Apocalypse now

Scientist's plea for Christian environmentalism
by Edward O. Wilson
The New Republic Post date: 08.28.06 Issue date: 09.04.06

The following is a letter from the eminent Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson, winner of the National Medal of Science and two Pulitzer Prizes, to an imagined Southern Baptist pastor--and the larger evangelical community.

Dear Pastor,
We have not met, yet I feel I know you well enough to call you a friend. First of all, we grew up in the same faith. As a boy, I, too, answered the altar call; I went under the water. Although I no longer belong to that faith, I am confident that, if we met and spoke privately of our deepest beliefs, it would be in a spirit of mutual respect and goodwill. I know we share many precepts of moral behavior. Perhaps it also matters that we are both Americans and, insofar as it might still affect civility and good manners, we are both Southerners.

I write to you now for your counsel and help. Of course, in doing so, I see no way to avoid the fundamental differences in our worldviews.

Read more here.

Shared by: Dr. Michael Tan
RGS Resource Speaker

Interactive and accurate ovulation calendar

Pinpoint your ovulation.


Visualize your fertile days.


Visit Fertility Friend

By: Zimmbodilion Mosende
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

RGS' Doni in Probe Team

On 30 August 2006 (Wednesday) at 11PM, the Probe Team (ABS-CBN Channel 2) will feature issues surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) particularly discrimination, LGBT rights, and experiences.

Ang Ladlad's Danton Remoto and Doni Santos will be making an appearance.

Ang Ladlad is the national political network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Filipinos which might run for party list elections in 2007.

You may visit Ladlad's website at: http://www.geocities.com/angladlad

By: Doni Santos of Ang Ladlad
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Sex and Spirituality

Philippines4Men blogged about "Why we need sex",
a post
... directed to all bible-thumpers, ultra-feminists, Maria Clara types, altar boy wannabe types, who think that sex is dirty and filthy,
... contributed by Medy Bart, and
... taken from Deekpak Chopra.

1. Sexual energy is the primal and creative energy of the universe. All things that are alive come from sexual energy. In animals and other life forms, sexual energy expresses itself as biological creativity. In humans, sexual energy can be creative at all levels - physical, emotional and spiritual. In any situation, where we feel attraction, arousal, awakening, alertness, passion, interest, inspiration, excitement, creativity, enthusiasm, in each of these situations, sexual energy is at work. When ever we feel these states of awareness, we must put our attention on the energy that we are experiencing, nourishing it with our attention, experiencing it with joy and keeping it alive in our awareness.

Read more here.

By: Zimmbodilion Mosende
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

London Prof to conduct free forum on gender

GENDERING THE SPIRIT by Professor Ursula King
August 30, 2006 (10am to 1130am)
Institute of Formation and Religious Studies (IFRS)
28 Acacia Street, Cubao, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES

ADMISSION IS FREE

Ursula King, in the course of her studies in Germany, France, and England and through her extensive studies in India, has acquired an exceptionally advanced and varied academic competence which includes philosophy and sociology as well as theology.

She is a professor emeritus, senior research fellow, and associate member of the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol, and professional research associate, Center for Gender and Religions Research, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She holds honorary doctorates from Universities of Edinburgh, Oslo, and Dayton.

Professor King is an internationally recognized and widely published authority on spirituality, women, and religion, on Christian mysticism, and the French thinker and Christian mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Her books include the Spirit of One Earth: Refrections on Teilhard de Chardin and Global Spirituality; Spirit of Fire: The Life and Vision of Teilhard de Chardin..

HOW TO GO TO IFRS?

Take a jeep (Cubao-Kamuning-Arayat) from Quezon City Circle (from Philcoa)
Get off at Immaculate Concepcion Church
Take a tricycle going to Acacia Street, Mandaluyong City

SEE YOU!

MARLEA PINOR MUNEZ
(+63-919) 504 0135
marleaus2@gmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/marleaus/leaders.html

Shared by:
Dr. Junice of Likhaan (Linangan ng Kababaihan, Inc.)
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Right of Conscience Act of 2006... soon

Abangan...

We will be sharing here updates about the proposed "Right of Conscience Act of 2006", a house bill (no. 5028) introduced by Rep. Hermilando I. Mandanas of the 2nd District Batangas. This bill hopes to prohibit all forms of discrimination, disqualification, coercion, disability, or liability on health care providers, institution, and payers who will decline to perform any health care services that violate their consciences.

Controversial?

Wait for the bill and our updates... read for yourself, here!

Shared by:
Moises Maya
Interfaith Partnership for Responsible Parenthood
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Our Daily Gospel

I love the net! Everything seems to be available online.

I've found the scriptural readings for the day from www.CatholicContent.com.

You can also listen to it's MP3 Podcast readings (American accent nga lang!) from www.verbumdomini.com.

It has links to very valuable reflections (www.mycatholic.com), as well!

Find these from our sidebar on the left.

The lord be with you!

Cheers!

