What are the most common religons of the Philippines? Please answer me as soon as you can because we are doing a project about the philippines and we're going to talk about Religon! Thank you!

-- Sarah Elisha Librada (sarah_librada@yahoo.com.hk), January 07, 2003

Answers

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

The Philippines are overwhelmingly Catholic, though I assume other faiths are represented there as well.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 07, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

Dear Sarah,

Though I knew that Catholicism is the principal faith of the Philippines, I didn't know much else about it, so out of curiosity i looked it up. i found this ...

"Eight out of ten Filipinos are Catholic, while a further 10 per cent are Christians of other denominations, among whom some 4 percent belong to the influential Iglesia Filipina Independiente and to the almost equally strong Iglesia ni Cristo, a prosperous congregation comparable to the American Episcopalian church. Muslim accounts for barely 5 percent. Buddhist, Taoist and Hindus together only 1 percent, so Catholic teaching continues to exercise a long-standing influence."

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 07, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

Sounds like a homework question to me. Wish I'd had the Internet when I was in school ... ;-)

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), January 08, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

Christine,

I have to write up an occasional informational paper, and up until this year I'd go through my books, and journals for the information. This year I started typing in what I knew and opened up a google window to fill in the facts I knew were out there, but didn't have handy. It only took about half the time.

If you know in advance what you want, and how to find it, the internet is GREAT! Of course you also have to know the source you're tapping is reliable....

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), January 09, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

This is to Paul, please do not compare Iglesia ni Cristo to the American Episcopal church, they ARE NOTHING ALIKE. The beliefs and teachings are totally different. The Epicopal church is believes in one holy catholic church, just not Roman Catholic. Iglesia ni Cristo seeks to destroy the Catholic church and believes that one can only go to heaven and be saved if he/she is a member of their church. I was born and raised as an episcopalian, we are a welcoming, open-minded church who does not pursuade others to join us where as the Iglesia ni Cristo take drastically different approaches and often pressures its visitors to join.

-- Tucker (RoShowT@hotmail.com), March 30, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

Dear Tucker,

What I posted in quotes was not a personal opinion, nor was it intended to compare churches. It was just a "cut and paste" from another website, in an effort to provide some basic statistical information requested by another person. Sorry if it contained anything inaccurate.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), March 30, 2003.

Response to Common religons of the Philippines.

I never heard of Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ from the Philippines), but here is a website that explains what they believe in: http://www.examineiglesianicristo.com/

"...the Iglesia ni Cristo never tires of convincing people to leave their false religions and come to the only true religion, the Iglesia ni Cristo."

Does not sound like I would want to spend anytime with these people, anymore than I would want to spend time with the schismatic Catholics on this forum. :)

Anyway, it looks like they are a protestant type of religion that is caught up in their own personal interpretation of the Bible.

-- Gordon (gvink@yahoo.com), March 30, 2003.

The Iglesia ni Cristo is one decent religion. Before anybody should judge it, they must first be oriented with its doctrines. It is unethical for someone to comment on a religion that he has no personal knowledge on. I disagree with the suggestion that those who want to know about the INC should go to www.examineiglesianicristo.com. It is an anti-INC site. Those who sincerely want to know should go the INC members or ministers.

-- noemi beth g. macario (obing_macario@yahoo.com), August 19, 2003.

All right then, if you'd like to hear more about it, read a tract from a member of their simple faithful.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/7797/catholic.html

If this is representative of the thought and propeganda of their Church, I see no compelling reason to regard them any differently than every other anti-Catholic religion that ever popped up: just another *yawn* group of haters.

At least some Protestant traditions speak respectfully about and to the Catholic Church. Dialogue with this group would be impossible until they clean up their act.

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), August 19, 2003.

for me most of the religion here in the phils. is catholic. thats all! i have nothing to add coz i think we have a common answer and as an observation we can see that most of the people here in our country is mostly catholic

-- carvin (carvhinjaoms@yahoo.com), October 19, 2003.

