Why Miss Philippines Got the 3rd Runner Position in Miss Universe 2011?

Congratulations to Miss Shamcey Supsup for being the 3rd Runner Up for this prestigious beauty pageant, Miss Universe 2011!

This is the question she received from Vivica Fox:

Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love? Why and why not?

Miss Philippines' answer:

If I had to change my religious beliefs, I will not marry the person that I love because the first person that I love is God, who created me. And I have my faith, my principles, and this is what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too.

Well, it's her answer and it's her own opinion.  There is no doubt that she loves God more than anyone else.  Miss Shamcey Supsup is a Born Again Christian.  We heard on her revelation that she is now into a romantic relationship and her boyfriend was a Catholic before, now a Born Again Christian just like her.

For me, there is a loophole with her answer. Let's focus with the statement,

And if that person loves me, he should love my God too.

In the Philippines, we have several religious groups who believe in Jesus Christ.  These are the Roman Catholic, Born Again Christian, Seventh Day Adventist, Latter Day Saint, Iglesia Ni Cristo and etc.  They even have the same Holy Bible from the Roman Catholic.  The problem is that people have different interpretations with the Holy Book.  These people believe in the same God but they have different religious practices.

There are other religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and they have different gods.  Well, I am not very familiar with other religion because I have no background study with the different religions of the world.

Some people even created their own religion and proclaimed themselves as god.

My impression of the statement is very SELFISH.  Why? It sounds too conditional.  It's like you are forcing someone to love someone else's god.

I asked this question through Facebook

Do you find it selfish if you tell your boyfriend/girlfriend, 'If you love me, then you should love my God.'?

A friend of mine answered this

Yes, it sounds selfish because you're telling your man to love God so that he will be accepted by you and your relatives.  In God's law, we should love Him above anything else.  He must be our top priority and not because it is the lady's preferences.

I agree with her answer because God's love is unconditional, no if(s) and but(s).  Miss Philippine's answer is her own opinion and she believes in it.  It's just that her answer is not worth the crown.

If I have to answer the question if someone will ask me the same, this would be my answer:

I don't want to change my religious beliefs just to marry the person I love.  Why? If he loves me then he should RESPECT my religious beliefs as what I have given respect for his religion.

Honestly, it is really hard to choose between LOVE and RELIGION.  But why I have to choose between these two when I can have RESPECT?

I should say that love has different meanings.  Love is everything.  You can share love to your family, friends, and lover and even to your religion.

• If we have a relative who is practicing another religion, I will still love him or her because he or she is also a family.
• I have several friends who are not Roman Catholic, I still love them because we are friends.
• If I have a lover who is also practicing another religion, I will still love him because I already accepted him whoever he is.

Maybe we have different religious beliefs but we can still LOVE THE PEOPLE around us.  The important thing is WE HAVE RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.

The Dictionary and The Holy Bible

Someone posted online that she doesn't need a dictionary to be wise but all she needs is the Holy Bible.

This was her statement, "Someone gave me a piece of advice that I need a dictionary to be wise but I said, 'No thanks.  All I need is the Holy Bible.'"

I remember I told her that she needs a dictionary to check her grammar and vocabulary. It started from this argument: The Difference Between Colorful and Monochromatic Designs. I didn't say she needs a dictionary to be wise.

As we all know, a dictionary doesn't make you wise just like the Holy Bible.  We need to use the dictionary in order to check our grammar, vocabulary and the correct usage of English words in writing and speaking.  We need the Holy Bible to live the words of God.

The original language of the Bible was written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.  There are versions of the Bible translated into other languages.  Gregory Martin made the English translation and the work was revised by Allen and Bristow.  Source: http://www.cathtruth.com/catholicbible/bookbook.htm

For sure, the people who translated the Bible into English also studied the languages Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.  We can't easily translate a foreign language to another if you don't know the language well.  That's why if we're in another country that speaks in different language we have to buy a dictionary from their mother tongue to English and vice versa.

I admit I seldom read or don't read the Holy Bible at all.  Well, I have read it when I was younger but didn't finish it though.  The Bible I used to read was written in English although there is a Cebuano version for that.  My father told me that if I want to learn to write and to speak in English, the Holy Bible is the most perfect book to read.  If I don't understand some of the words written on it, of course, I just have to refer the English dictionary.  Don't forget that it has the most beautiful stories of all time.

My father is done reading the Holy Bible.  He grew up in a convent because his uncle was a priest.  He even read the Cebuano version of the Holy Bible.  He admits that he always refer to an English dictionary (or English-Cebu and vice versa) to know the meaning of the words he has encountered.

The words of God are very deep.  The words written on the Bible have several idiomatic expressions.  Some may be able to understand, some may be not.  Some people have different interpretations with the Bible.

The Bible explains how to live.  Reading the Holy Bible doesn't make you wise instantly.  The real wisdom we can get from the Holy Bible is to live and act every word of it.  That is practice what we preach or what we learn from the Bible.

Please don't be a HYPOCRITE that you don't need a dictionary to check the meaning of the words you encounter from the Bible. If we can't understand it, we even ask more from someone who knows the Bible well for explanation.  

Sorry if I have the impression of her comparing which is wiser than the other.  The Holy Bible is INCOMPARABLE.  It teaches us to listen, act and live the good words of God.  A dictionary improves us to learn the language and the correct usage of words.  Mathematics helps us to be skilled in arithmetic.  Science and technology make our lives easier.

All in all, these are books that talk about different subjects or topic but they have the same purpose, to educate us from different fields.

You can't be wise instantly just by reading a book.  You can be wise through experience, act and live upon it.  Another thing is to be an apprentice to gain wisdom from the expert.

I just want to share this to you what I've found online.  It talks about wisdom.
Source: http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/honor-the-wise-person/

Disclaimer: Pictures above are not mine.