness to him, can speak about him, make him known, lead to him, transmit his presence." (Fourth National Ecclesial Convention, Bentegodi Stadium, Italy, Thursday, 19 October 2006)

CARM's Definition

The (anti-Mormon and anti-Catholic) Christian Apologetics Research Ministry or CARM says:

"Theologically speaking, a Christian is someone who has received the Lord Jesus as Savior (John 1:12), trusts Him alone for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 4:12), has put not trust in His [sic] own efforts (Isaiah 64:6) to please God, and repented from his/her sins (Mark 1:15). Experientially speaking, the life of a Christian does not consist only of theological knowledge....we have a living and open relationship with the Lord Jesus. We experience Him through His indwelling Spirit."

By this definition, Mormons totally qualify for the definition "Christian." However, CARM added the following to their definition with the intent of excluding Mormons. The next paragraph was added to the previous passage after I published a series of articles on S.P.A.M.

"I would like to note, that the Jesus of Mormonism (the brother of the devil), the Jesus of the Jehovah's Witnesses (an angel made into a man), the Jesus of the New Age (a man in tune with the divine consciousness), etc., cannot save you from your sins. Faith is only as good as who you put it in. Only the Jesus of the Bible can do that. Jesus is God in flesh, the creator. God is a trinity and Jesus is the second person of the trinity."

Focus on the Family's James Dobson on Whether Fred Thompson is Christian

Most discussions on the topic of what is a Christian are spent defining who or what is NOT a Christian. For example, USA Today ran an article about Focus on the Family's James Dobson's comment stating that he didn't think that presidential candidate and senator Fred Thompson was a Christian despite the fact that Thompson believed in Jesus and had a Christian baptism.

"...But it is telling that, even after learning that Thompson was baptized in the Church of Christ and that he considers himself a Christian, Dobson declined to disavow his earlier characterization of the would-be presidential contender. Rather, Focus on the Family's press release said, "We were pleased to learn from his spokesperson that Sen. Thompson professes to be a believer."

"That's not exactly a clear-throated affirmation of Thompson's Christianity. Indeed, the use of words such as "professes" and "believer" appear designed to cast doubt on his Christian designation.

"There's a lot more than semantics at play here. In fact, the question of what makes a Christian has set the evangelical movement apart from other Christian traditions from its inception in the 18th century. Early evangelical theologians such as John Wesley and George Whitefield introduced notions of "true religion" to distinguish their followers from "traditional" or "routine" religion.

"Evangelicals have always had a pretty narrow understanding of who is a Christian in the proper sense of the term," says University of Notre Dame historian Mark Noll. "Catholics and most Lutherans and Episcopalians would say that anyone who has been baptized is a Christian, but most evangelicals would not agree. They see baptism as an initiation ceremony that may or may not indicate the presence of true faith."

"That explains why it's commonplace today to hear evangelicals use the word "Christian" to refer exclusively to fellow evangelicals, as opposed to Catholics or members of mainline Protestant churches. Indeed, when asked whether Focus on the Family considered 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry, a Catholic, to be Christian, Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger said he'd rather not answer.

Anderson Cooper's Numbers on Christianity

CNN's Anderson Cooper said this in a commentary leading into a segment on Christianity and politics in America:

COOPER (voice-over): "The vast majority of the United States, more than 85 percent is Christian and two-thirds of us, a number that's climbing, consider America a Christian nation. But from there, the lines start to blur.

"According to a Baylor University study, about 34 percent of us -- fully 100 million Americans are Evangelical. That's an umbrella term covering dozens of denominations, as well as hundreds of independent churches.

"Evangelicals embrace a more literal view of the Bible. They feel a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and aren't shy about spreading the gospel.

"Twenty-two percent of us belong to mainline Protestant denominations like Episcopal and Presbyterian. These denominations take a more flexible approach to the bible. They don't see it necessarily as the literal Word of God.
In politics, they tend to lean to the left.