Based on the books and articles that i have read (including my opinion) about religions in the philippines... ahem.. the majority of filipinos are catholics "80%" but their number are divided into different sects like "el shaddai", "couples for christ", "charismatic groups" and others (each of them have different teachings but they call themselves catholics) but for me, 80% is not the exact number because catholics doesn't have an official list of their members-they are not required to submit their personal infos to their head or church and besides, their number are declining due to internal problem and division within the church. (sorry my fellow catholic friends but as i have said, it was only my opinion and based on what i have read) In addition to that, only 15% of them are regularly attending the mass which is the center of their worship service. hehehe and i am one of those who were not attending the mass (i'm shy). Protestant (group of non-catholic and non-orthodox church; mostly from america brought by the americans during their occupation in the Philippines )with a hundred different sects is composed of 7% to 10% of the philippine population. Like the catholics, protestants does not have an exact count or list of their church membership because each and everyone of them is a different congregation. In short, whoever wants to enter and join in their worship services is automatically a member of their church (very easy isn't it?) Muslim which is heavily concentrated mainly in the southern mindanao island of the Philippines only counts 4% of the population. They were isolated for long years from the catholics and protestants majority (sad to say but it is true, why dont you ask the filipino muslims?) but in these past few years, they are now scattered throughout the archipelago and their numbers are rising. Aglipayan church is the first independent church in the philippines but it was founded not because of biblical teachings and prophecy but in a political way and reasons. Their membership never exceed to 100,000 (one hundred thousand) from its beginning up to now. IGLESIA NI CRISTO on the other hand is very different from the others by their teachings, ways, ideas, and religion as a whole. This church is an independent church which have a very strong evidence of their existence in the philippines, purely and truly biblical. This church believes that the founder is Jesus Christ and Brother Felix Manalo is the messenger or "sugo". Both are biblical are based deeply on biblical phropecies. It was re-established (as what they believed, because its true home is in Jerusalem which was apostatized by the Catholic Church that's why the term they used is re-established) in the philippines on july 27, 1914 if i'm not wrong somewhere in downtown manila. They have a centralized administration just-like the catholics but very different approach. From its humble beginning of year 1914, the Iglesia ni Cristo is widely distributed in over 86 countries and territories around the world with a magnificent towering, modern, magnificent, elegant and modern chapels which is dramatically uniformed from one another in every cities, municipalities and now in side by side states of america. (this is what i've read from their magazine-"pasugo" and "God's message") they are respected and widely known for their unity especially in the election and in any aspects of their lives (i am a devout catholic but i can't hide my jealousy from this church, they are the best church) and no one can judge them also their teachings without joining this church, filipinos and foreigners alike are fascinated by this church since the beginning, me too :) They have a list of every member and exact amount of the church membership but it is hidden for some instances (well, let us respect their doctrines) but as what i have observed, Iglesia ni Cristo members is on its peak and dramatically increasing rapidly. but i think they are numbered from 5 to 10 million filipinos alone.

well, this is all i got, again, to my fellow catholics, sorry for this but the truth will set me free....... but still i'm a catholic, a devout catholic in my mind and feelings... but not in work hehehe...

Borg™

-- " juzz kol me Borg™ " (Borg@greenfrog.org), October 21, 2003.

if you want to know the doctrines and teachings of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, please ask INC ministers or an INC member.If you want a long and formal conversation, i advise you to visit INC locale near you. It is our pleasure to entertain and answer your questions. Beware of anti-INC propaganda especially in internet!!!!! The INC does not have an official website viewed for public beacause it is too dangerous for us to converse and published different religious activities which can be read by an anti-INC. And it is not good to explain and teach our doctrines by only reading our religious articles via the internet. That is informal! but you can write us at pasugo@inc.org.ph your question and the answer can be read through our magazine - Pasugo and God's message. Purihin and Diyos, Mabuhay ang Iglesia Ni Cristo! (Praise be unto God, Long live Church of Christ!)

-- Belmonte jr (vince1914@yahoo.com), October 23, 2003.

Warning!

Like the religion of the Jehovah's Witnesses, this Filipino-based "Iglesia ni Cristo" (Church of Christ) is an Aryan, non-Christian religion. To its followers, Jesus is not God, but a creature.

You can read about the "Iglesia" in this essay at the Catholic Answers, Inc site.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 23, 2003.

just a quick note here. the topic is about "common religions in the Philippines." I have noticed that some of the responses posted here are opinions and attacks on the beliefs and doctrines of a philippine religion, (i.e., the church of Christ, catholic church, etc.). I think what creator of this discussion board wants to know if what are the predominant or common religion in the Philippines. Therefore, I humbly post my own opinions and observations regarding the religions in the Philippines.

Accdg to the 2000 Census of Population and Housing by the Philippines' National Statistics Office (2003, Feb 18), "most Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Eight out of ten of the household population in the Philippines were Roman Catholics (81.04 percent). Islam (5.06 percent) and Evangelicals (2.82 percent) followed. The remaining 11.08 percent were either Aglipayan, Iglesia ni Cristo, and others."

The following is a brief discussion of the characteristic of the common religions in the Philippines. The catholic church was introduced in the Philippines by the Spaniards when they colonized the archipalego in 1521. By then, the natives worship nature and their "anitos." The Spaniards then forced the natives to embrace catholicism thus most of the Filipinos were catholics.In the Census of the Philippine Islands in the Year 1903, wild people was used to refer to, among others, [non-adherents to the Catholic church], and those who were Mohammedan in religion and were well known in the islands as Moros (1905). Some even claim that the Philippines is the bastion of Catholicism in the Philippines.

The modern catholic church in the Philippines is divided among several groups such as the charismatic group "el shaddai." This charismatic group is one of the biggest religious group in the Philippines. The "el shaddai" does not claim separation from the catholic church in Rome so they consider themselves as catholics.

It is interesting to note that the southern Philippines is predominantly Muslim. The island of Mindanao is where Islam holds firm. Islam has been introduced in the Philippines earlier than catholicism through the influence of trade and commerce by the Arabian seafares in the 15th-16th centuries.

Among other Philippine religion is Protestantism brought by the Americans when they occupied the Philippines in the early 20th century. Several sects and denominations (Evangelicals, Baptist, etc.) of the Protestants are in the Philippines as have been noted in the earlier discussions.

