Buhay pa ang Imperyo Romano!

The Roman Empire - Still Alive and Kicking

Alam ko na ang karamihan ng mga Pilipino ay hindi likas na interesado sa pag-aaral ng kasaysayan, lalo na sa kasaysayang Europeo. Ang mga estudyante, kadalasan, ay nababagot lamang sa estilo ng pagtuturo ng mga guro ng Historia/Kasaysayan. Minsan kahit gaano pa ka-interesante ang mga paksang tinalakay ay makalilimutan parin ito ng mga estudyante pagkatapos ng taon o semestre. 

Deretsuhan tayo. Nang tinalakay sa inyo ang kasaysayan ng Imperyo Romano, naging interesante ba ito sa inyo? Ano ba ang naalala niyo? Natitiyak ko na itinuro sa inyo na ang pinakadakilang imperyo sa Europa ay tuluyang gumuho noong 476AD. Sigurado ako na binanggit sa inyo na ang Imperyo Bizantino ang siyang nagpatuloy ng kabihasnang Romano (Imperyo Romano) hanggang 1453AD. (I-click ang ugnay na ito para sa iba pang detalye. Pwede rin ang ugnay na ito.)

Ang Imperyo Romano (kanluran at silangan) noong 460AD.

Naniniwala ako na buhay pa ang Imperyo Romano - o sa ibang sentido, ang Kabihasnang Romano. Ito'y sumasa atin parin sa ibang porma. The Roman Empire manifests itself as the Roman Catholic Church! How? Totoo ba?

Halos isang siglo bago tuluyang gumuho ang Kanlurang Imperyo Romano, hinati ni emperador Diocletian ang imperyo sa apat na bahagi (Tetrakiya). Noong 306AD, naging Cesar (isang titulo na mas mababa sa Augusto) si Constantino. (Upang hindi maging mahaba at nakababagot ang pagtalakay, hindi ko na babasahin ang mahabang kwento kung paano siya naging Augusto/Emperador ng buong Imperyo). 

Pagkatapos nang Labanan sa Verona noong 312AD, tuluyan nang gumuho ang rebelyon ni Maxentius, isa sa mga katunggali ni Constantino sa trono. Hindi katulad sa popular na "Battle of Milvian Bridge" na kung saan nakakita umano ng pangitain sa langit ang emperador, ang Labanan sa Verona ang siyang nagdikta ng kinalabasan ng digmaang Constantino vs Maxentius. Narito ang isang akademikong artikulo na nagtatalakay dito: (Akin ang salungguhit)

Persecution and civil war 

The Roman Empire had been plagued with civil wars throughout much of the previous century, although some stability was restored under the efficient, militarily skilful, yet deeply superstitious Diocletian (c. 244-311 ad). One aspect of his rule was the Great Persecution of Christians, a result of his religious conservatism. This occurred in various waves between 303-311, but was entirely counter-productive and disliked even among pagans. A more positive element of his reign was the creation of the Tetrarchy, or Rule of Four, with the empire divided into east and west, each governed by an Augustus and a Caesar (his deputy and appointed successor). This provided a more bureaucratic, yet stable form of government, at least for a time. It was both the Great Persecution and the Tetrarchic system, however, that sowed the seeds of conflict that led to the civil war between Constantine and Maxentius, both of whom had fathers in the Tetrarchy, yet sought sole power for themselves in the Western Empire. Maxentius adhered to the traditional polytheistic rites demanded of Roman leaders. Yet Constantine took an interest in Christianity, perhaps from an early age, and was possibly further inspired by the heroism described of the 'martyrs' created during Diocletian's persecutions, individuals famously lauded and their lives embellished in later centuries. But what made Constantine's victory in this civil war decisive for Christianity was not his own beliefs, which have been argued over for centuries, but simply the financial support, respectability and privileges he granted the fledgling Church and its clergy as a result of his success. It never looked back. 

The battle of the Milvian Bridge in October 312 has attained legendary status as the moment when the Emperor Constantine secured the future of Christianity in Europe. But the real turning point, argues Michael Mulryan, took place a few months earlier.  

[Sanggunian: Mulryan, M. (2012). Victory at Verona. History Today, 62(11), 18-22.]

Matapos makuha ng emperador ang suporta ng mga umanoy "Kristiyanong" obispo, naging maimpluwensiya ang emperador sa pamamalakad ng simabahan. Nang maging Obispo ng Roma si Sylvester (Sylvestre) noong 314AD, nagsimula ang isang malawalang pagbabago sa Iglesia. Mula sa dating mga hinirang na mahihirap sa sanlibutan, naging samahan ng mga may kapangyarihan at prestihiyoso ang Iglesia Unibersal, na paglaon, naging Simbahang Katoliko. 

