Societal Systems
What did the system do to you?
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
November 6, 2023
It took advantage of your silence and indifference. It devoured you whole so you would perfectly blend into the system.
But you didn't want to be enslaved within it. You struggled and worked hard to liberate yourself from its prison cell. Now that you're out, you experience how far free and happy you are than when you were totally inside the system.
But the system will not also take your freedom sitting down. Its forces want you back to their fold by all means, which we know by now is simply an empty threat because they know that their end is near, their days numbered.
We have already gone so high up and strong as we have the number. They can no longer get us. Let’s continue to soar up high together.
The World is in Great Turmoil: A Smorgasbord of Events
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
April 31, 2022
We have the Russian-Ukraine conflict. We have the never-ending story of more Covid variants, more vaccinations, and more boosters. Then, we have the Willy-Chris fiasco that is said to be delighting 60% of the people in the USA alone.
All this is sprinkled with volcanic eruptions, floods, riots, deaths, entertainment, community sharing, and many more.
My concern is not Russia and Ukraine; so many nations are into it already. I’m not concerned about the COVID pandemic; there are already so many concerned medical doctors and sympathetic pharmaceutical laboratories involved in it.
My concern is not about the Chris-Willy outbursts of violence; they made their public apologies already. Neither is my concern about natural calamities; our respective governments are already taking care of them.
My concern is about my Patria Adorada, known internationally as the Region del Sol Querida because of its rich natural resources, which include not only gold but also platinum and palladium.
Palladium is the metal of the future that is 30 times rarer than gold. It is much more expensive than gold and platinum because of its many uses like cleaning up emissions of cars. It is second only to the anti-matter that blew up in the skies above St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in the movie Da Vinci Code.
My concern is about giant multinational corporations and power holders exploiting our talents and expertise to the detriment of our economy.
All nations are laying their hands on us to get a share of our wealth and manpower resources. I’m afraid the Philippines will be the next center stage of turmoil and violence, especially because the enemies are within the country, not outside. It is already the center of attraction when it comes to corruption.
My main concern is the immediate: the ongoing national electoral race. And my specific concerns are not to tell the people:
1. To go out and vote
2. Not to sell their vote
3. Not to vote for those who are corrupt
4. To be guided by the Pope’s Laudato Si, other papal encyclicals, or Christian Social Teachings
So many Institutions—religious or not—are doing this already reminding the people in their pulpits and on social media.
In order to have real transformative value and measurable effects, I need to prepare a list of my candidates from the national down to the village level, guided naturally by my conscience and moral standards.
But unity votes on a collective level are stronger and more effective for transforming our member communities than individual votes.
It’s worthwhile encouraging civil societies to have a mock election this month and see what the results are.
After one month, to conduct another mock election and see if we’re successful in disseminating our moral and ethical standards to our member communities all over the archipelago.
If the people still vote for those considered corrupt by us, then, to them, they might not be perhaps as corrupt after all as we think they are. Or if they are, then, who amongst us is not? Let them cast the first stone! (John 8:7).
Or if the people are not heeding the pleas of Pope Francis, the Laudato si, climate change, papal encyclicals, and other Christian Social Teachings, then, we are not effective enough in influencing even our member communities to heed these moral standards. We may in fact contributing largely to the diminishing influence of the Catholic Church’s social teachings even in a predominantly Christian country like the Philippines.
I know this is almost impossible to conduct this two-tiered level of mock elections to our member communities and constituents. Because divisiveness is already systemic in our organizations as they are in our society. The fear of exposing this in public is just intolerable. It’s always preferable to project an image of unity.
Nevertheless, let’s try listening to the pleas and wisdom of our people and constituents if only this time in the electoral race. Let’s try Blaise Pascal’s wager argument.
Or perhaps listen to Swami Vivekananda’s admonition that our religious beliefs and practices ought not to be taken as doctrines or dogmas that are to be imposed on others.
In any case, maybe this is sending us a strong message that we still need a stronger hand to free us from the mess we’re still mired in today. Charism inspires devotion. Combined with strength, it can more likely ensure real transformation in the majority of our member communities.
This could mean Team or Shared leadership. Servant leadership can be easily manipulated and exploited by many internal and external factors. Besides, if there’s a servant, there’s a master.
Given the above considerations, this now narrows down our list of names for President and Vice President. I see at least five combinations.
1. Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. and Sarah Duterte
2. Leni Robredo and Kiko Pangilinan
3. Norberto Gonzalez and Carlos Serapio
4. Leni Robredo and Sarah Duterte
5. Norberto Gonzalez and Sarah Duterte
The list changes if we vote not by party affiliation and if we allow other presidential and vice presidential candidates to appear in our list. So many possible combinations indeed that you can list down.
Out of the Box Explanations
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
April 13, 2022
If we cannot find solutions to the pressing problems confronting our lives—whether metaphysical or physical—one has to look for solutions somewhere else. Sometimes, one has to go outside of its box to see what’s out there.
There are individual Christians who get out of their way to know and experience what other religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Atheism—have to say about those problems they cannot solve using their long-espoused beliefs.
There are also scientists who try to get out of their way to seek for metaphysical explanations for those problems they encounter in the quantum world which they find to be beyond the laws of physics.
Corona Virus Delays Negotiations to Prevent an Imminent Nuclear War!
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
March 19, 2022
Could Ukraine be the site of what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah during the time of Abraham and Lot? (Genesis 19:23-28):
“23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.”
But Sodom and Gomorrah were so evil and sinful that the Lord out of heaven destroyed the city in a flash of fire. Not in the case of Ukraine, although it might have its share of evil today.
I’m thinking more of the known sin cities like Las Vegas. Thailand had already its share of punishment but with water; it took the greatest brunt of the devastating tsunami years ago.
If it’s Ukraine, who is this “Lord out of heaven” that rained fire on it? Is this the same Lord that devastated the city of Lot? Conspiracy theorists say it’s the same because this Lord out of heaven has always been with us.
If it’s not the same Lord, then, is what’s happening now between Russia and Ukraine just a prelude of something worse to come? If so, where will it happen? Europe which is now the target of intrusion? Or some other sin cities?
Those trying to Lord power over the globe are certain that a nuclear blast is inevitable. This is the only way it can be done, to show the might of its nuclear arsenal in order to achieve world peace. If it still does not intimidate other nations then release and deliver this brimstone and fire to them before they get the upper hand.
It’s just now a matter of which country will first push the nuclear button. To avoid this impending catastrophe, the United Nations have tried very hard in the past to convene its members for a conference.
But somebody had pushed the coronavirus button, delaying further the talks on global peace and stability.
For example, the United Nations officials postponed the following meetings of the 10th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference:
(1) April 2020
(2) October 2020
(3) August 2021
(4) January 2022
The NPT member states set a new target date for some time between August and September 2022.
The Russian-Ukraine war may again postpone this intended date. Or it can already mark the beginning of a series of nuclear exchanges to come.
Even if the intended nuclear summit meeting will push through, many still doubt its success. Unless the Lord out of heaven intercedes, the people will not be spared of an impending doom.
But the Lord’s Second Coming is only known by his Father. We can only pray and invoke miracles, which are very rare nowadays.
In the meantime, here are some facts about the power of nuclear explosion:
1. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima (15 kilotons) and Nagasaki (20 kilotons)—codenamed "Little Boy" and "Fat Man," respectively—leveled cities and killed an estimated 70,000 people instantly with many more dying in the following years from the effects of radiation.
2. At the start of 2020, nine countries -- the US, Russia, UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea -- possessed approximately 13,400 nuclear weapons, of which 3,720 were deployed with operational forces.
3. The most powerful nuclear weapon in the current US arsenal is the B83 aircraft bomb, which has a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons (1,200 kilotons). And new types of nuclear weapons continue to be produced around the world.
Public Disclosure Status
Organizations monitoring or regulating information about nuclear weapons include:
(1) the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament (CD),
(2) the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, and
(3) the Weapons of Mass Destruction program for the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDR).
They have been engaged in a constant battle with states to disclose fully the weapons they possess but to no avail.
The USA has disclosed important information about its stockpile and nuclear capabilities, but the Trump administration in 2019 stopped the practice of disclosing the size of its stockpile.
The UK and France have also declared only some information. Russia refuses to publicly disclose the detailed breakdown of its forces.
China publicly displays its nuclear forces more frequently than in the past, but it releases little information about force numbers or future development plans.
The governments of India and Pakistan make statements about some of their missile tests but provide no information about their arsenals' status or size.
