Filipino Religiosity In America vs the Philippines
Are Christians or Catholics in the Philippines the same elsewhere? When the Spaniards introduced Christianity from the West, did we adopted it as is or are there tell-tale signs that the Filipino has made it its own?
Can the Filipino be entirely colonized?
There is an interesting phenomenon that when an immigrant Filipino leaves the motherland and begins to exposed himself with other religions that he then becomes more “religious,” than he originally was.
I think this phenomenon isn’t hard to understand;; the Philippines is homogeneously Christian with a small percentage of those who are Muslims. When you possess something that everyone else possess, there is no need to be overprotective of it. But, if what you have is different or looms comparison with other religious standard, one can becomes possessive and even dogmatic about it.
Don’t get me wrong, you can find such dogmatic behaviors in the Philippines and in any culture but their intent and motivation may be different from the religious transition that an immigrant may go through navigating life in America.( * of course, this doesn’t happen to everyone).
Filipino Religiosity In America vs the Philippines
I invite you to listen to the Pinoy Love Language podcast episode #29.
In this episode, we will explore:
- Filipino religiosity in the motherland vs in America
- how immigration can transform the Filipino spirituality/religiosity
- how folk Catholicism is a buffer to colonized form of religiosity
- how do you see your God?
- ….and many more
How Do You See Your God?
*The word God can be interchange to nature, universe, Earth and to any word that fits your spiritual vocabulary.
Your answer to this question permeates into your principle for living and treating others. The “Merciful God,” narrative that I believe the indigenous beliefs bring into the Christian religion or the leaning onto Eastern Christianity that gives an undertone of mysticism rather than a philosophical stance are possible explanations.
If you see your God as a punitive and judgmental force in your life. I wonder how you treat yourself or others around you?
The key is not that your chosen god has to be changed but more importantly, how you view it or how it views you.
Final Thoughts
Much has been written about colonization and its effects on the indigenous Filipino and how it continues to seep into the Filipino psyche today.
As I have written that our historical and socio-political history informs the Filipino how to survive and thrive, there are many missing parts to merely using the lens of colonization.
If you are studying a faraway land simply by learning about the waters that surround it, you may get some good information but nevertheless, incomplete.
By studying the other facets of the faraway land, its location, the cosmic sky that blankets it, it’s people, then and now that you and I can get a bigger picture.
In summary, the religious and spiritual practices of the Filipino in the motherland seem similar to the West but in close-up, is uniquely Filipino for the Filipino cannot be completely colonized.
Listen to the Pinoy Love Language episode: Filipino Religiosity in America vs the Philippines here.
Roanne has been a Psychotherapist for more than 15 years. She has frequented at least 500 Filipino homes and counting. She is the author of the Ebook: 5 Pinoy Love Languages and the creator of the presentation entitled: Filipino Core Values & Considerations in Culturally Responsive Care. To access self-paced courses and other resources, enter the Kalamansi Juice Academy.
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