Lampara Books intros faith-based imprint, Guiding Light

11/27/2021 01:17:14 AM

Lampara Books has recently launched its imprint that contains family-oriented and faith-based books.

“Hindi Porket 'Di Nagsisimba Ay Masamang Tao Na.”

04/14/2017 02:52:19 PM

Alam ko: hindi ako isang pilosopo na maalam sa ispiritwalidad o relihiyon. In fact, isa lang akong hamak na indibidwal na minsan nagilingkod sa simbahan at nag-aral sa mga Catholic school sa halos buong buhay ko bilang estudyante.

Pero sa paglipas ng panahon aaminin ko na nag-iba rin ang pananaw at paniniwala ko. Bagamat naniniwala pa rin naman ako sa Dakilang Maylikha, masasabi ko na hindi na ako ganun sa relihiyon na kinagisnan ko. At kung may isang bagay man ako na pinaniniwalaan sa oras na ito, yun ay ang katotohanan na 'di porket hindi nagsisimba ang isang tao ay isa na siyang tarantado o masamang tao.

StopOver: Regina Rica

04/13/2017 07:33:06 PM 

From the mountains of Tanay lies a religious compound that is a surely-visited by many by the Holy Week.

Hassled Lessons

09/02/2015 11:42:14 AM

Tapos na ang protesta na nagsimula ng kaliwa't kanang maiinit na palitan ng kuro-kuro at argumento sa social media. Tapos na rin ang protesta na naghanap ng kaliwa't kanang butas at palusot.

At higit sa lahat, tapos na rin ang protesta na nagparalisa sa isang kalsadang pinupuntirya ng mga saksayan kahit kailan. Masaydo na ngang mabigat ang trapiko, mas bumiat pa lalo. Oo, saktong-sakto sa payday long weekend weekend nun na sinabayan pa ng buhos ng ulan; pati na rin ang buhos ng maiinit na salita. Wasak, 'di ba?

Ngayon, ano na? Ano na ang mangyayari? Ano naman ang matutunan natin pagkatapos nito?

Dissing the Pointless Diss

7/26/2015 5:55:33 PM

Isa sa mga pinakamahirap na usapin sa buhay—maliban sa pera, pulitika, at pag-ibig—ay ang relihiyon. Bakit? Dahil dyan mo malalaman kung sino ang sarado sa bukas. Oo, sarado ba ang pinto sa kanyang kamalayan, sa kanyang pag-unawa, o sa kabuuang paksa. Kaya nga may tinatawag na “Sarado Katoliko” para sa mga nananampalataya sa pinakapopuladong relihiyon sa Pilipinas at “open minded” naman sa mga taong liberal ang utak. 

Yung Totoo?

4/6/2015 8:59:08 AM

Sabagay, may pagkatotoo rin naman ang litratong ito. 

(This photo's randomly spotted over Facebook)

The "Seeing-Pope Francis" Experiment

4/2/2015 1:40:42 PM

Just 15 days into this year, we had a visitor. And it’s not just a visitor, but an iconic one.

What am I talking about?

Disrespecting the Displeasure

1/19/2015 10:17:37 PM

I first used Disrespecting the Displeasure as a Filipino-language written post as my trademark rant (#TiradaNiSlickMaster) at the height of those series of religious-related outrage during Pope Francis’ visit to Manila.

I have to change that title though.

Here’s the thing: I am not writing this just to jump on and ride the bandwagon of those “opinionated” post during the Papal Visit in Manila. In fact, since time immemorial, I had been hearing issues which tackles religious intolerance.

Disrespecting the Religious Displeasure

1/17/2015 10:45:45 AM

Saan mang pangyayari, gaano man tumatakbo at magmarka ang panahon, lagging may ganitong isyu; mula sa hindi magandang kaganapan gaya ng mga aksidente, hanggang sa mga matiwasay na pagtitipon gaya ng mga religious gathering, hindi nawawala ito: ang pagtatalo sa usaping relihiyon.

At sa panahon na lahat ay may boses sa pamamagitan ng social media, mas malaya pa tayo maglahad ukol rito.

Tunay Na Banal

4/27/2014 2:16:44 PM

Sana ang karamihan sa mga taong nagpapakita talaga ng TUNAY na kabanalan, ay tulad ni Pope John Paul II. Oh, correction, Saint John Paul II.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ako saradong Katoliko, at hindi rin naman ako nabuhay sa medieval ages (ni hindi nga ako nakapunta sa isang malaking event noong 1995 na tinaguriang World Youth Day).

