Making Headlines

Pope Benedict XVI being swamped by young supporters (Photo Source: Reuters/ Dom's Donald's Blog)

A week ago, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI made incredible headline news both local as well as international news such as CNN, BCC, Al-Jazeera, AP, Reuters etc, when he visited Madrid, Spain for the 26th World Youth Day which was attended by more than 1 million youths from different countries around the globe.

This Catholic Church’s youth event always makes headlines. An event anticipated by many journalists and press people because during the World Youth Day events there is much to cover—the Pope who is one of the most powerful leaders of the world leading more than 1.1 billion people on eart—the successor of St. Peter the Apostle, the Vicar of Christ on earth.

In 1995 World Youth Day in Manila, the Pope garnered the biggest Papal event in history surpassing what was expected—4 million people spilling in every streets of Luneta.

For every Papal trip, international news agencies had to book their press people ahead of time in order to be enlisted in the Papal entourage, travelling with the Pope everywhere he goes. They use to call their representatives as “Vatican Correspondence”.

During the World Youth Day or any Papal open Mass, it is usually held in vast spaces such as horse tracks, plazas, football stadia to accommodate thousands of people hungry for spiritual nourishment. These places are government owned being rented by the event organizers.

Other international events that catch news headlines are World Cups. Among the world cup events that were widely covered were:

• FIFA Football World Cup (every 4 years

• FINA Swimming

• FIVA Volleyball

• Summer Olympics

What really makes this sports events worthy of headlines is the huge amount of money spent for the infrastructures and the coliseums being built for the spectators. So far North Korea holds that world record for having a stadium which can accommodate 150,000 people (Wikipedia)

So far Philippines has no stadium for that purpose.

But something else is coming up in the Philippines. It’s not a stadium but the financer of the project says it’s a DOME. It’s a gigantic dome to be built outside Manila but it will be built not something about World Cups or meeting of different nationals but a dome will be built in the Philippines to be the “world’s biggest” dome as they claim.

Just as world’s most famous and biggest domes, this future dome to be built in Manila is owned by a single religious group (cult). Wikipedia still says St. Peter’s Basilica Dome is still World’s Tallest and Two Layer Dome so far. Here is the list of World’s most celebrated domes Wikipedia.

Behind this grand and very exclusive project is the Iglesia ni Cristo—a cult founded by Felix Manalo in 1914. Felix Manalo was an ex-Catholic, ex-Protestant, an atheist and agnostic until he decided to establish his own.

In 1914, they should be celebrating their 101st year Anniversary since according to their circular letter dated 25 December 1918 inviting people to witness the “ordination” of Felix Manalo by Ministers he consider APOSTATES said “LIMANG TAONG BUHAY ng “IGLESIA NI KRISTO” sa Pilipinas.” The date was 1918, do your own calculation.

So what they are celebrating?

Is it their "founding" anniversary or their REGISTRATION anniversary?

It's their REGISTRATION date in July 27, 1914— 2014 is their Centennial Founding Anniversary.

PASUGO Agosto-Setyembre 1964, p. 5

“Kailan napatala sa Pamahalaan o narehistro ang INK sa Pilipinas? Noong Hulyo 27, 1914. Tunay nga na sinasabi sa rehistro na si Kapatid na F. Manalo ang nagtatag ng INK." [When was INK registered in the government in the Philippines? It was in July 27, 1914.  Truly, the registration confirms that Brother F. Manalo founded the INK.]

Because the INC’s Founding Anniversaries is hardly not being talked about in Philippines 78% Catholic population, international media never makes any headline about the INC either. It is being frowned at by some Filipinos but much anticipated by politicians—trying to get the favor of the Manalo family for their controversial DOCTRINE of “BLOCK VOTING” which has been proven to be a myth.

Who knows, this grand expensive and exclusive world’s biggest dome might attract CNN or BBC or Al-Jazeera News,—thus heaving headlines “IGLESIA NI CRISTO has the BIGGEST DOME on EARTH.”

The future Philippine Arena (Photo Source: Manila Paper)

Then people from other nations will start asking the most feared questions: Iglesia what?

Then they need to explain why in Tagalog? Why in the Philippines? Why Felix Manalo? Why the Italian Flag? What's in the Logo? Why always the Manalos to be the Supreme Ministers? Why only the Ministers can understand the Bible? Why you don’t have official website? Why you don’t have official teachings published in books etc, etc…

And before making international headlines and attracting such ambitious attention, they should be prepared for more questions.

And who will pay for this very expensive world’s biggest dome? It’s INC members' hard earned tithes!

Congratulations indeed INC of Felix Manalo for having the biggest dome yet burden on its members.