A challenge to Readers Think

TO MAKE the book ["On Christianity, New Age and Reincarnation (New Perspectives on Old Religious Issues)"] interesting and titillating enough for the average reader, I even included answers to such intriguing questions as, "What was really the fruit of the tree of knowledge that Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat in the Garden of Eden?" Also, "Was there really a romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene?" "Where did Jesus Christ get all those new teachings he was preaching about?" and many others.

After I had put together all the materials for this book, and read them as a whole, I knew that I had written an explosive book, because it contained topics and answers to religious questions that were different from the traditional teachings of the Church and yet were not really irreconcilable with them.For those who are used to hearing only the official answer to those questions, this book may be mentally disturbing, as Sir Jason Winters pointed out in his Foreword.

But those who are searching for a more satisfactory explanation to them will find the book a great source of intellectual delight.In anticipation of the objections that will surely be raised by the religiously conservative readers, I have included six pages of numerous bibliography and references so that they can check out the sources I have used in writing this book. And there are indeed a lot of them.I hope that these readers will take time to read some of these references. They will find that I have said nothing new in this book.

These have been said before and probably said much more powerfully by others. But the average Filipino reader has no access to these sources. I hope to fill the gap in information with this book.Finally, I would like to explain why I have dedicated this book to Socrates, the great ancient Greek Philosopher, who was considered by the Oracle of Delphi to be the wisest of men.I consider myself in the same situation as Socrates 2,400 years ago.

He used to question the religious assumptions and political beliefs of his people. They considered him a pest, a gadfly--and so they put him to trial and condemned him to death by drinking hemlock, a powerful poison.

He was falsely accused of teaching false gods and corrupting the youth. If he had lived during the Middle Ages, he would have been burned at the stakes, accused of witchcraft; and if he had lived in this century, he would have been accused of engaging in New Age and occult practices.Like Socrates, my objective in writing this book is not to change people's religious beliefs, but simply to challenge them to think through the various assumptions they make regarding their religion to see if they still make sense to them. If they do not, they had better look elsewhere for better answers, instead of following blindly religious authorities who may be as blind as themselves.

For as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Conformity in behavior is a human necessity, but conformity in ideas a human danger."The new book is now available in all branches of National Book Store, PowerBooks and Mag:net.Address letters to this column to 308 Prince Plaza I, 106 Legaspi St., Greenbelt, Makati City. Call 8107245 or 8926806 . E-mail jlicauco@edsamail.com.ph. Visit my website at http://j.licauco.tripod.com. Listen to my DZMM radio program every Sunday, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.inq7.net/lif/2004/feb/10/lif_22-1.htm

Setting the record straight

MY 13th book, "On Christianity, New Age and Reincarnation (New Perspectives on Old Religious Issues)," was launched at Mag:net Gallery and Bookshop on Jan. 16.About a hundred guests attended, including (at the risk of sounding like Maurice Arcache): Inquirer columnist Cory Quirino, Rosanna Roces, Roy Alvarez, former tourism secretary Antonio Gonzalez, former health secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, television host and Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo, newspaper columnist Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD; enneagram expert Fr. Joey de Leon, SJ; Anvil Publishing Inc. assistant general manager Karina Bolasco; Brazilian Embassy's Minister Counselor Carlos de Carvalho; wife of the Portuguese Ambassador, Ulrike Caetano da Silva; University of the Philippines professor Jun de Leon; angelologist Cecile Gutierrez (mother of Chin Chin); writers Gilda Cordero Fernando and Mariel Francisco; several doctors of medicine; psychics; businessmen; healers; and writers.

Sir Jason Winters, who wrote the foreword to the book, was stranded in Singapore but faxed a message. Later in the evening, former senator and education secretary Raul S. Roco came, gave brief remarks and charmed the remaining guests.ExplanationThe following is the speech I made during the launching, explaining why I wrote the book:"A book does not just spring out of nowhere. It is a product of close collaboration of many people. So before I talk about this 13th book of mine, I would like to acknowledge several people who made this book possible."

First, I want to thank the countless readers of my column, 'Inner Awareness,' in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the many listeners of my weekly educational program, 'Inner Mind on Radio,' over dzMM, who asked questions and gave their comments on the various topics discussed."I thank Chelo Banal-Formoso, lifestyle section editor of Inquirer and her staff, for their constant support and confidence in this writer.

The same expression of gratitude goes to Inquirer editor in chief, Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, who has kept me on board for the last 16 years."Of course, I should not forget my publisher, Anvil Publishing Inc., represented here by its assistant general manager, Karina Bolasco, and her staff, for their encouragement and support; and also the effervescent Ces Drilon for hosting this book launching and cocktails in this beautiful gallery and magazine shop."

Now, as to why I came out with this book, 'On Christianity, New Age and Reincarnation, New Perspectives on Old Religious Issues.' Well, I must thank my critics, led by Rev. Romeo Intengan, SJ, head of the Jesuit Order in the Philippines; and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), whose false accusations that I am engaged in so-called 'occult practices' and whose unfair and malicious inclusion of my name in its Primer on New Age, made me decide to come out with this book to explain my side of the controversy, and define for them and the general public what it is that I really do and what I believe in.

"In the course of researching materials for inclusion in this book, it became very clear to me that I must expand its coverage to include other religious issues that the Church has either ignored or even suppressed, such as reincarnation, and the contents of the lost Gnostic gospels that were found in Nag Hammadi, Upper Egypt in 1945, and the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947 at th e Qumran caves."

The new book is now available in all branches of National Book Store, PowerBooks and Mag:netAddress letters to this column to 308 Prince Plaza I, 106 Legaspi St., Greenbelt, Makati City. Call 8107245 or 8926806 . E-mail jlicauco@edsamail.com.ph. Visit my website at http://j.licauco.tripod.com. Listen to my DZMM radio program every Sunday, 6-8 p.m

http://www.inq7.net/lif/2004/feb/03/lif_22-1.htm