A message from Montreal, Canada made me take a deep breath as it was already the second sent by Rev. Orlan Racacho. I had acknowledged the first and thanked him for taking time out to read my piece, “ Nazarene’s Dark Side”. Whenever I venture into the realm of religion and receive an encouraging reply from a “man of the cloth”, I am grateful. Rev. Racacho wrote again to say that he had forwarded my article to some friends and also printed it for distribution during his next Bible study sessions. He said it “exposes fallacious doctrines so that those who seek God’s truth can discover them. “ He continued to say that: “It is easier for people to believe and follow religious practices (rituals) rather than searching for the truth and reading God’s Words…and verifying whether they are Biblical truths.” He said the adoration of the Black Nazarene is not stipulated in the Holy Bible.
The good Reverend may be accused of doctrinal monopoly by many devotees, but he did quote salient passages of the New Testament in his first message and in the second one he paraphrased a couple more about Satan being the “father of lies” (John 8:14) who deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, “ in the very presence of God.” Since we are made of weaker stuff than our proverbial first parents, we are more vulnerable than they were, so we must desist from idolatrous practices and believe in Him (Jesus Christ) in order to have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
The problem is most of our religious festivities were based on pre-Christian rituals that were used by the first Spanish missionaries to facilitate evangelization. Perhaps, I should share with the Reverend my thoughts on the Santo Niño whether de Cebu, de Tondo or the most controversial and fascinating Santo Niño de Oaxaca the worship of whom was condemned by the Holy Inquisition, to the consternation of the natives of southern Mexico.