Narito ang isang akawnt ng mga pangyayari: (emphasis added)

In 314 A.D., Emperor Constantine crowned Silvester as Bishop of Rome. Silvester lived in luxury, with servants waiting on him. Constantine confessed his sins to Silvester and asked for his advice. Silvester presided over worldwide Church councils. He had a splendid palace and a sumptuous cathedral. He had power, prestige, wealth, pomp, and the favor of the Emperor. 

Churchmen wore purple robes, reflecting the purple of Constantine's court. That was an external change. The most important change was an internal one. The Church took on the mentality of Rome. Under Silvester, the internal structure of the Church took on the form and practice and pomp of Rome. 

Silvester died in December, 336 A.D. He died peacefully, in a clean, comfortable bed, in the Roman Lateran Palace. He died surrounded by well dressed bishops and priests, and attended by Roman guards. His body was dressed in ceremonial robes, put in an elegant casket, and carried through the streets of Rome in a solemn procession. He was buried with honor and ceremony, attended by the cream of Roman society and by the Roman people.

Sapagka't kinuha na ng Simbahang Katoliko ang anyo ng Imperyo, masasabing ito na rin ang siyang naging "Imperyo" noong Gitnang Panahon. Ayon kay Collins (2002):

It is amazing how much power the Roman Catholic Church gained in less than a century. Constantine had promoted the Church by giving it special benefits. But Theodosius forced people to become Catholics by imposing harsh punishments on anybody who disagreed with the Bishop of Rome. Constantine had asked for advice from Bishop Silvester. But Theodosius obeyed orders given by Bishop Ambrose.

Hindi na siguro nakapagtataka kung bakit naisipan hatiin ni Emperador Theodosius ang Imperyo Romano at ipamana sa dalawa niyang anak. Nakapagtataka rin ang desisyon nila (siya at si Constantine na nauna sa kaniya) na manirahan na lamang sa Constantinople at iwanan na lang sa Papa ang mga palasyo sa Roma. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit ang Imperyo Bizantino ay hindi na itinuring na Imperyo Romano nang mga Kanluraning Europeo. Nang bumagsak ang Kanlurang Imperyo noong 476AD (o 480AD), ang Simbahang Katoliko na ang siyang nagpatuloy ng administrasyong sibil sa buong Kanlurang Europa.

Mismong si Pope Boniface VIII (naghari 1294 - 1303) ang nagsabing "Ako si Cesar! Ako ang emperador!" ("I am Caesar! I am Emperor") (Penn, 2007) Hindi lamang iyon, ang mga Papa sa Roma noong Gitnang Panahon ay masasabing mas makapangyarihan pa sa mga hari, emperador at mga iba't ibang royalty (mahal na tao). Naghari rin ang mga Papa sa Roma sa Roma at mga kalapit na rehiyon (tignan ang kasaysayan ng "Papal States'' o Estado ng Simbahan). Pati mga naabot ng Simbahan ay hinati sa mga diyosesis o "diocese" at iba pang mga probinsyang eklesiastikal na base sa mga probinsya ng Imperyo Romano. Pati ang titulong "Pontifex Maximus" na hawak dati ng mga Emperador ng Roma ay isang titulo na rin ng Santo Papa.

Kaya naniniwala ako na hanggat mayroon pang Papa sa Roma na naghahari, ang Imperyo Romano ay sumasa atin parin bilang Simbahang Katoliko.

Solve the Succession Crisis in Sulu First

Being a Wikipedia editor trying to improve the entries of both the Sultanate of Sulu and of its lists of sultans, I have noticed that there are numerous claimants to the throne, each claiming to be the "legitimate" claimant. Nearly all of the claimants are descendants of Sultan Esmail Kiram I who ruled from (1950 - 1974). A distinctive "division" occurred after Datu Punjungan Kiram was stripped of his title. Because he fled from the Philippines shortly before President Marcos declared Marial Law, his nephew succeeded him and was crowned as Sultan in 1974.

The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines published this genealogical chart.

