One day media seminar not enough

ONE DAY MEDIA SEMINAR NOT ENOUGH: Did Malacanang think that giving its Cabinet secretaries a one-day seminar on how to “handle” media would already be sufficient to enable officials of the Aquino administration to have good relations with those working in newspapers and those in radio and TV? Of course not.

Having good relations with other people, whether from the media or not, is something that does not come from seminars, much less a one-day seminar. It comes from the natural goodness of the heart, the purposeful righteousness of the mind, and a decidedly-godly upbringing.

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PNOY AND OTHER OFFICIALS MUST HEED MARK 10:43-44 OF THE BIBLE: I suggest that what President Benigno Aquino III should now endeavor to do is to give some sort of “continuing education” to his secretaries not only on how to deal with the press, but on how to deal with governance in general, and what it will take to truly serve the people well.

For starters, all officials of the land, from PNoy down to the lowliest employee of government, must read and re-read the admonition of Jesus Christ, contained in Mark 10:43-44 of the Holy Bible, which says: “anyone who wishes to lead must first become the slave of the people.” Then, they can proceed to study other parts of the Bible dealing with leaders thereafter.

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FRAT VIOLENCE: EVERY MEMBER IS A FAIR GAME: Here’s an update on the indefinite suspension imposed by the University of the Philippines against its students who are members of two warring fraternities: it appears that the mauling incident perpetrated by four or five masked men inside the UP Diliman campus against a frat member was preceded by a similar mauling incident involving a member of a rival fraternity.

What revolted many in all these was that the frat member mauled by the masked men at the campus was reported to be spearheading a peace covenant among the fraternities in the state university, including his frat’s rival frat. Based on my own experience, though, whenever there is a frat war in UP, everybody becomes a fair game and subject to physical abuse.

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STUDENTS ENGAGED IN VIOLENCE NO LONGER HAVE GOD IN THEIR HEARTS: Why is this happening? Many reasons have already been advanced by many quarters to explain fraternity violence, not only in the State University but in all other schools and colleges now, but nothing seems to be more compelling than the fact that many of our students nowadays engage in violence because they no longer have any strong Biblical or spiritual moorings.

Since many of these students no longer read the Bible, or are no longer given sustained spiritual teachings, they no longer view God as having the power to punish them here in this world and in eternity, that God is just another word or entity that does not have any relevance in their lives, someone who can be ignored by them. This is pathetic and dangerous at the same time.

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DEATH AWAITS THOSE WHO IGNORE GOD: Romans 1:18-32 has this to say about this failure of men to acknowledge God in their lives: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men…

“…For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him… they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them… those who do such things deserve death…”

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