My mind was speaking to me. Life for me was very bitter, was very difficult, but why did God keep saving me from dying? It was more of a complain about life than a question.
By Jay Esconde
Tag Archives: Ang Dating Daan
This is the moment that I’ve waited for the longest in my life
I listened to Bro. Eli using my walkman, to his radio program at DZRH then at 1 o’clock am, to his program at RMN, so that no one would hear. I didn’t even let my dorm roommate know what I was listening to. He was very curios because at the middle of the night, I would just start laughing and giggling
by Roi Cruz
But one thing I wanted them to know: they are living in their pride, in their vices
We cannot really tell how people react when we scout for truth and follow it. There were those who persecuted me before – and that included my relatives – for being a member. The same with my school teacher who gave me 5 as a grade after she learned I come from Ang Dating Daan (ADD).
By Ishie Lee
I was a Member of the Manapla Fellowship Baptist Church. I came to know Eli Soriano after my father told me about this man. I was thirteen – a freshman in high school. At first, I didn’t know how to tune in to SBN21 where Bro. Eli preached.
I got linked with the preacher when my father told me that there is RMN 558 that I could listen to. As far as I can remember, Bro. Eli’s Ang Dating Daan played on week nights 9PM to 12PM. I miss those days that after Bro. Eli delivers, I would listen to his closing song, Dala kong Nakalimbag (I bear in my body). That song added to my faith that this man was the one I was looking for. I can feel the message of the song in him. I cry a lot every time I hear it. I don’t know why. Deep in my heart, I knew this preacher is true, godly, and not deceiving people. These were my feelings to him. I remember that there were times that I had already fallen asleep and still the radio was still tuned in to RMN 558.
I regretted the times that I missed some of his Q&A’s because of exhaustion after school. Bro. Eli has a portion called, Itanong mo kay Soriano, Biblia ang sasagot (Ask Soriano, the Bible shall answer). I enjoyed this part very much. I lived alone that time and no one could disturb me while I’ll listen to this man every night. My weeknight’s routine was already scheduled to tune in to RMN 558.
Back at the province, even at daytime, I was so eager to look for available TV stations if this man had any broadcast. Fortunately, one day, I was so happy since I got tuned in to RPN 9. I saw this man debating with a Pentecostal. I was at my first year high school when I got information from my father that this man has never lost in a debate. My curiosity was all the more aroused.
And I proved it. This man has sense when asking questions and answering questions unlike his opponent in debate. Bro. Eli’s style can really catch the attention of people, even in his preaching.
My life before was just like that of the others. I used to gamble a lot. I played long hours in our town just to earn money by gambling. I was a prodigal person. I spent the money my parents’ gave me, seeking my own happiness. I didn’t care about my future, I didn’t care about life that much. I was the happy-go-lucky fellow. As long as I could be happy, I’m set. I watched movies a lot in cinemas. I hung out a lot with my peers.
But I was able to listen to Bro. Eli. There was joy inside of me that I couldn’t describe. It was like, this is it! This is the one I was looking for! I remember Kuya Daniel who said, you can feel the feeling the first time you hear the words of God being preached by the preacher He sent. It’s a feeling that I knew these teachings, that I knew this preacher. I can’t describe those feelings, when I first heard Bro. Eli.
My father told me about him – a great preacher he came to know when he was working at Camp Crame. He first listened to Bro. Eli then he told me to listen to this man too since he can answer all religious questions. The sad part was that I couldn’t find any church locale near me that time.
My encounter with Bro. Eli changed my whole vision in life. I waited until after my graduation day in High School to fly to Manila to be with my parents. Once in Manila, I looked for the nearest Church coordinating center, and I found the locale of Sto. Niῆo Marikina. There I was eager to have indoctrination sessions because I waited for so long a time to become a member of the Church of God International.
I was baptized on March 12, 2004 1:10 pm at Apalit, Pampanga by Bro. Mauricio Bernardo. It was the happiest moment of my life. I felt very light that day. I felt I was a new person. I can’t explain the happiness inside of me after waiting for more than 4 years to be with this Church.
The Baptists taught trinity which I learned now is not biblical. They taught tithing (10% of salary or income) to their members. Even to poor members! They baptized innocent babies – babies who cannot understand the ritual they are undergoing. Their so-called Holy-Supper drink is made of Tang or Eight O’clock as long as it is grape-flavored.
I thank God a lot that I’m here now. While in the true Church, I have with me the preacher who doesn’t fool people. All my problems were swept away. There were times that I was inactive because of financial difficulties but faith in God is the simple answer…just pray and He is there listening.
One of the happiest moments that I felt being a member was when I heard the topic about the millennium or 1000 years. All my burdens and wearies eased off. It did give me hope about my relatives and parents. Everyday is a blessing to me. I used to fear death but now I’m not afraid anymore. I used to be afraid with spirits and those they called witches and dark places. After being baptized, I changed.
Even before my graduation day in High School came, my gambling habit began to ebb down. More so, my vision on education changed. I used to be a school person but that was changed too. As to priorities, school is not Number 1 anymore. I paired work and school to fulfill my oath those times I was new in Church.
I continued being a working student until my 3rd year in the Church but I stopped schooling due to financial difficulties. I used to be a house boy as well, and I missed my parents a lot but that was changed eventually. I learned to be on my own. My circle of friends changed as well. I didn’t go with friends to drink or simply to hang out. Time became very important to me. I would waste a lot of time before, but now I do watch my step if I’m losing my grip. These were part of the changes in me after baptism.