Pero hindi naman sa pangungumpara, ano? Ang mga tulad ni Karol Wojytla – o mas kilala mula pa noong 1978 bilang si Pope John Paul II – ang isa sa mga taong kailangan ng Simabahan para mapalaganap ang dalawang bagay: una, ang pananamplataya; at pangalawa, ang asal ng katinuan.

Tirada Ni SlickMaster: $30M o Misa?

4/17/2014 2:43:58 PM

Isang pasada na naman sa maiinit na tirada kahit sa panahon pa ng Semana Santa (eh wala eh. Mainit ang panahon eh).

Nadismaya si Cardinal Tagle sa mga kabataan. At ang pinakadahilan? Pera.

Iba talaga pag nagagawa ng pera ano? Pero sandali, di pa tapos ang storya eh.

The Scene Around: Good Friday Procession at Taguig (2013)

4/17/2014 6:26:43 PM

Here is something yours truly have spotted over last year at the city of Taguig. It was a  Good Friday of 2013 (March 29, to be exact) at the compound where the school College of Sta. Ana is located; or if you're more familiar with the church, it is the one they called as either Simbahan ng Taguig or Simbahan ng Sta. Ana.

Tirada Ni Slick Master: Fuck Your Religion and Logic!

11/10/2013 11:47:17 AM

“Maraming namatay dahil hindi nagdarasal palagi? Fuck your logic and your religion.”

Ito lang ang nakakairita sa mga tao pagdating sa ganitong sakuna eh. At hindi yung mga racist na comment ang mga tinutukoy ko (as if naman mai-spell nila ang “Philippino” ng tama, ano?). alin? Ang mga ganito: yung mga tao na hinahaluan ng relihyon ang mga bagay-bagay. Pag may hindi magandang nangyari, sinisisi ang pagiging hindi madasalin.

Tirada Ni Slick Master: Religious Basher

10/15/2013 3:21:46 PM

Isa sa mga pinaka-ayaw ko sa lahat ay ang mga tao ay ang hindi marunong gumalang sa relihiyon ng kapwa nila. Don’t get me wrong, maraming ganyan sa hanay ng mga sekta. Minsan nga, pari pa nga ang may ganang gumawa ng ganyan e, maliban sa ilang mga atehista. Pero ito? Ang litratong ito? Naku, good luck na lang sa ‘yo sa pangbabatikos ng Pinoy patola mob.

Santo Papa: "Tama Na Yan!"

9/21/2013 2:24:20 PM

Sinasabi ng Santo papa na si Pope Francis na dapat ay tigil-tigilan na ng Simbahang Katolika ang pagiging “obsessed” diumano nito sa mga bagay-bagay na taliwas sa paniniwala na tulad na lamang ng mga nasa third sex, ang abortion at contraceptives. Ipinahayag rin kasi niya na ang Simbahan ay nakatali pa rin sa maliit at maikitid nitong mundo at hindi na dapat i-condemn pa. 

Kumpisal Ng Isang Nagbabanal-Banalan

11:05:13 PM | 3/24/2013 | Sunday

Iba ang tunay na pananampalataya sa pagiging hipokrito. Hindi porket lagi kang nagsisimba ay banal ka na. Yan ang isa sa mga kwentong aking natunghayan nung minsan ay nagkumpisal at humingi ng payo sa akin ang isang taong saksakan ng pagiging madasalin sa loob-pero-nuknukan ng sama sa labas.

Offending the Hypocrites

02/17/2013 05:21 PM

Alam mo, mahirap makipagdebate sa mga usapin na may kinalaman sa relihiyon. Mas mahirap din lalo na gumawa ng kuro-kuro kung papasukan ito ng kulay tulad ng hahaluan ng isang relihiyosong sector ang usapan.

Pero minsan kasi, pang hindi alam ng tao kung ano ang tunay na pananampalataya sa pagiging ipokrito lang.

The end? WEH.

Sinasabi na sa Disyembre 21, 2012 magkakaroon ng mala-apokaliptong kaganapan sa mundo. Kung iba ang tatanungin, magugunaw daw ang mundo.

Hmmm.... ano na namang kabalbalan ito?

Kabalbalan ba kamo? May mga patunay raw, na base sa siyensa at relihiyon.

Going gaga on Lady Gaga?

Hindi ako fan ng popular na musika, pero hindi ko rin maituturing ang sarili ko na “hater.” Teka. Isang pasada muna sa mainit na gaga.

Kamakailanlang ay naging mainit ang pangalan ng international artist na si Lady Gaga matapos akusahan ng iba’t ibang mga grupo at personalidad na tila “Satanic” daw ang nasabing mang-aawit. Ayon sa isang post na nahanap ko sa Facebook, pinopromote daw ni Lady Gaga ang kanyang album na “Born This Way” na tila naghihikayat di umano sa mga tagapagtangkilik nito ng imoralidad sa sekswal na aspeto. (source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150789508806568&set=t.574739689&type=3&theater)

Just my opinion: For art’s sake?

