19/02/2016
AN OPEN LETTER TO MANNY PACQUIAO: LET'S DEFEND EVERY WORD OF THE BIBLE!
I wrote this during Miriam Quiambao's "lie of the devil" statement in 2012. It's an adaptation of the "Dear Dr. Laura Schlesinger" letter. It's apt to re-adapt it again.
Prelude:
Any religion that can't laugh at itself, that can't allow others to laugh at it, that thinks it's the absolute truth is NOT a true religion. It is a fascist ideology disguised as a religion.
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Dear Manny Pacquiao,
Congratulations for standing up for the truth written by God in the Bible! Literally interpreting the Bible is what we should really do. The word of God is the word of God. Those who believe in God shouldnāt doubt the Bible: each word in the Bible, each punctuation mark, each syllable was written by the owner and creator of the universe, period. I love your zealous and unwavering faith that everything that the Bible says is true and that we should follow it.
I know that we should take the Bible as it is. Thereās no doubt that God forbids cross-dressing; Deuteronomy 22:5 says that. Leviticus 18:22 implies that homosexuality is an abomination to Godās eyes as well. But Iām having some problems with other verses in the Bible. Please help me with what to do about them because, just like you, I want to live my life in accordance with the word of God.
1. According to Genesis, God only created men and women. Nothing else, no one in between. Just either men or women. Now, Genesis 1:5 says that God created only evening and morning. There was no mention about afternoon, dusk, dawn, midnight, the blue hour, etc. As a literal follower of the Bible, how should I regard these āotherā parts of the day? Why do we have these abominations? Is God testing my faith?
2. Iām so confused about what to wear now, Manny. I feel that Iām such an abomination in the eyes of God. You know why? Deuteronomy 22:11. God clearly and literally forbids wearing clothing made of fabric that are combined together, such as wool and linen woven together. I have lots of clothes made of combined fabric. What should I do with them? Should I change my wardrobe and burn all these clothes, just like how God burned S***m and Gomorrah? Manny, please promise us, in the name of the Truth contained in the Bible, that you will never ever wear such clothes! Moreover, Deuteronomy 22:12 says that we should place tassels on the four corners of the cloaks we wear. I noticed that your boxing shorts didn't have any tassels? Was this a flaw in the design?
3. Iām so disturbed by how marriage laws in our country work, Manny. Clearly, this country will rot in hell. Why? It is not following Deuteronomy 22:13-20. We should include virginity tests for women before they get married. And if itās proven that these women are not virgins, we should stone them to death just like how Deuteronomy 22:21 recommends! Manny, please tell me your wife was a virgin when you married her!
4. I want to share the truth of the Bible to my neighbour, Manny. Hereās the case: The womanās husband died recently; and they have no children. Deuteronomy 25:5 clearly says that in situations like this, the woman is only allowed to marry her brother-in-law. They are not following this. Should I go to them and share to them this Universal Truth so that they can follow what the Lord wants?
5. Manny, I wonder how we can implement Deuteronomy 25:13. It says that we shouldnāt have two different weights in our bags. Can you share to me the weights inside Jinky and Dionesia's Hermes?
6. Leviticus 1:14-17 says that the smell of burning dove and pigeon is an aroma pleasing to the Lord. I tried to burn doves and pigeons yesterday as part of my daily routine in pleasing God but my neighbor stopped me. He said this is cruelty to animals. Can you help me pray over my neighbourās soul so he can finally see the Truth?
7. Iām very troubled by the presence of Lydiaās Lechon in our neighborhood. Leviticus 3:17 clearly says that we must not eat any fat. Can you support my petition against Lydiaās Lechon? Will Cebu go to hell because of their famous lechon?
8. Why do people go to dermatologists, Manny? Isnāt this a clear violation of the word of God? Leviticus 13:2 is clear: We must go to a priest, not a dermatologist.
9. One of my neighbors is poor. I advised the father of the household to sell one of his daughters as a slave so they can have money. He told me that I was insane. I told them God clearly allows this in Exodus 21:7. How much do you think he should sell his daughter for?
10. Manny, why do people work on the Sabbath day? Exodus 35:2 clearly forbids this. Should we start putting them to death as the Bible recommends?
11. A lot of Filipinas work as domestic helpers in other countries. Most of them are beaten up by their employers. Should we condemn their employers or should we just allow them to be beaten up as long as they can get up after a day or two, as what Exodus 21:20-21 wants us to do? It does say, āIf a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.ā
A friend of mine told me that these words should not be taken out of context. I told him, No! These words are the words of God and they apply in every context, at all times, everywhere and every time, as Godās words are eternal. Deuteronomy 26:16 is clear about this: āThe Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.ā When I told him about that, he told me that God is s**t. Oh dear, that comment ended our friendship. And Iām now actually planning the time and place where our entire barangay can stone him to death as recommended by Leviticus 24:16. Would you like to join us in fulfilling what the Lord our God wants us to do? Where can I send the invitation?
P.S.
Oh, Leviticus 20:10 clearly forbids adultery, and the punishment God mandates is death. Who should be stoned to death first: you or Krista Ranillo?
P.P.S.
I've been receiving messages telling me that this letter is blasphemous. Sisters and brothers in this faith, Leviticus 24:10-16 forbids blasphemy. God is so clear when he said that the punishment is death by stoning. He actually gave this explicit instruction: "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him." If you really want to follow God, let us set the appointment of my stoning, and I dare you to throw the first stone.
God bless!
x