Until now, I could still make comparison as I remember that I was very aggressive to the pastors of the Baptist church. I follow what Bro. Eli read in 1 John 4:1 to test the spirits. Our pastors in the Baptist churches weren’t able to answer and defend their Trinity doctrines. I just asked one regarding “Trinity” and he answered me, Where do you get this question? I said it was taught by Bro. Eli that there’s no Trinity in the Bible. Then the pastor tried to explain Trinity.
After the pastor’s short explanation of their belief that was not in the Bible, my faith in Bro. Eli became all the more stronger. I got proof that our pastors then were so dumb of the scriptures. They didn’t know their topics, unlike Bro. Eli. Though Tagalog is not my natural language, I grew more attached to Bro. Eli.
I used to debate pastors and their trainees to prove that Bro. Eli is the true preacher of God. I am fond of the topic of Trinity way back then. Those pastors were not able to answer me properly when I asked them John 14:28 about the Father being greater than Jesus. The only thing that they said was “Soriano is of the devil.” I left their group.
I didn’t attend their Baptist assemblies anymore as early as my 2nd year in high school. My relatives called me an unbeliever. But one thing I wanted them to know: they are living in their pride, in their vices.
In my High School days, I already heard my relatives saying that Bro. Eli’s group is a cult. They said Bro. Eli is singing videoke songs like those of drunkards. I was dedicated to the Baptist Church when I was born, and that’s why they regretted that I ever listened to Bro. Eli. However, that is not the end of it. There was one relative of mine that has joy in his heart whenever I invite him to attend our gatherings in Negros. When he heard Bro. Eli, he was so happy.
We cannot really tell how people react when we scout for truth and follow it. There were those who persecuted me before – and that included my relatives – for being a member. The same with my school teacher who gave me 5 as a grade after she learned I come from Ang Dating Daan (ADD).
In my previous company, some of my friends have already heard what our Church group is doing. One of my friends is telling good things that he knows about our Church. He once said, “The Transient Home offers passers- by a temporary home if you’re out of town.” After he said that, he called my attention to verify if indeed we welcome non-members in Transient Homes. I told him, it is open for all.
Even while I was very new in the church, I was enjoying the pride I felt whenever I hear complements about the organization. In my first job, I heard one of our dishwashers say that when Bro. Eli speaks, he speaks of wisdom. Magagaling magpaliwanag mga taga dating daan (Those from Ang Dating Daan really can explain well.)
No religion in this world has the same teachings or doctrines that we have. It is Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel who have made me pursue being a member. Despite hardships in life, despite difficulties, despite evil people who malign them, harass them, they still continue to serve the God they are preaching.
From Bro. Eli I found out these images are not gods but just idols, are fake, completely unbiblical!
I also found out that there is no specific date of Jesus’ birth, so why then is Christmas being celebrated? The so-called “holy week” where the death of Jesus Christ is every year is ridiculous! There were so many things yet that Bro. Eli revealed.
By Allan Ramos
I was in high school when I first heard Eli Soriano and it was my first time to hear a preacher with a different style of preaching. What surprised me was that he was answering a lot of questions that popped up in my head. I continued listening to him until I realized I was hooked up with the wisdom within him.
Time came that I wanted to join the church where he was preaching. However, my Mom slapped me in the face when my grandmother informed her about my decision. Although I wasn’t able to at my younger age, the lessons I learned from Eliseo Soriano based on the bible became a great part of my life.
The Ang Dating Daan program at IBC 13 that he hosted was off the air, but still the words I heard from Bro. Eli were always there to think about. However, as years went by and I started working, I began to be drowned with many bad habits, and liked the flesh and material pleasures in life.
And yet there was emptiness inside my heart. I was out of control and the only thing that I wished for was to change. I talked in silence to God to hear my wish that should he grant, I vowed to return to him. Later, I got a new job and a girlfriend. In the course of enjoying my happy days, I heard a voice that seemed to say, I granted your wish, now where is your vow?
I felt guilty and ashamed and asked the voice that if He wanted me to be with Him to please give or show me a sign. As I looked out the window of the jeepney where I was riding on, I saw Bro. Eli’s poster of the Bible Expositions that he usually gives to the public. I finally concluded that I was being called.
I was Catholic as well all of our family members. There are a lot of things I found out beginning when I started watching Eli Soriano on Television. I found out that those images in the Catholic Church are not gods; these are just idols, are fake, completely unbiblical! I also found out that there is no specific date of Jesus’ birth, so why then is Christmas being celebrated? The so-called “holy week” where the death of Jesus Christ is every year is ridiculous! There were so many things yet that Bro. Eli revealed.
I was baptized on April 14, 2009 by Bro. Ato Tobias. I remember the weird feelings and scenario that happened during our baptism day. I didn’t understand why I was crying all the time as the day was approaching. The pain from my head aches was really throbbing and I felt hot as if I was having a fever. The weirdest part that I remember was that I saw myself running towards the Baptistery and I jumped into the water. Then I told myself “Goodbye, you devil! This is the end of the line for you! I will be no longer yours and I will fulfill my vow to God.”
There were changes in me, of course. Before, I was a greedy person, and a playboy. I welcomed every temptation that came on my way. I didn’t easily forgive those who did me wrong. I got this great lust on my sight with girls – which probably I learned from my circle of friends before. Now, I don’t mix with them anymore.