Just my opinion: For art’s sake?
August 6, 2011; 12:58 p.m.
(as seen on: http://definitelyfilipino.com/blog/2011/08/07/just-my-opinion-for-art%E2%80%99s-sake/)

Art is one of the few things in life in which freedom of expression is used. And in fact, that “freedom of expression” is one of our basic constitutional rights. But once a sector spots flaws that violate either cultural, moral and/or religious values, expect long debates ahead.

Mideo Cruz’s artwork turned out to be controversial after the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (or CBCP) broke their silence and protested in behalf of many people complaining that Cruz’ masterpiece was a piece of “Polytheism and blasphemy” in a open forum at the Cultural Center of the Philippines yesterday.

But that’s just not it. Apparently in a report posted August 4, 2011 at ABSCBNnews.com, Mideo Cruz’s art which was part of the Kulo exhibit had been vandalized when a man and woman walked in to the gallery and vandalized then at around 11:30 a.m. the previous day. In case you haven’t seen his work, news clips will show you everything and that includes some religious figures with a condom, a man’s penis and even rabbit or Mickey Mouse’s ears.

However, Concerned Artist of the Philippines defends Cruz and shown their support. Saying that nothing wrong on his work and in fact was a product of “freedom of expression” and that was guaranteed by the Constitution.

On the other hand, Dr. Primitivo Chua of Ang Kapatiran stated in between the word war of the parties that “Hindi yan gawa ng Pilipino. Gawa yan ng demonyo! Pero itong ginawa niyo dito kabastusan… kalaswaan! Mahiya kayo!” perhaps that statement says it all for the part of CBCP and the party list as Ang Kapatiran will file a case regarding the violation of an article of the Revised Penal Code regarding the immoral doctrines if CCP will not pulled the piece out.

Cruz’s response all boiled down to this: "You can't force people. But I just hope that when we look at something, the process doesn't stop at the surface." He has been for 10 years in his occupation and his trademarks for his most of his works were primarily Polytheism, an act of “social criticism and it is part of social development to criticize what’s happening.” That came from the words of Karen O. Flores, officer-in-charge of the CCP Visual Arts Unit.

But as the word war explodes, so are the reaction from all the corners. Like one Facebook user posted "May your soul burn to (sic) hell, you Devil pro (sic) artist," in a news article posted at Interaksyon.com2. Also, a certain Rozanna Martini called Cruz a ****ing asshole and wishes him the worse in hell.

Okay, let me give my take for the matter.

Every one of us has a freedom to express ourselves. In fact, “artistic license” do exist in our acts of doing it. In case of Mideo’s if you think his art was his product of his freedom and was really worth it or another piece of blasphemy. Well, I’m saying “it’s both.”

It was a grave disrespect to the religion of the Catholicism not in the country, but in the world where countries are having Catholic and Christianity as its pre-dominant religions. Call it a blasphemy, him an Atheist, a socially irresponsible citizen, or even a fan of Polytheism. But I’m telling you. It’s his art, not for the church and for anyone else. It’s his right to express his freedom and badly seeking for recognition. Now after spotlights off media all over him I think he was fulfilled at the moment. However, J. Pacena, the curator of Kulo expressed disappointment around the malice reports that the media is showing. “No one tried to understand what he was trying to say. He was condemned and we were judged in a primitive way,”

I mean, Mideo Cruz has his right to express his art regardless of a lot of criticism and death threats responding on his masterpieces. He’s an artist anyway, and his work was at the Cultural Center which was obviously, the venue for the arts. If something could be really wrong, that is up to him and the Supreme Being to judge. For the mean, time if you want to make a good recognition of art, put everything in balance. However for the society where negativity was the name of the game, it takes a bunch of weird ideas to be popular. And not all freedom was given to us by absolute manner as Karen Flores said, "Yes, you can have your faith, and that can be respected. But you must also be able to tolerate and understand other people's views."

Author: slick master | © 2011 september twenty-eight productions. Sources are stated below.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/08/04/11/vandals-hit-controversial-ccp-exhibit

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/lifestyle/08/05/11/tension-rises-over-controversial-ccp-exhibit

http://www.gmanews.tv/video/86876/sona-talakayan-ukol-sa-obra-ni-mideo-cruz-nauwi-sa-sigawan

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/9924/ccp-installation-has-devout-catholics-crying-sacrilege

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?p=57804973

http://www.artmediaagency.com/en/25864/mideo-cruz-receives-death-threats-for-sacrilege/