By: ZYM - RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Support DepEd's RH Modules for High School

To: THE Philippine President, Department of Education, and Congress

Realizing that despite the constant efforts of advocates, government and non-government organizations, private sectors, faith-based sectors, and the like, prevalent issues concerning the Filipino youth such as abortion, early sex, teenage pregnancy, child prostitution, child trafficking, pornography, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, violence against women and children, sexually transmitted infections and HIV still exist...

Read the entire petition here.
Support by signing up here.
View current signatures here.

Shared by: Ging Cristobal of the Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP!), Inc.
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

LEAP on Anti-Discrimination Law for LGBT

Position paper of LeAP! That was read at the Senate during the Public Hearing of the Anti-discrimination Bill (SB 1738) last Wednesday, August 09, 2006.

LESBIAN ADVOCATES PHILIPPINES (LeAP!), INC. PUSHES FOR THE PASSAGE OF AN ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

One lesbian was brought to a gynecologist by her mother and forced to undergo a medical examination, to check if she has all the female parts. Another was denied employment by a company that said it was hiring “females” – thus barring the entry of lesbians who are not seen by some as women. When a lesbian was hired, she was praised for her efficient work, and then informed that her appearance was not suitable for the company image. Another was removed from her church membership. Another was bypassed for promotion, and yet another resigned when the company refused to address and put a stop to harassment committed by her co-employees. By virtue of unbearable working conditions, she was constructively dismissed.

Read the entire statement here.

Shared by: Ging Cristobal of the Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP!), Inc.RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Meet MALYN - RGS Participant # 1

Maria Melinda F. Ando
BA English Studies (Major in Language)

Information, Documentation and Resource Center Coordinator
ISIS International- Manila
3 Marunong St. Brgy. Central, Quezon City
Phone: (+63-2) 928-1956; Fax: (+63-2) 924-1065; Mobile: (+63-921) 493-1366
Email: malyn@isiswomen.org

Malyn is mainly responsible for the direction-setting and implementing researches on policy advocacy on Isis-Manila’s advocacy areas e.g. sexual well-being, cultural diversity, governance and democracy, and ICT and community, and independent media.

Fighting the queer fight

By Doni Santos
Inquirer (7:02pm (Mla time) 08/01/2006

WHEN I BEGAN MY TREK toward loving a fellow man, I didn’t know I would come this far. I thought hooking up with another guy was just a phase, something I would tell my grandchildren when I was older.

But it’s a decision that I have since then resolved to fight for.

At first, I was like any normal guy. I was your typical boy-next-door. Some would even call me handsome--charming, definitely. With this gentlemanly, can’t-hurt-a-fly air about me, I could smooth-talk my way into getting a lot of girls. I was a player. I would even bring women home for sleep-overs in our house, and my parents didn’t mind. My dad was proud of the fact that I was a playboy.

Read more here.

Doni Santos of Ang Ladlad belongs to RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Stand of Philippine Evangelical Churches on FP

A fertile woman theoretically can have 30 children. In a world full of people she should not have that many. The command to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28) was given when there were only two humans! There is no dispute about the need to plan the size of one’s family. The controversy is on how to plan.

We oppose abortion as method. To deliberately kill someone made in the image of God is murder. (Genesis 9:6)

We also reject methods that are abortifacient, that prevent the implantation of the fertilized ovum. Psalm 139 suggests that personhood starts at fertilization. Is the IUD abortifacient? We encourage careful evaluation of the evidence. Conscience dictates that we err on the side of caution.

We say yes to rhythmn and it’s allied methods. However, we are not convinced that these are more “natural” than other methods. It seems “unnatural” for couples to abstain from sex for reasons other than what Paul says in
1 Corinthians 7:5. We affirm that the unitive function of marriage (Genesis 2:18) is as important as the procreative one.

The pill has some undesirable side effects but this seem a matter of medical judgment rather than of conscience. The condom and diagphram, spermicidals and withdrawal, prevent fertilization but are compatible with love-making that married couples are to enjoy.

More permanent contraception such as vasectomy and tubal ligation are usually irreversible. Therefore couples need to carefully weigh the implications.

Every child brought into the world is a gift from God. Parents must act as responsible stewards in planning their families.

Executive Committee
Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC)
August 10, 1993

Shared by:
Moises Maya
Interfaith Partnership for Responsible Parenthood
RGS Kabandana Batch (June 2006)

Prayer: Serenity, Courage, Wisdom

Lord,
Grant me...

The serenity
to accept
the things
I can not change,

The courage
to change
the things
I can, and

The wisdom
to know
the difference. Amen

A short but powerful prayer. Mga kabandana... hope this helps. Z

Browse the Bible ONLINE

Visit: http://bibleresources.bible.com/bible_niv.php

RGS Kabandana Batch: Here's the link to the most erotic verses of the Bible:
Song of Solomon 4
1.
How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from Mount Gilead.
2...
3...
4...
5.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle
that browse among the lilies.

Read the entire chapter here.

Any comments? Click below!

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