From these changes, I have learned to be charitable and share what I have for others. I can resist temptation and forgive other people. Now also, I am able to avoid and talk myself out from girls who wear short skirts and suggestive attire. There are many out there who do not dress the way Bro. Eli teaches the women in the Church.
Since I became a member of the Church of God International, I love everything what we are doing. Beginning with the way we should properly dress, we got a preacher, a “God-send,” a messenger from God, and undeniably full of God’s wisdom. Bro. Eli is intelligent, a good leader, is caring to people, and has dedicated his life to serve God’s commandments to preachers around the world. He is very charitable. What I remember that he said that caught my attention is in Jer. 10:23.
O lord, I know that way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his step
It was not easy changing my religion. There was great impact. After I was nearly a month being a member, my older brother (my closest brother even) went to our house (mom’s house) and started destroying anything he can punch on and confronted me and my wife and my in-laws, picking a fight. According to him, we were back-stabbing him, which charge was quite unlikely, unbelievable and absurd! My wife heard my second older brother’s wife say softly, “Yan nagpalit pa kasi ng relihiyon” (There it goes; why did you have to change religion anyway?). I was not expecting that from my closest brother since he was young. That was the time we finally decided to go our separate ways and get ourselves a new place to live in.
I thank God for bringing us to Bro. Eli, who in turn, brought us closer to God. I may say God moves in mysterious ways because I think the reason why I was able to be baptized earlier was so I could also bring in my wife and my sister- in-law to the Church.
But that was not the end of our trials. At work there’s an INC member who is trying to persuade me to attend their church gatherings. I always say no and he would start to debate. But he would walk-out for every debate we had.
In the beginning about 1990′s I haven’t heard from anybody saying bad things about Bro. Eli. It was only my brother who first saw Bro. Eli at IBC 13. He said, “Magaling ang preacher na ito at may sense ang sinasabi dahil sa biblia nya kinukuha ang sagot, kaya lang medyo tinitira nya yung ibang religion” (This preacher is intelligent and he is sensible because he gets all his answers from the Bible. The problem is that he attacks other religions.” My other brother and I felt odd because we were enjoying watching the Ang Dating Daan program, not realizing the hours we spend sometimes.
In the years 2000-2005, there were a lot of disinformation about Bro. Eli from people including my aunt and my mom. However, I remain steadfast believing that God’s messenger could not be that evil. If Bro. Eli is able to teach us to reform and change our lives, then we are in the right place. And to heck with all those attempts to discredit him.
Why can my sins be forgiven by just kissing those wooden idols?
On a particular Good Friday, I made a confession to the parish priest. In order for my sins to be forgiven, he gave me an instruction to kiss the wooden idol in front of the altar. I was shocked and my mind started to challenge the Catholic doctrines.
By Anthony Lopos
I grew up in a family of Catholics. Since my childhood days, I regularly attended masses every Sunday, especially the Simbang Gabi, the nine consecutive dawn masses before Christmas celebration.
When I reached high school, my family joined the group of Mike Velarde’s El Shaddai, which made me more active in Catholic Church activities. I spent many nights in the PICC grounds in heavy rains and flood with umbrella turned upside down. We had considered the words of Mike Velarde prophetic, that we would receive more blessings from heaven by collecting rain water. Numerous times I raised three fresh eggs when Velarde performs his “pray over” ceremonies. I never questioned anything that this man told us to do; jumping three times, writing prayer request (with money of course) and attaching it to balloons so that it would reach heaven faster.
I was also an active youth participant during Word Youth Day in 1995 when John Paul II visited Manila. I remember when I was tirelessly waiting for the bullet-proof Pope Mobile to pass-by just to take picture of that man whom the Catholics consider the representative of Christ on earth.
During Lenten seasons, I regularly participated in visita iglesia and processions especially on Good Friday, the overnight walk to Grotto in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan.
Despite all these, there was an incident that triggered my mind into questioning the veracity of catholic doctrines. On a particular Good Friday, I made a confession to the parish priest. In order for my sins to be forgiven, he gave me an instruction to kiss the wooden idol in front of the altar. I was shocked and my mind started to challenge the catholic doctrine of worshipping idols: Why my sins can be forgiven by just kissing those wooden idols!
I started then looking for a new belief, a new religion. I tried to listen to Jehovah’s Witnesses when they regularly visited me in our house. I listened to doctrines of Iglesia Ni Cristo of Manalo; I attended several “Pamamahayag” through my uncle and aunt who were loyal deacon and deaconess of Iglesia Ni Cristo of Manalo. I attended several gatherings of Born Again Groups, MMCC, and the Pentecostal Church. I asked some of my friends who were members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church about their doctrines. I read articles of Islam.
I did all of these because of one thing: I was looking for the true religion after my disappointment to catholic doctrines. Since I was never convinced by any of these religious groups, in despair I decided to convince myself that maybe there is no God.
So I became an atheist at one point of my life. I studied science, the theory of evolution and other stuff the atheist people believe in order to convince myself that maybe there is really no God.
But deep inside, I knew there is a supernatural being that created all things. I read the Bible but I couldn’t find any group that would perfectly match what I read in the verses of the Holy Scriptures.
