FELIX MANALO FAMILY TREE (Rappler)

Source: Rappler

Iglesia ni Cristo: Church at the Crossroads

Source: PCIJ, Posted in April 2002

by MALOU MANGAHAS

As the first anniversary of what has been called "Edsa 3" draws near, the PCIJ examines the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), whose members swelled the ranks of those who gathered at Edsa last year to protest the arrest of former President Joseph Estrada.

Our latest offering is a two-part story that recalls how three in every four of these protesters were INK members. One year later, the INC is at a crossroads. It has made peace with the government and tried to exercise its clout as it had in the past, by influencing the appointment of key officials and promising to deliver votes in exchange for concessions to the church and church-linked businesses.

At the same time, INC leaders are flirting with the political opposition. It sent two of its deacvons to pro-Estrada meetings these past weeks and continues to lobby for better treatment for the former president. The church also facilitates meetings for opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson.

The Arroyo government seems torn about the INC. On one hand, President Arroyo needs the church's support in the 2004 elections. On the other hand, the government remains suspicious about the INC's real intentions.

For sure, the Catholic Church has exerted its influence on government as well. The INC's actions in fact mirror what the Catholics have done. It can even be said that the INC's political activism is a reaction to the Catholic Church hierarchy's active political involvement.

The series explores these issues and also examines how the INC has been able to expand through the years through a combination of strict church discipline and the implementation of welfare projects for its flock.

A YEAR ago today, hundreds of thousands of poor Filipinos loyal to ousted President Joseph Estrada mounted a six-day vigil at the EDSA shrine.

Police officials say that most of the protesters—three in every four—were members of the pro-Estrada Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), a secretive, tightly organized church composed mainly of poor members.

Today the INC has made peace with the government and has tried to exercise its clout as it had in the past, by influencing the appointment of key officials and promising to deliver votes in exchange for concessions to the church and church-linked businesses.

At the same time, however, INC leaders are flirting with the political opposition while remaining ambivalent in their support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The ambivalence is mutual. Arroyo and her deputies maintain close contact with INC leaders, wooing their support for the government and for the presidential elections in 2004. But the government has also placed the INC under tight watch amid reports that some church ministers are sitting in a "coordinating council" composed of Estrada allies, which is planning protest actions to mark the first anniversary of what is now known as "EDSA 3."

An Iglesia deacon reportedly attended a pro-Estrada meeting weeks ago, according to a presidential adviser and an opposition source. An INC member explains that "his attendance is probably authorized not because the church wants to participate but just to have a listening post."

Also in those meetings were Estrada's son and San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, columnist Herman Tiu Laurel, and Lito Banayo, Estrada's political affairs adviser and now media consultant of Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson. El Shaddai representatives were invited as well.

At the same time, the INC is lending discreet support to Lacson's political base-building efforts. On our provincial visits, "someone would whisper to us and say we should drop by the Iglesia head chapel," a Lacson aide revealed. Lacson now calls on the Iglesia on every provincial sortie, said the aide.

Ex-INC™ Minister Lowell Menorca II bares it all against the notorious Sanggunian of the Iglesia Ni Cristo®

Source: Inquirer.net

The expelled minister of Iglesia ni Cristo who recently surfaced said that members of the Sanggunian, the highest administrative council of the powerful church, wanted him killed.

Facing the media on Sunday, Lowell Menorca II recounted the attempt on his life which took place in Dasmarinas City in Cavite province on July 17.

Menorca said that he was made to sit in an empty car when suddenly, a “round thing,” which was later identified as a hand grenade, was thrown inside the vehicle.

“After alighting the coaster, they made me sit in a car. They locked the door and immediately they left the scene. The driver of another car went to the backside and threw a round thing inside the car, at the backseat. I knew that it was a grenade,” Menorca said.

When the grenade did not go off, another alleged police officer was sent to kill him.

“When we were already in an isolated area, he was looking for a gun. That’s when I begged him. Sabi ko, ‘Please don’t kill me. Maawa ka na sa akin, sir. Ang katunayan po ay ministro ako ng Iglesia ni Cristo at may asawa po ako at isang anak.’ I was already crying to him. Sabi ko, ‘I am not a bad person. Huwag niyo naman po sanang hayaan na lumaki ang anak ko na walang ama,’” he said.

Menorca was able to persuade the officer not to kill him but it came with a price: he has to face a criminal charge of illegal possession of firearms.

“What was left for me to negotiate? So I said yes,” he said.

Menorca was arrested in Dasmariñas City on July 17 after allegedly threatening two construction workers with a hand grenade. He was freed on July 25 through INC lawyer Allen Blair Boy where he was subsequently brought to the INC compound in Quezon City.

Hours before the attempt on his life, Menorca and his wife were whisked away from their residence in Bulan, Sorsogon in a six-vehicle convoy after a church service on July 17. Officers from the Quezon City police were allegedly present during their abduction.