North Korea has acknowledged conducting nuclear weapon and missile tests but provides no information about its nuclear weapon capabilities. Israel has a long-standing policy of not commenting on its nuclear arsenal.
Can we still prevent nuclear wars? I’ll leave this question to the readers to answer. Whatever it is, nuclear war is imminent. It is only a matter of time.
Despite their good intentions, it seems our leaders are instead fueling the tensions of a nuclear war. Prices of commodities skyrocketed triggered by the increase in the demand for gas and armaments.
No one nation can prevent a nuclear war. The USA or Russia cannot do it by themselves alone. We need the cooperation of all the other countries of the world to dismantle and prevent nuclear wars.
But could this collaborative endeavor happen at all? Will it happen during our lifetime? And who will take the role of Abraham and Lot to negotiate with the Lords of power?
I feel hopeless. I can only imagine myself riding in my spaceship, pointing into space, and exclaiming:
"Lo and behold, it was in that particular area in the galaxy that Planet Earth lies, my legendary home, once bluish, so peaceful and calm, a wonderful habitat for the human race, in fact, the most beautiful celestial object of the universe, and a marvelous structure gracefully floating in space. But it is now glowing fiery red and totally bare."
A grim scenario that I pray will not happen at all. Yet, for our prayers to be effective, we need to stop transgressing each other and our environment.
I can only imagine the damage that will be done and the legacy the devastating nuclear wars will cause to humanity and to Planet Earth. Even now during this pandemic, the world that I used to know no longer exists.
Say no to nuclear weapons. But if it cannot really be avoided, may God bless our souls.
Interpreting the Signs of the Times
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D. – June 26, 2021
We must be conscious in order to arrive at an accurate interpretation of what is true and real. We need to be aware of what's going on around our surrounding to be able to choose one from among the so many possibilities. Short of this, we miss everything. Our life is amiss. We need to lift that veil of darkness before us, that foggy mist of tiny dusts and clays covering our cosmic eyes, the Cloud of Unknowing.
Social Norms
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D. - December 3, 2020
There's no normal, new normal, abnormal, or paranormal. To be normal means to conform with the social norms. Violating these norms is considered abnormal. But social norms vary from one culture to another. They also change over time. What's normal today can be abnormal tomorrow. What's left then? Our Consciousness, who is not normal, not new normal, not abnormal, not even paranormal.
To fit or not to fit to the system!
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
There are only a few choices for us, namely:
(1) - To fit into the system or status quo by unconditionally supporting and giving the new administration all the chances during its term to correct the system;
(2) - Critical collaboration, principled cooperation, but peaceful coexistence observing all democratic processes and moral standards for resolving conflicts and tensions; and
(3) - Undecided and silent. “I-don’t-care” attitude: “I’ll just do nothing”; “I’d rather focus on my own personal transformation”.
It’s our choice. I choose #1.
What Did the System Do to You?
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D. - October 30, 2020
What did the system do to you? It took advantage of your silence and indifference. It devoured you whole so you would perfectly blend into the system. But you didn't want to be enslaved within. You worked hard to liberate yourself from its prison cell. Now that you're out, you experience how far free and happy you are than when you were totally inside the system.
Is there really something going on right now?
Paul J. Dejillas, Ph.D.
April 4, 2020
(Eros Lope sent me this question)
Yes, something is going on right now. Here it is: Nations are at war with each other. Within nations, there is a civil war going on because of beliefs, race, gender, socio-economic status, social prestige, power, and political affiliations.
We have COVID-19, economic collapse, intense struggle for global political hegemony, territorial disputes, extreme climate change, natural disasters, industrial disruption, ballooning population, depleting resources, intensifying unemployment, panic buying, debilitating fear, paranoia, mental illness, failure of leadership and management, intensifying chaos and disorder.
But these are only concrete expressions of something deeper. I cannot but be suspicious that something much deeper causes all this. Is it because of politics, economics, religion, or science? Is the cause natural, extraterrestrial, man-made, structural, or moral? Your guestimate is as good as mine.
Erroneous Development Models
July 7, 2016
There's something wrong with the kind of development pursued by our planners today. It's just too materialist and profit oriented, based on the Darwinian model of competition and survival of the fittest. This model preaches that only the strong, the fit, and the powerful can live. It's destructive not only to ourselves but also to Mother Nature. But what other alternative model of development do we have? The search for such a conceptual model continues to this day.