One day, a classmate of mine in engineering asked me a question that triggered my dying curiosity in religion. “Napapagod ba ang Dios”? was the question. (Does God get weary?) I answered “No.” He took the Bible in the library and read Isaiah 1:14 where God says he gets weary. He asked me again the same question and I answered back, “Of course, yes!” and cited the verse he read. But then he read Isaiah 40:28 where the Bible says God does not get weary.
He kept on asking question after question and giving answers directly from the verses of the Bible. Suddenly I felt my classmate (a member of Church of God International) knew something about religion. He knew something that I never heard from other religions.
I asked him, “From whom did you learn all these things”? He told me to watch on that night on SBN 21 the program “Ang Dating Daan”. There I saw the man who was teaching things I have never heard before.
That night was the first time I heard Bro. Eli Soriano on TV. There was something inside of me that I could not explain… a feeling of joy, the first time I felt in my life. I can still remember the moment when I finally told myself, “This is it, I found it!”
I finally found the true religion, the true Church of God in the Bible in 2001, so I immediately decided to join. There I learned that in order to be a member, I needed to fully understand and accept the doctrines of Christ in the Bible being taught to every aspiring members of the Church. I was enthusiastic then that I immediately joined the indoctrination sessions. I felt so much joy when I started learning one by one the fundamentals of Christian doctrines: to whom we should listen as our teacher when it comes to religion, how we should pray so that we can be assured that God our Father will listen to our prayers, and other topics that I never heard from any priests nor preachers of different religious groups.
But since I grew up in a religion that is very lax in following the commandments of our Lord Jesus, I was totally stunned when I started listening to the do’s and don’ts for a true Christian; discovering that this congregation truly and faithfully follows the teachings of Christ written in the Holy Scriptures.
That time I discovered that the first hindrance on my desire to follow our Lord Jesus Christ is my own self. Self-preservation and the idea that I might not be able to obey the doctrines of Christ prompted me to discontinue listening to the indoctrination.
Because of what I have learned previously from Bro. Eli’s preaching, I did not like listening to other religious preachers anymore. I could now easily determine the errors in their teachings. Although I was truly convinced that this is the true Church of God written in the Bible, I was being discouraged by my own self to serve God and follow His commandments. And so, for one year, I wandered spiritually.
Then the idea that one day Christ will judge all men on Judgment Day really scared me. I already committed many sins in the past. I realized that I was not ready that time to face my Creator if the Lord Jesus Christ would arrive on that very moment. I realized then that the divine fear that I felt was the driving force that brought me back to ADD Coordinating Center in order to listen, once again, to the most sensible preacher in our times, Bro. Eli Soriano, and learn the doctrines of Christ.
Barely a month after, I finished the indoctrination sessions on a cool Wednesday inside ADD Convention Center in Apalit, Pampanga. At 1:04 in the afternoon, December 18, 2002, Bro. Pablo Angue immersed me in the water of baptism. I cried for repentance of my sins, as I promised to God our Father that I will faithfully serve Him as a Christian for the rest of my life in the true Church of God. Thanks be to God, my entire being was totally changed thereafter.
How can he be that evil when Bro. Eli’s teachings are so pure and unblemished?
I haven’t heard the saying, “Look into the teachings and not in the person” but only from him. So I craved for the teachings Bro. Eli taught from the Bible. I felt that I was a slave of a certain unseen force that I needed to escape and be freed.
By Crister Leal
I hadn’t known anything about Ang Dating Daan until my high-school days about 2001 or 2002 through a segment in a certain TV program of Bubble Gang titled, “Ang Dating Doon.” I didn’t know who those funny guys impersonated or spoofed back then till the music enthusiast in me craved for a music television channel.
I accidentally tuned in to SBN 21 where there were music videos back then, and found a program that showed a debate between religions. There I first saw Bro. Eliseo “Eli” Soriano of Ang Dating Daan. He was the host then of the long-running TV program, Ang Dating Daan. So, he was the guy they spoofed, the one that knew the Bible by heart.
In his program, I found the settings just like what I’ve seen in “Ang Dating Doon,” where there was a long table, a backdrop with trees and a pathway. I marveled at how Bro. Eli answered questions, all from the Bible. Even on debates, I saw how Bro. Eli triumphed against the other religions including my former one, the Roman Catholic. From there, I found myself addicted to that program; I found the truth.
But I was only a weakling high school teen back then, I knew my parents would get mad at me if I would join too early. So I waited. I was a choir guitarist in a catholic chapel way back then, but the teachings I heard from Bro. Eli were in my heart.
Whenever I was in the chapel I wouldn’t stand-up whenever the priest said so. I wouldn’t kneel down if the ‘Eucharist’ is held. I wouldn’t eat the ‘Host’ and most of all, I started not doing what they called the ‘sign of the cross.’ And with that the deacons and deaconess told me that I should behave well, but none of them did I obey. I had understood then from Bro. Eli about idol worship, about these signs and symbols that had no meaning for a real Christian.
Rumors came to me, from newspapers, from TV and from the internet that Bro Eli has too many law-cases and too many flaws. They said he is a rapist; they said he had libel cases and some said he is gay. When I heard all of those, I asked myself, how can that be? How, when all the teachings I heard from Bro. Eli are so pure and unblemished? I haven’t heard the saying, “Look into the teachings and not in the person” but only from him. So I craved for the teachings Bro. Eli taught from the Bible. I felt that I was a slave of a certain unseen force that I needed to escape and be freed.
