Our newest podcast (that’s also a video) is up! Here, Marge, Ria and Red discuss the current protest of some Christian groups against the Lady Gaga concert, the difficulties of satire in a country where the news reads like stories out of The Onion, and how beauty queen Miriam Quiambao’s courage in defiance of popular opinion has contributed to the awareness of LGBT rights.

What are your thoughts on these topics? Please comment on this page.

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Look at all those evil people

Discussion Topics

• Accomodationism and respecting religious feelings
• The meta-debate: Why celebrities make the front page
• Is it religious profiling ethical?
• Science as a political weapon
• Scarborough Shoal and sovereignty

After the meetup we usually go for dinner and drinks somewhere nearby. If you’re not a meetup regular and can’t make it for the meetup but would like to go for the post meetup, please indicate on a post in the wall or comment so we can contact you.

Got questions about the meetup? Contact us at 0927 323 3532

• Newbies are welcome.
• Look for the FF sign (or the group of smart, sexy people).
• There is no required age, religion, philosophy, or IQ level.
• Discussions are informal yet intelligent (most of the time).
• You don’t have to talk; you can just sit in and listen.

Location: Starbucks, Anson’s (across The Podium), ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig (Google map)
Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012
Time: 2:30pm – 5:30pm

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Discussion Topics
- The Philippines is the most religious country: a good thing?
- Squatters’ Rights and Violent Demolition
- Gay literature by straight people

After the meetup we usually go for dinner and drinks somewhere nearby. If you’re not a meetup regular and can’t make it for the meetup but would like to go for the post meetup, please indicate on a post in the wall or comment so we can contact you.

Got questions about the meetup? Contact us at 0927 323 3532

* Newbies are welcome.
* Look for the FF sign (or the group of smart, sexy people).
* There is no required age, religion, philosophy, or IQ level.
* Discussions are informal yet intelligent (most of the time).
* You don’t have to talk; you can just sit in and listen.

But while his efforts are admirable, and his exposes a never-ending source of lols (at the fakir’s expense, that is), he’s run into a bit of trouble.

Last month, Sanal participated in a Channel TV-9 report about the the “miracle” of the Church of Our Lady of Velankanni – a crucifix that was claimed to have water miraculously appear and trickle down Jesus’ feet.

We say “was”, because shortly after Sanal arrived, he quickly pointed out that the source of the water in the “miracle” was from a nearby washroom drainage pipe, brought to the crucifix’s feet via capillary action:

As expected, the local Catholic Church was not happy with Sanal, who accused them of miracle-mongering in a follow-up program on TV-9.

A heated debate began, in which the five church people, among them Fr. Augustine Palett, the priest of Our Lady of Velankanni church, and representatives of the Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) demanded that Sanal apologize. But he powerfully argued against them. Via telephone, Msgr. Agnelo Gracias, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai, intervened in order to rescue the image of the Catholic Church. He claimed the Church was “always cautious in attributing supernatural causes” to such phenomena and always striving “to find ‘scientific’ explanations.” He even assured the Pope was a friend of science.

Following the exchange, the RCC gracefully conceded to Sanal’s superior argumentative style, while Sanal and Fr. Palett have since become close drinking buddies.

Just kidding. The RCC sued Sanal for blasphemy.

Sanal can be arrested any moment. In every single place where a petition is filed against him. He could be forced to appear in person to answer them. If his answer is not found satisfactory, he could be arrested. He could be forced to fight a multitude of criminal cases in different places. This is not only immensely time and money consuming. Given the fanaticism of some Catholic believers, it can be a danger for his life.

There are a couple of important points that we can take away from this incident. The first is that the Catholic Church has only been a self-proclaimed advocate of science only when it suits its agenda.

So for instance, while the RCC has declared the theory of Evolution as compatible with its doctrine, it’s been a staunch opponent of any discussion on stem cell research that does not adhere to its teachings. It’s gone as far as to cancel a conference when the invited speakers refused to be censored by the Vatican.

It might have worked to some extent, but after some of the speakers declined to censor their speeches, the Vatican abruptly canceled the conference altogether. According to the conference website, the event was canceled due to “serious economic and logistic-organizational reasons that have completely jeopardized the success of the 3rd International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research.” The scientists who were planning to attend say they are being stifled instead. “I think the only interpretation is that we are being censored,” Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, said in a statement. “It is very disappointing that they are unwilling to hear the truth.”

The other point we can learn from this is that when the RCC is backed into a corner, it will almost always invoke the Waaahmbulance – crying persecution and blasphemy when its fancy apologetics doesn’t work on fool dissenters.

And this is why Sanal’s story can feel like something so close to home. As many of you will already know by now, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has been actively promoting its own brand of mysticism to keep its flock sedate and obedient.

At the same time, it’s used this same mysticism to control its flock to strike down anybody it disagrees with, including local artists who dare to stick a penis on a carpenter’s forehead, to trying to justify that discrimination against the LGBT community is religiously protected speech.

