Exothermic

On one bloody Sunday I unexpectedly happened to observed one of the extreme of Japanese culture; chauvinism. I overheard somebody requesting for somebody to move a car parked in front of a Jaguar XJ Series. After the sleazy car was evacuated out of the Jag’s way a couple marches towards their shiny Jag. But wait, it’s the lady who is holding the key and then seats at the driver’s side. Well, nothing is unusual until after the Jag is about to move and the man opened not the front passenger door but the rear door, thus, completely making his wife look like his chauffeur. I called it odd since I cannot find any reason why he cannot drive or sit beside his wife.

After the utter disbelief of what I had witnessed I began to have flash backs of encounters that showed me the oddity of this chauvinist culture. I concluded that women in my country, the Philippines, should always have something to cheer about; most of the time they were treated like a queen. Well, except to some unlucky few, chivalry is still alive and widely practiced though on different level. You will often see men open doors, offer seats, carries her things and all sorts of gentlemanly conducts. Albeit all of these I can still hear incessant complaints about their treatment in the society. I guess she’s one of the unlucky few or she just can’t get enough. And by the way, I believe we are the only country who has two woman presidents.

“Women are the most wonderful creature, until she opens her mouth more than her brain can process”

Another saga of political adventurism in the Philippines that involves these runaway trains had happened. I could understand if these former soldiers, this disgruntled senator and his cohorts in the political arena would do what they have done; they’re tuned to be that way anyway. I just wonder when they will be put in the firing squad. But these priest? Supposedly expected of them is to lead in peaceful and lawful actions but instead participated in an extra-judicial adventure. I am really fed up watching these priests trying to lead the populace to rise up against the government. Can we get over with these Roman Catholic priest and other occultist hallucinated by their perceived supremacy over the people?　Clearly they have already crossed the thin line that separates the state and religion. The line is so thin in the Philippines that maybe they think that they have done the right thing. Hell no! They just did a crime against the people and once again tainted the image the Christian faith. Isn’t it clearly stated that it is a sin to judge a person a sinner? Yet these “pious” lead the way in judging whoever president is sitting; talk about hypocrisy.

It’s Christmas once again, the celebration of the birthday of the only perfect man who said, “Let the one who have not sinned throw the first stone”. But sadly these words are but a faint echo in my beloved country. In a largely Christian Philippines harmony is a thing in the past; a virtue that is almost doomed to extinction. On the contrary, this virtue is so prevalent in Japan, a non-Christian country where I am currently an alien. “Tatemae” as the Japanese called it, is the culture of basically not throwing the first rock to somebody just to preserve the harmony of the group. In both extremes you can find something to criticize about but I would have loved my country to still be largely Christian yet has the “Tatemae” embedded in its culture.

I wonder where the problem started. However, in my opinion if these priest and their ancestors have done their job, my country should have right now and in the future to come, better and conscientious politicians. I just hope that their flocks will listen to what they preach but not do what they do. Oh Pharisees why can’t you just fade in history.

“To judge a man’s character, give him power”.