Finally I graduated. No one can stop me now, not even the lies they throw at Bro. Eli. I’ve been listening for about 7 or 8 years. With the help of God I got baptized in 2010.
For the day of my baptism, I didn’t tell my mom about it days ahead. I only told her that dawn when I had to leave for Apalit. I didn’t wait for her lips to say something. I simply slipped past the door and went my way ahead.
My mother acted normal the first time but when I got active into various church’s activities especially in KKTK. Later on, she acted strange – not just like when I was a catholic that I came late at night from gatherings with friends drinking alcohol, barhopping and dating girls. Today she is madder when I went home late from church activities.
My father has reacted violently in text messages (because he is in Saudi Arabia) since that day I baptized, he’s texting that my church, the Members Church of God International, is a cult and was saying various things against Bro. Eli. There was a time when they almost dragged me out of the house when I got home from a trainees’ activity.
I haven’t had talks long enough with my friends from the choir group in the Catholic Church. My co-guitarist often borrowed my guitar and amplifier during Sundays way back then, but now he didn’t.
I had batch-mates in TUP-Manila that belonged to a Born-Again group named Lakas Angkan Youth Fellowship. Visiting their gatherings many times before, I found myself comparing that Born-Again group with MCGI. Bro. Eli’s teachings were in my heart way back then.
When my TUPian batchmates learned that I was baptized in MCGI some of them removed me from their friends’ list in Facebook. I had added their pastor-leader to my Facebook friends but he didn’t confirm my friend’s request. Meanwhile, my ex-girlfriend didn’t talk with me anymore after baptism.
Comparing my life before with my life now, for the flesh it was easier before. I got hired immediately. I was more relaxed at home resting at ease for I would not worry about mom and dad scolding me and blaming my 7 years in college. I could hang out with my friends and I can be dragged anywhere they go.
BUT I PREFER MY LIFE NOW. Indeed it is much easier before, and I can’t believe I am living this life now. Maybe it’s not me living anymore because without God I can’t do all these.
I haven’t seen Bro. Eli personally because when I got baptized he was not in the Philippines anymore. But what do I care if I haven’t seen him? I thank God for giving us a Brother Eli, because he introduced us the real teachings of Jesus Christ and taught us to endlessly thank and praise the true Almighty God. And all I can say is that Bro. Eli is innocent from all the lies which the enemies fabricated.
To this day, I thank the Almighty I’m still serving Him. To God be the glory!
It was like the last song syndrome that it kept repeating in my head
As Bro. Eli speaks, I also sniff the shabu’s smoke from the filter. My two senses were taking different drugs at the same time: My nose was inhaling the shabu smoke, while my ears were tuned to the words of God in the Bible.
By Conrado Pagulayan
My life before I was called in the Church of God is what is called a “non-sense” life.
I was a drunkard. I was also addicted to drugs, particularly marijuana. Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette. One experiences some high when smoking marijuana. There is pleasure in it, but it can distort perceptions.
I also came to the point that I could not perform any task without taking any shabu. Shabu is a prohibited drug that is addictive and destructive. These are some of the following effects for an occasional user: i) Insomnia which can last for as long as three days; ii) You feel energized and alert; iii) It enhances activity , iv) There is increased sexuality, and v) It makes you lose your appetite. Some take shabu in order to lose weight. I was taking it for all the pleasure I derive from it. Just like Marijuana, there is pleasure in taking shabu.
To support my vices, I became a driver of a friend who was an extensive user of shabu. Aside from salary, I also received my personal shabu supply from them. That is also the reason I became more addicted to drugs, but this paved the way for my calling in the Church.
It was during one of those sleepless nights. This is one of shabu’s effects to me. Perhaps I was already experiencing long-term effects which can include among others, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia.
I was high at that time. To entertain myself, I turned on the radio. There, at that moment, was my first time to hear Bro. Eliseo Soriano’s voice.
While I was listening to Bro. Eli’s program, the Ang Dating Daan, I was also taking shabu. I was doing it simultaneously. As Bro. Eli speaks, I also sniff the shabu’s smoke from the filter. My two senses were taking different drugs at the same time: My nose was inhaling the shabu smoke, while my ears were tuned to the words of God in the Bible.
I continued on listening to Bro. Eli for quite a time. I kept tuning in to his program in the radio as I always longed for his voice. One day, I found myself more addicted to what Bro. Eli was saying. Because of Bro. Eli, I was more addicted now to the teachings in the Bible.
Listening to this preacher made me realize that I should change. Even before, I was dreaming of change. It just couldn’t be! I can’t remain with my vices.
But then I loved my vices. On the other hand, I also loved listening to Bro. Eli, which is why I decided to continue with both.
I think God has His own ways. I think God touched my heart. Suddenly, there were some questions in my mind that were answered upon listening to Bro. Eli. It is also the answers that made me come to my senses.
It was when someone inquired to Bro. Eli. That someone was asking, “How will someone know if he is being called by God?” Bro. Eli replied, “It is when you get to be interested with the words of God, if you are always searching for it”.
And then, it was followed with the question, “Would someone change by himself alone?” Bro. Eli answered, “No, if it’s only for man alone. He cannot change himself. He needs God to lead him in righteousness. If it is his will, God will help him.”
After that second question, another question didn’t leave my mind; the same question that became the basis of my affiliation. The question was “What if you are already faithful, yet you are not following the will of God, what will happen to you?”