On the bright side, Sanal’s plight also tells us that we are not alone in our fight – that we’re part of a continually growing community of skeptics who are becoming more vocal in our opposition to their baseless rubbish and dogma.

As a parting note, I’d like to cite that India isn’t the only country that’s assumed raw sewage to be an act of God. As written by professor Ambeth Ocampo in 1988, in an article titled “The Miracle of the Water and the Cross“:

Sometime during the term of William Howard Taft, a fisherman in Manila Bay found “bubbles like a crown of pearls… stretched upon the surface of the sea.” He tasted the water and to his surprise, it was sweet!

Sweet water in the middle of the sea? The fisherman returned with a priest who promptly pronounced a miracle. People from nearby Tondo came in boats and saw bubbles form a cross. They took bottles of the sweet miraculous water home. Two days later, one of the cholera epidemics hit Tondo.

Dr. Victor Heiser (who later wrote a book about his “adventure” in the Philippines) went to the site to investigate the “miracle” and discovered that the bubbles and sweet water came from a busted sewage pipe! Kadiri (Gross!). People were actually drinking, or should I say gulping sewage water. Taft could not do anything because keeping the people from the “miracle” could provoke a revolt.

Quaffing magical potty water – It’s more fun in the Philippines!

You can learn more about how to help Sanal Edamaruku by visiting his organization’s site, accessible through here.

Location: UP Los Baños Freedom Park
Date: Sunday, April 22, 2012
Time: 10am – 7pm

Discussion Topics:

1. Values in a secular and freethinking family
2. How to survive romantic relationships between religious individuals and nonbelievers
3. FF labeled as an atheist organization? Can religious people and progressive theists be freethinkers, too?
4. Joint-projects of FF-UPLB and Metro Manila South
5. RH Agenda students’ assembly
6. Planning of possible UPLB activities for AY 2012-2013

RSVP on facebook

Newbies are welcome.
Bring snacks and packed lunch to share with your fellow freethinkers.
After the meetup, we can go somewhere for dinner and drinks.

For inquiries and for those who will be coming from Manila, please text Karl at 09228493476 or Api at 09151806652

Location: Holy Trinity Church (Google map)
Date: Sunday, April 15, 2012
Time: 2:30pm – 5:30pm

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Discussion Topics

• RSS Forum Recap
• Point of Clarification: Can atheists be agnostics?
• Is it ethical for clergy who lose faith to continue as religious leaders?
• SM Baguio: Paving Paradise to Put Up A Parking Lot
• Miss Universe Allows Transgendered Women: The Right Call?
• Easter Reflection: Was Jesus’ sacrifice ethical?

After the meetup we usually go for dinner and drinks somewhere nearby. If you’re not a meetup regular and can’t make it for the meetup but would like to go for the post meetup, please indicate on a post in the wall or comment so we can contact you.

Got questions about the meetup? Contact us at 0927 323 3532

• Newbies are welcome.
• Look for the FF sign (or the group of smart, sexy people).
• There is no required age, religion, philosophy, or IQ level.
• Discussions are informal yet intelligent (most of the time).
• You don’t have to talk; you can just sit in and listen.

In an effort to further the causes of reason, science, and secularism (RSS) in the public sphere, and to celebrate the group’s progress over the course of three years, the Filipino Freethinkers (FF) successfully held its third official forum last April 1 at the UP Ayalaland-Technohub.

Attendees were greeted by an exhibit featuring props and materials used in our many events and demonstrations, including the “coming out” closet used during the 29 Steps for LGBT Rights event, the cardboard SUVs worn by the “bishops” during the Bantay Bishop demonstration, and several of our most memorable placards for various RH rallies and the LGBT Pride March.

Attendees were also handed a copy of From Flickers to Flames: Blazing the trail for reason, science, and secularism in the Philippines, a mini-anthology featuring some of the best articles from our official website.

Opening the program was our beloved UP Diliman Senior Faculty Advisor Dr. Sylvia Claudio.

President Red Tani then kicked the presentations off with a primer on freethought.

This was followed by Affiliations Director Garrick Bercero’s presentation on our growing number of school and provincial chapters.

Online Director Jeiel Aranal expounded on our command of the Internet and social media.

RH Advocacy Director Kenneth Keng narrated our story in the fight for both Reproductive Health and Freedom of Expression. He also acknowledged the presence of several of our allies from the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), including Elizabeth Angsioco and Dr. Junice Melgar.

The audience was then treated to an awesome intermission by Silly People’s Improv Theater, or SPIT.

The forum continued with LGBT Advocacy Director Beatriz Torre’s presentation on our burgeoning alliance with the LGBT community.

Science Advocacy Director Pecier Decierdo spoke about our passion for and efforts towards science literacy. He also lent the floor to Mind Museum Director Maribel Garcia so she could share a few heartening words.