I have realized that there are numerous claimants to the Sulu Sultanate. Oo. Napakaraming nag-aangkin ng trono ng Kasultanan ng Sulu (Sultanato ng Sulu). Ito'y buhat nang mapatalsik sa trono si Sultan Jamalul Kiram I noong panahong Amerikano. Dahil dito ang mga inapo nang Sultan ang hinirang bilang mga tagapagmana ng trono. Ngunit sa paglaon ng panahon, dumami ang mga nagaangkin sa trono dahil sa kawalan ng maayos na sistemang tatalakay sa paraan ng pagmamana ng trono.

Ever since the beginning of the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff perpetrated by Filipino intruders led by Raja Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram, my interest in learning more about the historical Sulu Sultanate began. I learned that Jamalul Kiram III was actually proclaimed as "interim sultan" by the elders of the sultanate after the untimely death of Marcos-proclaimed Sultan Mahakuttah Kiram (reigned 1974-1984). Although Sultan Mahakuttah had a formal successor by the name of Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram, the latter failed to ascend to the throne because of his age. (Sadly, he was 20 years old by the time his father died. A sultan can only be crowned if he is above 21 years old. Sayang! So close....) After Raja Muda Muedzul became eligible to the throne, his uncle Jamalul Kiram III refused to abdicate the throne - causing a rift between the two sultans.

Jamalul Kiram III, the son of former crown prince Datu Punjungan Kiram, boldly sent his own appointed Raja Muda to occupy Lahad Datu. Although I consider this as a "temporary" re-conquest of Sabah, his method of forcibly occupying the village was somehow too much. If I were the sultan, I would have left the village a day after Malaysia's deadline. This is to show (and prove) that

• the intentions of Sultan Kiram III is peaceful
• the Sultan has around 300 armed and unarmed "Royal Security Forces" ready to fight for their rights if provoked
• the Sultan is now ready to re-assert their territorial claim to Sabah

However, Kiram III's firmness in not leaving Malaysia would soon irritate and infuriate his Malaysian enemies. Instead of the people of Sabah being (or potentially being) good friends of the Sultan, the subsequent skirmishes and gun battles angered the people of Malaysia.

What if Kiram III did succeed in retaking Sabah? What about the other claimants to the throne like Muedzul Kiram and Fuad Kiram? Is the Sulu Sultanate ready to reemerge from obscurity? The answer to the last question, in my opinion, is a big NO.

The Sulu Sultanate has yet to fix their internal issues first before rising once more as a political entity (hopefully under the Republic of the Philippines). The rift between Jamalul Kiram III (and his coregent Esmail Kiram II), Fuad Kiram and Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram must first be mended before they try to reassert their territorial rights. How can other nations look at you as a sovereign state if your sultanate is divided?

I certainly believe a referendum sponsored by the Philippine government should be held to finish this succession crisis once and for all. Also, the current PH Constitution should be amended to allow the Sultan to be legally recognized as well. (The current PH constitution does not allow any PH citizen to hold a title of nobility.) If the Sultanate's leadership crisis is solved, it would allow it to rise once more. Behold the Royal Sultanate of Sulu Dar al-Islam!

Nature reveals the Wisdom of God!

Being a nature lover made me realize how "coincidentally" perfect nature is. I grew up in a religious family, but not your ordinary mainstream religious family. The religion my parents adhere to uses logic and reason in their beliefs. Unlike most modern-day religions which focus on the "ritualistic" and traditional side of their respective liturgies, the Church of God International is a virtual theology university as their members receive new lessons regarding Biblical truth every service. Biblical topics range from the mystery of the death of Christ to the mystery of prayers done in secret. 

Anyway, after reading an article on how wasps disinfect cockroaches before devouring them. My interest in nature sparked once more! Once again, this shows that even the most  hated "useless" creatures of nature is important for a perfectly balanced ecosystem. Then I remembered an article I read in Scientific American, which discusses the importance of a balanced bacterial ecosystem in our body. See that? Even many species of bacteria, stereotyped to be the bad guys of the world, are useful. The same scientific article admitted that too much use of antibiotics literally wiped out this delicate ecological balance, weakening mankind's own immune system. Man's inferior knowledge of this fact ultimately led to the weakening of his own immune system. More examples of mankind's foolishness led to the extinction of the dodo bird, the depletion of wild rhino populations, the destruction of natural habitat for "development" (f*ck development!) Listening to the wisdom of God would have prevented similar catastrophes:

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: (1 Tim 4:4 KJV)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31, emphasis added)

I wish to expound more on this topic but I have little time today. But here's a final question: Do you think God specifically designed some of the beautiful creatures of this world? After seeing this gallery, I think so.