Bro. Eliseo Soriano read Proverbs 1:24-31 which said something about hard-headedness, disregarding God’s counsel and God would not anymore listen but laugh at one’s calamity.
Proverbs 1:25-31 (New International Version)
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD.
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
I was astonished! From that time on, I kept hearing these words of God in my mind. It was like the “last song syndrome” that it kept repeating in my head. I have never heard of it before.
Now, it rings in my head. This happens mostly at a time I do something evil. The echo is there to remind me! It keeps me balanced, and I am now free of my vices.
Thanks be to God! I am now affiliated with this church, the Members Church of God International (MCGI). This is the church where I experienced fear of God and his laws. Now, I am a changed man. To God be the glory!
[ Conrad Pagulayan is a Group Servant, of the Locale of Cubao].
2010 in review
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.
Crunchy numbers
A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by your stats.
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,100 times in 2010. That’s about 7 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 9 new posts, not bad for the first year! There was 1 picture uploaded, taking a total of 14kb.
The busiest day of the year was November 28th with 556 views. The most popular post that day was Behold! Bro. Eli is telling the truth about Catholic Church Idols!.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, angdatingdaan.org, mail.yahoo.com, touch.facebook.com, and yirmeyah.net.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for marks of the seer, marksoftheseer.wordpress.com, voicing of add hymnario, marks of the seer wordpress, and who has eliseo soriano indoctrination studies?.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
1
Behold! Bro. Eli is telling the truth about Catholic Church Idols! November 2010
20 comments
2
I went seeking for Bro. Eli’s kind of Bible that makes him easily flip for a verse December 2010
12 comments and 2 Likes on WordPress.com
3
My Girlfriend asked me to Choose between Her and my Faith November 2010
10 comments and 3 Likes on WordPress.com
4
What was this preacher doing to my husband? December 2010
21 comments and 2 Likes on WordPress.com
5
The Message of Christ is Written in my Reformed Brother November 2010
16 comments and 1 Like on WordPress.com,
I went seeking for Bro. Eli’s kind of Bible that makes him easily flip for a verse
With my father, I did not ask permission for my change of faith because I could guess how he was going to react. So now, he was saying, “You live under my roof; why did you change your religion without asking permission from me? You have no respect! You can only make decisions like that if you are on your own!”
By Mark Jay Dulap
I was not a drunkard, nor a bad boy nor astig (tough guy), not even a drug user. I was part of a religious group that I used to believe was a true church – the Roman Catholic Church. The only difference is that it is a false church, a false religion. This, I came to find out later.
I am a former religion catechist and was an active member of the Roman Catholic Church in San Antonio Maria Claret Parish, a missionary organization in Zamboanga City. I was still studying that time, a high school student then.
I had entered three organizations in this church: the CYM or “Claret Youth Movers,” the Charismatic group Music Ministry, and then the catechists’ group. I was active for 7 years with the Roman Catholic Church.
Our house was just near the Parish. Every Sunday I attended mass and helped our priest in propagating the catholic doctrines in public schools. The same thing happened when I had vacant times after class.
Every month of May, we are assigned tasks in “Flores De Mayo,” the so-called Virgin Mary’s Month, to teach little children on how to pray “Our Father.” I had also a girlfriend that time whom I met at Flores De Mayo.
As I went along the way, I learned to love reading the Bible and I also loved to preach to the young ones. Then, I heard Bro. Eli Soriano’s Bible expositions on TV. Every night at 9pm I would watch this preacher on TV at IBC 13. I remember him warning: “Niloloko lamang kayo ng mga pastor niyo! Mag-ingat kayo sa mga bulaan propheta!” (You are just being fooled by your pastors. Beware of false preachers!”). It did not take long for me to realize that his teachings were very far different from what I was teaching the children as a catechist. These were simple canned question-and-answer lessons that children are asked to memorize. I cringed, learning that those I had been asked to teach were not true!
To my mind, this man is being guided by the Spirit of God because of his bravery in speaking out the truth. I recommended then to my fellow catechists and charismatic members to watch Bro. Eli on TV. But they mocked me saying, “Nagmumura yun!” (But he cusses!). I still continued my duty as an active catechist in the Catholic Church; at the same time, however, I watched Bro. Eli regularly.
As a member of the Roman Catholic Church, I was not completely convinced of my faith. Although I did not voice this out to my fellow catechists, seminarians, and priests, I was beginning to feel that the RC is not the real church. Since I loved reading the Bible that time, I found out that there are doctrines and practices that are not part of the teachings of Christ.
Ever since I watched Bro. Eli on TV, I became more and more convinced that the church or organization that I belonged to is not the real church established by our Lord Jesus Christ. I had been defending the catholic doctrines against pastors and Muslim critics, and now I had to stop.
Reading the Catholic Bible made me find out that not even a single doctrine or practice of the Catholics came from God. I didn’t believe that God is made of stone and wood or even plastic!
When I asked a question to my coordinator and fellow catechists about the Catholic teachings, they became irritated for lack of a rightful answer to me. They said I will only become a fool if I follow the whole Bible because no man can follow the entire teachings of the Bible perfectly.
As the priests appear in white clothes at the altar during mass to be seen by everyone, I felt that they are like apostles or men of God. But, after the mass they smoked outside the parish church. Smoking is not for those sanctified; I was to learn that from Bro. Eli.