During the 17-hour travel from Sorsogon to Dasmarinas, the former minister said that he was repeatedly interrogated about a certain Antonio Ebangelista, a pseudonym of a blogger who revealed the alleged corruption inside the church’s ranks. Aside from the emotional turmoil he endured, Menorca sustained wounds from the handcuffs which cut his wrists.

“I asked them repeatedly to loosen the handcuffs because it hurt so much, my shoulders were about to fall off, my hands were bleeding. I kept on begging the police officers to even just remove my handcuffs, I’m not gonna fight them, they were all with guns.”

Lowell Menorca II (L) and wife Jinky Otsuka. INQUIRER.net

“I was begging and begging them for the life of my wife and my child. I just asked them, ‘Do whatever you want to me, just leave them alone.’ I asked them and begged them, whatever they want me to say, whatever they want me to admit, whether true or not, I will (admit it). They can shoot me if they want, they can kill me if they want, just leave my wife and my daughter alone. I asked where they were, they couldn’t give me anything, only trying to pacify me with the words saying ‘Okay lang sila,’” a sobbing Menorca said.

The officers even ridiculed him, joking that the convoy carrying his wife and daughter were intercepted by rebels.

Menorca claimed that he was detained by the members of the Sanggunian because he was being suspected to be one of the ministers who are critical of the church leadership.

“For three months we were there, for three months we were incarcerated. We were never free to go out even though they promised us, ‘Okay we can slowly introduce you to the outside world, slowly everything will be normal.’ I told them, ‘I don’t want my child growing up knowing that we are prisoners here’,” he said.

On October 21, Menorca and his family were “rescued” from an undisclosed house in Quezon City. In a video which was sent to INQUIRER.net on October 25, Menorca confirmed that they were kidnapped by the INC, saying that his statements in previous interviews were fed to him by the church leadership.

Menorca said that the order of the Supreme Court (SC) forcing INC to produce Menorca and his loved ones in court expedited his release.

The SC granted the petition of writs of amparo and habeas corpus filed by Menorca’s brother Anthony and Jungko Otsuka, the twin sister of the former minister’s wife, Jinky, on October 25.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/734319/ex-minister-iglesia-ni-cristo-leadership-wanted-me-killed#ixzz3pupolH6N
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2 Bilyong Pisong Utang ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® sa Banco De Oro interes lamang ang nababayaran?

MANALO FAMILY: The Legitimate Owner of the Iglesia Ni Cristo®, Incorporated

Who owns the INC™,  no one but the Manalos. But now the problem is that the older son of the Manalos is LORDING it over his own family and had excommunicated his own family over his love for the INC™, the source of his immense earthly wealth. 

Iglesia Ni Cristo® Scandals

2 Bilyong Pisong Pagkakautang ng Maligaya Development ng Iglesia Ni Cristo

Ayon kay Kelly Ong, halos 22 milyon daw po ang binabayarang buwanang interes sa bangko. Samakatuwid, gumugugol ang mga kaanib ng INC™ ng kanilang abuluyan para pambayad lamang ng interes?

Sabi ng Muslim: Katoliko ang may-ari ng Biblia (kontra angkin ng mga Iglesia Ni Cristo®)

Ang libro ng mga Demonyo ay ginagamit ng Iglesia Ni Cristo. Dahil sabe ng INC paghindi sakop nila ay Demonyo. Subalit sino ang unang lumikha ng Bible diba Mga Romano Catholico?

Posted by Happiness - Tagalog on Wednesday, September 30, 2015

SAGOT NG ISANG FILIPINO UZTADS TUNGKOL SA KALIGTASAN DAW NG MGA IGLESIA NI CRISTO®

“Sino bang founder?Si Manalo! Kailan ba founded ang ano… ang Iglesia Ni Cristo sa Pilipinas? Kung si Manalo ay… pagsilang ni Manalo ay siyang magmemensahe na maging Iglesia Ni Cristo, ay nasa kanila ang kaligtasan, how about those people before Manalo?

“… ang katuruan ng Iglesia Ni Cristo ngayon ay malayo po ito sa katuruan ni Jesu-Cristo. Mayron akong kaistorya na Iglesia Ni Cristo, Ministro. Ang palagi niyang inaatake, Romano Katoliko. So brother mag-aral tayo ng Bible. Nag-attend po ako… aral… Bible Study ng Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ang inaatake niya KATOLIKO! Katoliko ang binabanatan niya… Katoliko. Pagkatapos sabi niya, ‘brother magtanong ka’.

