This is the eighth in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do something, within their own means and power, to make it a better place.

This is possibly one of the things that a great many foreigners may feel, we, foreign about.  In my own case, for example, although I’m certainly a Christian by declaration and I hope by practice, I am not presently aligned with an recognized church.

But I certainly think I can take a stab at defining what the author had in mind here.  In the Philippines, although the Roman Catholic church is considered by far the predominant church, there are dozens if not hundreds of others … and what seems to me to be at least as advanced a level of religious freedom as in the US.

There’s a church on every other corner it almost seems, and on Sundays and Holy Days the parking situation caused by folks attending the church around the corner from me certainly indicates no lack of participation.

But more than a few Filipinos and foreigners alike that I have talked to are quite willing to discuss the perceived faults of the church, past and present, issues such as the church having an inordinate influence on government matters, criticism of what and how much the church might be doing to help the unfortunate, etc.

This often comes across the same way as the frequent negative opinions about government.  But an important difference is that according to the church’s own doctrine, the church is not just the “Religious”, the church is the people themselves.

So if you are thoroughly disenchanted with the church and don’t feel you can support it, why not leave it alone?  On the other hand, if you think there are things the church could do better, especially in terms of practical Christianity rather than abstract theology, then get on board.  As with so many other things in society, the ‘Little Things’ that just one person can do are amazingly powerful.

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