Some of the brothers (those who are to progress as priests later on) even brought girls to their office homes. My cousin, a former sacristan, can testify to these things. He sees what they do in these places.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the sign of the cross that I used to do, I became more afraid of it! I learned it is a sign of the Anti-Christ, sealed in the hand and forehead. The waters that they used to bless people are simply waters that came from faucet; they just prayed on it so that, according to them, it can now devour bad spirit. But we were taught it is really blessed water! Those images I used to respect, I now see them as mere manikins!
I knew that their so-called Holy Communion every Sunday consisted of eating bread that merely came from the bakery. Every “holy week” of March they made penitence or sacrifices for a Jesus that dies every year, but then they repeat the cycle of a sinful life afterwards. They also prayed to a Mama Mary for the souls in purgatory to be saved while there is no purgatory mentioned in the Bible! What weird teachings!
After some four months, I decided to go and look for a locale of the Church where Bro. Eli preached. I got so curious of him and made up my mind to ask for a Bible. Perhaps there is a difference in their Bible that made Bro. Eli easily flip for a verse.
Thank God, I found one Church locale by just asking the tricycle driver to bring me to a locale of Ang Dating Daan. This group is known by this name in the country. Lucky for me, one was just nearby in the side of the street.
I was invited to an impending mass indoctrination as they had no stock of Bibles that time. These are usually being given away during Bible expositions. So I went home empty-handed. I also wondered why every time I asked a tricycle driver to bring me to the Church locale they only agreed for a fare of 10pesos!
God may be really calling me now! Why are things getting difficult? I attended every night the indoctrination sessions without the knowledge of my active friends in the Parish. I was feeling that this is the true church that God had established. God is now calling me to be part of the church!
Before the end of May came, I was already thinking many times about my shift of belief. This was on how to explain to my friends and loved ones that I will be leaving the Catholic Church and its beliefs. I was thinking of what could be their reactions if they found out.
Later, I decided to get baptized. During that day, a shining light from the sun scattered all over the water! I was so happy that day. I was baptized on the river of Upper Pasonanca on July 24, 2002 by Bro. Rodel Mangiliman. I was in fourth year college that time.
Earlier on, my parents would resent seeing me watch Bro. Eli teach on TV. Now that my father came to know I got baptized in the Church, he got really angry with me.
I did not ask permission for my change of faith because I could guess how he was going to react. So now, he was saying, “You live under my roof; why did you change your religion without asking permission from me? You have no respect! You can only make decisions like that if you are on your own!” My father is a “Serado Kandado Katoliko” which means: “I was born a Catholic, I will die a Catholic.” I could only do nothing that time but cry.
Rumors spread about my whole family in the whole Basilan Province in my father’s side. It would make another round of a story of hatred because of my new-found faith.
We still eat together as a family. The only problem was that my father would often remind me that I made a wrong decision in joining the Ang Dating Daan. I could not watch anymore TV programs of Bro. Eli if my father was in the house. Bawal na! (Forbidden!).
I did not say anything to the priests nor to the brothers as a sign of goodbye. I didn’t sleep in the parish church and make it as part of my home anyway. We have our own house that is a walking distance to our parish. I didn’t know what the priests were saying about me. I am sure, however, that they got the idea that I left them because our neighbor family reports to the parish.
I remember my last day before I left the Catholic Church. I was then totally convinced that it is a fake church! It happened on the last day of May 2002, an ending day of Flores de Mayo. I kept on staring at my students in Flores de Mayo and even looked up the ceiling of the parish. I said to the children without talking to them, “You will have to be on your own now, because at the end of this day I will pack my bags and leave behind all the abominable teachings of the Catholic Church.”
My girlfriend left me eventually, and I felt that the world was so unfair. Why is this thing happening to me? Being downhearted, I kept to myself. I stayed at home reading the bible.
When my fellow catechists, charismatic and youth members found out that I became a member of the Ang Dating Daan, they reacted as expected. All of them, including those who were supposed to be brothers in the church maintained a distance from me. They showed me faces of hatred and displeasure.
My friends in catechism and coordinator said: “Sayang ka Mark bakit ka pa nagpalit ng religion, isa ka pa naman sa magaling na catechists.” (It’s such a waste! Why did you shift religion? You were one of the best catechists we had!).
They didn’t smile at me anymore unlike before when I was with them. The other former friends of mine in the parish said: “Hindi ka magiging masaya sa buhay mo dahil nagpalit ka ng religion.” (You will never be happy in your life because you shifted faith!)
I can only say I found the real church; this is my home this is where I belong. I pray to God that he will open the minds of these people like what he did to me.
Later, I met some of my students in catechism. They had become Church workers! (Mangagawa). Thank God, we met in the true church!
I am so happy because I am now a member of the true church established by Jesus Christ. Bro. Eli is the only one who had enlightened my path, who opened my eyes, who opened my heart to know the truth, and that is why I am here now in the true church. I now understand why Bro. Eli can easily flip the Bible pages for a verse!
Whatever people may say, I have learned and am still learning many things when I joined the true church. It is miles and miles away from the Catholic faith which I used to profess.
What was this preacher doing to my husband?
I prevented him from watching the show and that was the one thing in common between me and his family. We did not want him to be attached to this Soriano thing in any way. But like a real rebel, he continued watching. He would only shift to another channel when he saw me coming.