Publications Director Marguerite de Leon highlighted our website’s most influential and infamous articles.

To round up the series of presentations, Secularism Director Pepe Bawagan gave our State of Secularism Address, arguably the most popular presentation that day.

The floor was then opened for questions and comments, and regular and new members alike brought up many interesting topics, from establishing programs for secular parenting, to people who wave around their PhDs to buttress bigoted beliefs.

To cap off the event, Pepe Bawagan presented the winners of four very special awards.

The Reason Award went to professor and columnist Raul Pangalangan.

The Science Award went to astrophysicist Reinabelle Reyes.

And the Secularism Award went to RH champion Senator Pia Cayetano.

Last but certainly not the least, the Bigot of the Year Award went to Senator Tito Sotto. The first three awardees will have Php10,000 donated in their name to the charity of their choice, while Sen. Sotto’s Php10,000 will be donated in his name to RHAN, an organization whose cause he is directly opposed to.

Upon the forum’s conclusion, attendees milled around the exhibit area, chatting and taking photos with the props and placards.

Overall, we felt that the event was a great success, and we are thrilled and humbled by all the people who decided to come over and spend a sunny Sunday afternoon with us immersed in reason, science, and secularism. ‘Til the next forum!

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Images c/o Chris Sienna, Igmidio Galingan, Bhavan Karnani, and Dustin Celestino

The Filipino Freethinkers would like to thank Senator Tito Sotto for his recent cash contribution of Php10,000 to the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) in direct support of women’s rights and pushing for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill currently pending in both houses of Congress.

The donation was made in his name as his prize for winning the Bigot of the Year Award, recently held at the Filipino Freethinkers’ RSS (Reason, Science & Secularism) Forum in UP-Ayalaland Technohub. The title of Bigot of the Year is awarded through an online poll held on the Freethinkers’ website, where participants vote on who they think is ‘the biggest close-minded douchebag’ in the Philippines. The winner gets the prize money donated directly to a cause they are directly opposed to. The honorable Senator Sotto narrowly beat out a slew of other bigoted nominees, which included

Congressman Pabling Garcia, who claimed at a congressional hearing that members of the organization Catholics4RH could not be real Catholics,

Bishop Teodoro Bacani, who says that same-sex marriages are ‘kadiri’,

Eric Manalang, who led members of Pro Life Philippines in shouting, “You should tell your mother to abort you”, at pro-RH Catholic mothers,

and Rizalito David, who maintains that his striking an RH advocate in the House of Representatives while Congress was in session is a ‘non-issue’.

“I wholeheartedly thank Senator Sotto for his contribution to the cause and congratulate him on his victory”, said Kenneth Keng, Filipino Freethinkers’ RH Advocacy Director. “To be possessed of so much intolerance, prejudice, hypocrisy and callous mean-spiritedness that he managed to beat the other bigots in the running is a real achievement. But I suppose laughing in the face of women who have lost family members through complications in childbirth, sitting right across you in the gallery as you stand behind your privilege podium in the Senate session hall, would just about do it.”

It’s been three years since the Filipino Freethinkers began their quest to uphold reason, science, and secularism (RSS) in the Philippines. To celebrate this fact and set the course for the future of RSS, we’re holding our 3rd official forum this Sunday, April 1, from 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM at Tech Portal Conference Rooms A and B at the UP-Ayalaland Technohub (directions here). Entrance is absolutely free–simply RSVP here!

Apart from presentations by FF’s various advocacy directors and allies, we’ll also be presenting very special awards to individuals who have truly championed reason, science, and secularism in recent years. Moreover, we’re also giving an extra-special award to the person voted Philippines’s Biggest Bigot 2012! Click here to cast your vote!

This is a special occasion for those of us who truly value our rights and our freedoms. Join us as we celebrate a new chapter for freethought here in the Philippines!

(Download the press release/press kit here.)

In the last few years, the Filipino Freethinkers have encountered a number of big bigots in the local scene whose words and actions truly show an unwillingness to embrace fact instead of fiction, and equal human rights instead of being selfish and dictatorial. From Senator Tito Sotto’s literal laughter in the face of maternal deaths, to Eric Manalang’s plea that our mothers should have aborted us, we’ve gotten to know quite a few bad eggs.

For the 3rd Filipino Freethinkers Forum this coming April 1, we will be handing out the 2012 Biggest Bigot Award to the person YOU think has worked hardest at being a close-minded douchebag. As our prize, the winner gets to have money donated in their name to the cause they are directly opposed to! Isn’t that nice? Everybody wins!

To vote, simply click here and cast your vote! Some of your choices include Senator Tito Sotto, Manny Pacquiao, Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Archbishop Teodoro Bacani, Eric Manalang and Rizalito David.

Follow your heart and vote away! Voting ends March 31, and we’ll announce the winner right after the forum. And for those interested in attending the forum, please RSVP here.

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Image from cosmicsnark.com