"There's also a specifically African-American strain of America Protestantism. It makes up 5 percent of the country. It's tied to the black experience and can be found in denominations like African Methodist, Episcopal or AME. Theologically, they're conservative like Evangelicals. Politically, however, they are not.

(On camera): "The largest single Christian denomination is Catholicism. Catholics comprise about 21 percent of the American religious landscape. They're highly concentrated in certain parts of the country, virtually invisible in others. Thirty-five percent of the Eastern U.S. is Catholic, but just 12 percent of the south. As for Evangelicals, geographically it is the reverse. They are big in the south. More than half of all people there are Evangelicals. But in the East, they are a small fraction, just about 13 percent.

"That lop-sidedness, however, may be changing. Evangelical numbers are growing across the nation. In total, more than half of us, about 56 percent attend church at least once a month; 43 percent attend nearly every week."

Are Catholics Christians?

There is no consensus even among Christians on what it means to be Christian. Are Catholics Christians? Apparently not. The CARM web site says:

"Are Roman Catholics Christians? They are if they have trusted in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of their sins. However, if they believe that the are saved by God's grace and their works, then they are not saved -- even if they believe their works are done by God's grace -- since they then deny the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.

"Being a Christian does not mean being a member of the Roman Catholic Church. It means being a member of the body of Christ which is accomplished by faith and trust in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of your sins. It means that you do not add your works to His work. Sincerity doesn't forgive sins. Membership in a church doesn't forgive sins. Doing works of penance doesn't forgive sins. Praying to Mary doesn't forgive sins. Forgiveness is received in the faithful trust and acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. You must trust Jesus, God in flesh, for the forgiveness of sins, not a man made ritual and certainly not the catholic saints. Even though Roman Catholic Church affirms the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and His physical resurrection, it greatly errs in its doctrine of salvation by adding works to salvation.

"The official Roman Catholic doctrine of salvation is that the grace of God is infused into a baby at baptism -- making him/her justified before God.1 This justification can be lost through sin and must be regained by repeated participation in the many sacraments found in the Roman Catholic Church."

Chick Publications, an Evangelical publisher of numerous anti-Mormon and anti-Catholic tracts also has this online "pamphlet" that targets Catholics, stating that they are idolaters, satanic, and masonic. They also go as far as to identify the Roman Church as the "Mother of Abominations" in Revelation 17:5 and the Pope as the anti-Christ.

See the tract here: http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0071/0071_01.asp

Are Protestant Evangelicals Christians?

So apparently, Protestant Evangelicals believe that one billion Catholics (the largest Christian denomination) are "Christians" only inasmuch as they agree with Protestant Evangelical doctrines and interpretations of scripture. Let's look at the converse. Do Catholics believe that Protestants, including Evangelicals, are "saved" by virtue of their innovations on Christian doctrine? Speaking of the Protestant denominations that broke away from the Roman Catholic Church since the Protestant Reformation, the Vatican II Council declared in 1964:

"It follows that the separated Churches and Communities as such, though we believe them to be deficient in some respects, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Church."

"Nevertheless, our separated brethren, whether considered as individuals or as Communities and Churches, are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow on all those who through Him were born again into one body, and with Him quickened to newness of life-that unity which the Holy Scriptures and the ancient Tradition of the Church proclaim. For it is only through Christ's Catholic Church, which is "the all-embracing means of salvation," that they can benefit fully from the means of salvation."

This is essentially ecumenical doublespeak. On one hand, the Vatican seeks to be perceived as tolerant and open to fellowship with other Christian sects, but the sticking point is baptism. Without a proper Catholic baptism, they don't believe other Christians will enjoy the benefit of being "born again into one body, and with Him quickened to a newness of life" proclaimed by the scriptures and ancient tradition. "Only through Christ's Catholic Church" can a Christian "fully benefit from the means of salvation."