By Alma R. Evardo
It was in 2003 when I and my husband decided to live together, but we were married in civil rites the year before. We were leaving with his parents that time as husband and wife. However, between the two of us, we have so many things uncommon. We often fought in so many ways and almost every night. It came to a point that his whole family became an enemy to me.
Because of that, I felt that my life was so much ruined. I found myself deciding that I was wrong in marrying him. And oh! He had promised me a grand wedding that would be remarkable among our families and friends! But where was it?
As days past, I noticed my husband watching over a television program titled Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) and Itanong mo Kay Soriano, Biblia ang sasagot (Ask Soriano, the Bible will answer). I understood that these were about biblical matters but that they were so much foreign to my own. In the Roman Catholic Church, watching programs like these is not expected. You get your instruction about religion from the priest. And so I started persecuting him.
I threatened to leave him. I kept warning him that if he entertained joining that group, our relationship will not work out. Above everything else, I dreaded a husband with a different faith and belief as mine. But as days passed, his eyes were still glued to that Ang Dating Daan TV program. “Better tell your parents that there will be no Catholic Church wedding coming because you are joining another religion,” I nagged him.
My husband simply smiled and said nothing. Nevertheless, I prevented him from watching the show and that was the one thing I had in common with his family. We did not want him to be attached to this Soriano thing in any way. But like a real rebel, he continued watching. He would only shift to another channel when he saw me coming.
My husband eventually started getting cold to me. He would sleep with his back turned to my face. He refused to do the sign of the cross. He had also stopped bringing the rosary with him like he used to do before leaving home for work. And that made me think, what was happening to my husband? What did this man (Bro. Eli Soriano) do to him? To the extent that the picture of this preacher was now appearing as wallpaper in my husband’s cell phone! But presto I deleted it! I hated it!
Later, we decided to move in to another house owned by his parents and settled on our own, but it was just a wall away from them. Over here, it remained a pre-occupation yet for my husband to keep watching the Ang Dating Daan show. The difference was that I realized I did not prevent him anymore. Instead, I found myself also watching Bro. Eli Soriano.
Oh, my! This preacher is telling the truth! And he reads direct from the Bible to prove his point! There were many things he said that opened my eyes. From then on I started loving to watch the program. I saw myself believing in everything Bro. Eli was saying. Eventually, I told my husband that he could now join that church where Bro. Eli is, and forget about his promised grand wedding for me.
With the help of Bro. Romanito “Tom” Maunahan, who was my co-worker at California Pizza Kitchen ATC branch, we were able to access the address of a Church locale situated at Signal. Right then, I helped my husband find the locale because he was in a hurry. He only had a month left before he would move to Taiwan to work for Eva Airways.
And so, one afternoon we tried to find the nearest Ang Dating Daan Coordinating Center. I could still imagine the mocking of the tricycle drivers from whom we inquired about the exact location of the Center. No tricycle driver was willing to bring us there. Instead they laughed and mocked us. And so my husband told me to stop asking because he noticed that most of the tricycles had the three-colored sign of the Iglesia ni Cristo.
We decided then to just walk and find it on our own, but we had gone so far already and still didn’t know our way. I got irritated and told him to ask again for some help, but he refused. I shouted, “Look, I have work at 4pm and it is almost 3pm. If you really believe that what we are going to do is God’s will, can’t He touch someone’s heart among the people here to bring us to this Ang Dating Daan Coordinating Center?” In not less than three minutes after I had said that, there appeared our high school classmate with his motor cycle and helped us get there.
My husband started attending special indoctrination sessions, finished it in just a week, and left to Taiwan for work. He got baptized on April 22, 2005.
I could say I became a believer also, but at that time, I was not yet fully decided to join the group. It was because of so many things. For example, I didn’t like wearing skirts; I wanted to shape and shave my eye brows. In short, I was very much vain.
Alone at home, my life changed. I stopped watching the Ang Dating Daan show because it was suspended. I understood later that it had problems with the Movie Television and Radio Classification Board (MTRCB). The camp of the Iglesia ni Cristo had filed a case against it and the MTRCB gave them way. I started to smoke and spent money extravagantly. This lasted for some five months.
One day I realized that I was no longer happy with my life. But why? I had money that ordinary people cannot have. My husband was giving me monthly allowance, and I also had my salary. However, I was not happy. I felt like there was something missing.
I decided then to resign and look for God. I went to the Ang Dating Daan Coordinating Center of Bagumbayan, Taguig and inquired for indoctrination. Someone from there approached me and told me to come back on a Mass Indoctrination scheduled on a November 16 of that year. And so I did. On my first day of indoctrination, I started to recall the past days of my life. They played instrumental music. I can’t remember what song that was, but I started crying. I cried a lot and asked myself why just now these things came to me.
I could not explain my emotions at that time. It was just that I was contented sitting there and listening to the lectures on Church doctrines. The days went on and I kept attending the indoctrination sessions.
I enjoyed them immensely and I found out on my own what Bro. Eli Soriano did to my husband during his calling time. God had changed him! God had changed me too. Through Bro. Eli Soriano, we were able to hear God’s words.
Finally, I finished my indoctrination and got baptized on December 9, 2005. I thank God for giving us Bro. Eli Soriano and Kuya Daniel Razon. Later, my youngest brother and my parents had joined the church also.
Thanks be to God! To God be the Glory!