"Sabi ko ‘brother, unfair ‘yang ginagawa ninyo. Binabanatan niyo ang Katoliko eh wala naman sa harapan ninyo eh. Dapat ang binabanatan niyo Muslim. Dahil dito ako sa harapan at makasagot ako. Ang sinisiraan niyo Katoliko. Eh paano sasagot ang Katoliko eh wala sila dito. Unfair!’

"Tapos tanong ko ‘brother yung Biblia ninyo, gawa ba ninyo yan?’‘Hindi.’

‘San po ba nagmula ang Biblia ninyo?’

Sabi niya ‘sa Iglesia… sa Iglesia Katolika… eh.. Romana.

Sabi ko “Iglesia Ni Cristo kayo, tapos yung Biblia ninyo nagmula sa Romana Katolika Apostolika? ‘

Hindi sila nakakaintindi sa Biblia nila (Katoliko)… aklat ng Katoliko, at kayong mga Iglesia Ni Cristo NAGBABASA LAMANG sa aklat ng mga Katoliko, kayo ang nakakaintindi?

Dahil the history of the Bible, we cannot deny, the history of the Bible is compiled, collected by the early Christian Catholics. While the Roman Catholics in this latest century they’re reading the Bible. At ang Biblia, original ay nagmula sa ROMANO KATOLIKO! Imposible na ang gumawa sa Biblia Romano Katolika maiimpiyerno! ‘Yung lumikha sa Biblia maiimpiyerno. Yung nagbabasa, maparaiso. Imposible naman!

"Gagawa ako ng aklat, example, gagawa ako ng aklat, hindi ako nakakaintindi sa sarili kong aklat, ang nakakaintindi yung nagbabasa? At sila pa ang maliligtas… common sense lamang ‘yun. Naku naman. Very simple!

“Itong mga ito, maliligtas dahil sa panglan lamang?’Itong Iglesia Ni Cristo… itong lahat (aral INC) ay puro kasinungalingan. .. yun bang pulot dito, pulot dito. Para bang tagpi-tagpi! Alam mo ba yung bahay ng mga ano.. bahay ng mga squater sa atin, tagpi-tagpi… ganon ang Iglesia Ni Cristo. Pupulot ng teksto sa Old Testament , pupulot naman sa New Testament, itagpi-tagpi, ganito, pulot pulot kayo! Basahin niyo, tapusin ninyo at ipaliwanag. Hindi yung pulot ng bersikulo, ipaliwanag, pulot ng isang bersikulo, ipaliwanag, itagpi… naku, parang squaters na bahay. Naporma ang bahay, tagpi-tagpi. Nagporma ng doktrina, tagpi-tagpi!”

"Dakilang Pamamahayag" ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® Aalog-alog

Against Muslim Terrorists called Deash (ISIS): Arab Christians Thank President Vladimir Puttin of Russia and the Syrian Government! Obama is the greatest threat for Arab Christians!

While Christians from the "free world" are arguing whose doctrines are genuine, here in the land where Christianity was born, our Christian brethren are fighting for this faith we just taken for granted. While Protestants argue that the Catholic Church had deviated from the True Faith, here are the Catholics and other Christian orthodox churches coming together as one believer in Christ Jesus. [Photo Source: Chaldean Nation Facebook Page or visit their website Chaldean Nation]

Raising the Christian Cross and the name of Lord Jesus Christ in Maaloula, Syria.

The ancient Syrian Christian town restores our Christian Cross and the Virgin Mary statue on top of the Mountain overlooking the beautiful city of Chaldean, Armenian and Syriac Christians. Maaloula celebrates with the Syrian government officials, banner of President Assad, as monument destroyed by rebels replaced.

Located north of Damascus, Maaloula is one of the world’s oldest Christian settlements, and its inhabitants still speak Aramaic and Chaldean, the language of Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you Syrian Army and citizens including our Chaldean and Syriac Christian armies that librated the city from the criminals of Muslim terrorists also called Deash (ISIS).

Long Live the Syrian People!

Restoring the Virgin Mary statue, The Lady of Peace in Maaloula, Syria. This is a Christian city and will stay a Christian city forever!

Thank you Syria! Thank you Syrian and Christian armies. Thank you President Assad and Thank you President Vladimir Putin.

The ancient Syrian Christian town restores the Virgin Mary statue, The Lady of Peace on top of the Mountain overlooking the beautiful city of Chaldean, Armenian and Syriac Christians. Maaloula celebrates with the Syrian government officials, banner of President Assad, as monument destroyed by rebels replaced.

Located north of Damascus, Maaloula is one of the world’s oldest Christian settlements, and its inhabitants still speak Aramaic and Chaldean, the language of Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you Syrian Army and citizens including our Chaldean and Syriac Christian armies that librated the city from the criminals of Muslim terrorists also called Deash (ISIS).

Long Live the Syrian People!

#ChaldeanNation #Chaldean #Syriac #Armenian #Syria #Iraq #Mesopotamia