In 2007, the Vatican issued a document reaffirming that “Christ ‘established here on earth’ only one church." Other churches “cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense” because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles. (See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094)

So, when you ask Catholics if the Protestant denominations are Christians, the answer is, "Yes, so long as they have a proper Catholic baptism." Since most Protestant denominations regard baptism as entirely optional and the fact that their churches deny the need for apostolic succession of authority, most Protestants don't meet the Catholic criteria to be called Christians.

The Fallacy of "Biblical Christianity"

I'd like you to consider the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance's reply to the frequent assertion that, "A Christian is one who believes in Biblical Christianity."

"There is a problem with your definition, because "Biblical Christianity" has itself many meanings. The Jewish Christians -- the only Christians prior to the arrival of Paul in the late 30's -- under the leadership of James the brother of Jesus, rejected the virgin birth, regarded Jesus as a prophet, and rejected his deity. Most liberal Christians today also reject the virgin birth, and doubt that most of the miracles described in the New Testament actually happened. Mainline and liberal theologians generally interpret the Gospels as including many sayings and activities of Jesus that never happened; they were added by the anonymous authors in order to promote their faith group's evolving theology. Even the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons believe that they "know" what Biblical Christianity is all about, although they differ greatly from each other and from other wings of Christianity.

So "biblical Christianity" is a meaningless term. One can only talk about Mormon biblical Christianity, Jehovah's Witness biblical Christianity, Roman Catholic biblical Christianity, progressive biblical Christianity, mainline biblical Christianity, evangelical biblical Christianity, fundamentalist biblical Christianity, and others.

The Church existed before the Bible. The Bible is the product of the Church, not the other way around. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands unique amidst this confusion. We claim to be the restoration of the primitive Church established by Jesus and his apostles. Sectarian denominations reject us as "Christians" because we don't ascend from the ancient Nicene Council and the man-made creeds that were fashioned in the 3rd and 4th centuries. However, the true Christianity that Christ founded was fully formed before 325 A.D. It has been restored in its original state once again. "Biblical Christianity" would only be able to trace its roots to the first compilations to the Bible which was in the fourth century, some thirty years after the Nicene Council.

What is a Christian? Follow the Signs"

In the final analysis, Christians will be defined by the presence of the signs and gifts of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Bible lists some of the attributes of those who have the Spirit of Christ: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. These feelings are present when the Holy Ghost is present. The gifts of the Spirit that will follow true believers in Jesus Christ include the power to cast out devils, speaking in foreign tongues to facilitate the preaching of the gospel, protection against harmful serpents and poisons, and the ability to lay hands to heal the sick.

Thus, if I were to tell you how to identify a Christian, I would tell you to watch for the signs and gifts of the Spirit. If they are not present, then you may be sure that the Holy Spirit is not with that individual. If he or she doesn't believe that these gifts exist today, then you can safely assume that they don't possess those gifts. If a person denies the spirit of revelation and prophecy, which is the basis for a testimony of Jesus Christ, you may be assured that this person does not possess the testimony of Jesus.

Are Mormons the only people who possess these gifts today? No. The Spirit of God abides in varying measures upon all who profess a belief in Christ, depending on their faith in him and their worthiness to receive those gifts. The Spirit of God doesn't abide in "unholy temples." Disobedience to God's commandments and willful sin can drive away that Spirit. Believers who are taught by their denominations that revelation, spiritual gifts, prophecy, healing, etc. don't exist today are naturally less inclined to manifest those gifts. Those denominations that reject the need for divine authority are less inclined to seek after those gifts. Those sects that employ professional clergymen anticipate that God will bestow such gifts upon the hireling priests and don't anticipate that these gifts are available to the laymen and laywomen in their flocks.

Jesus said the way you would know his disciples is "by their fruits." Watch for the presence of these gifts and examine the dogma of the churches and see which ones experience them and which ones deny their existence. The presence of these gifts is the only sure way to define what is "Christian" and what is not.
Author: Greg West
Greg West is a National Examiner.