One particular interest on the Philippine religions is the indigenious religions in the Philippines (religions that trace its roots in the Philippine soils). During the Philippine Revolution against Spain in the late 1890's, Gregorio Aglipay, a Filipino priest and a reformer, wanted the Filipino seculars to be independent from the oppresions and discrimination of the Spanish friars, and thus, he formed the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente) or more commonly known as the Aglipayan church. He did this to show protest against the abusive friars and show resistance against Spain. The Aglipayan retained many of the forms of the Roman Catholic Church but discarded confession and celibacy for the priesthood.

Another indigenous Philippine religion is the Iglesia ni Cristo or the church of Christ (CoC). According to their official magazine, "The Message," the CoC was re-established by Felix Ysagun Manalo in July 27, 1914 in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila. They claim that they are the true church which was founded by Christ in the first century. It is interesting to note that the church which was humble in its beginning, grew in number over the years and became an influential and powerful institution in the Philippine society. They vote as a bloc during Philippine elections which they claim as "unity in the church, which was taught by the apostles in the Bible." The CoC, a Filipino institution, has now members outside the Philippines even non-Filipinos.

I hope I was of help to your project. More power, good luck and God Bless You All!

-- hasegawa (comrelph.15.hata2272@spamgourmet.com), November 07, 2003.

Hasegawa, you wrote (speaking of the Iglesia ni Cristo):
It "was re-established by Felix Ysagun Manalo in July 27, 1914 in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila."

No, it was not "re-established." It was founded -- invented out of whole cloth -- by Manalo. It is a 20th-century, non-Christian cult.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 08, 2003.

Please find a minister from the Iglesia Ni Cristo and ask who really found or re-established the INC or CoC. Don't be afraid to ask them because they will not force you to join this religion unless you tell them that you decided to join. The ministers from INC will answer your questions directly from the bible and not from their own opinion/s.

Thank you all! Cesar Florendo

-- Cesar Florendo (c_florendo@yahoo.com), November 09, 2003.

Don't make us laugh, Cesar!

The last person to ask about the founding/origin of the InC is an InC member -- who obviously is going to pretend that the InC is, as Hasegawa said, "the [re-established] true church which was founded by Christ in the first century." You have to go to an unbiased source -- a written historical source -- which will show that the InC is, as I said, "a non-Christian cult" "founded -- invented out of whole cloth -- by Manalo" in 1914.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 09, 2003.

Kind of like asking a Toyota dealer what brand of car you should buy :-)

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 09, 2003.

ive read the suggested article about Catholic Answers. if anyone who is not very much familiar with the Bible, and have read the article, surely, doubts will rise.pls. allow me to react. it doesn't matter for now what particular church do i belong.i just love reading the BIBLE. but as i have said, i just want to react. regarding on the given phrase, lord of lords, i believe, many already jumped into conclusion that God and Christ are the same.we must observed that the lordship of Jesus was given to Him by GOD(the Father)his lordship was not innate but GOD given(Acts 2:36)if Jesus is God, and the One that made Him Lord is also God, then there will be two Gods. another, about John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" again, let me express my opinion about this: "in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God" those who believe that Jesus is God,already concluded that Jesus is already existing with GOD,from the beginning because of the phrase "the WORD was with GOD. we must examine here that if the WORD (Jesus) is already existing in the beginning, and He is with GOD, then there will be 2 GODS.JESUS or the WORD was with GOD in the sense that He is in the mind of GOD long before the foundations of the world (I Peter 1:20) till here....no offense meant.

-- bon (ailbon706@yahoo.com), November 13, 2003.

"we must examine here that if the WORD (Jesus) is already existing in the beginning, and He is with GOD, then there will be 2 GODS. JESUS or the WORD was with GOD in the sense that He is in the mind of GOD long before the foundations of the world"

This has already been thoroughly examined by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the Magisterium. Further "examination" by lightweights like us is not likely to reveal anything new. And if it "reveals" anything contrary to what the Magisterium already teaches, such "revelation" is in error.

The passage in question doesn't just state that the Word was "with" God. It immediately follows that statement with, "and the Word WAS God" - a point you conveniently overlooked. If the Word WAS God, and God is eternal, then the Word is eternal, which means He had no beginning. Furthermore, if the Word was with God in the beginning only in the sense that He was a thought in the mind of God, then everyone and everything must also have been present in the beginning, since all of creation has eternally been present in the mind of God. But scripture doesn't say that we were present in the beginning, or that we are God. It says these things ONLY about Jesus, the Word, Who would later become the Christ, the Word made flesh.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 13, 2003.

the common religions here are the "fanatics" catholics, it was brougth here by the Spanish conquistador and thats the caused of revolution led by our national hero Jose Rizal, because he noticed that the teachings of the catholics especially the Spanish heirarchy that time was unscriptual and not in the bible, but filipinos will remain stupids as of this day. Thanks there is Iglesia Ni Cristo who lightened us. To those who criticised the INC's Doctrine, it's okay because people will begin to think and inquire to it's dogmas and that is advantageous to INC's organization.

-- moises mendez (ysl72561723@yahoo.com), January 14, 2004.