Iglesia Ni Cristo and the Hacienda Luisita

Noynoy Aquino's popularity raised up after his declaration on running as the next Philippine president on next year's Philippine National election 2010. I think one of the major issue Noynoy had to answer before/during the election campaign is the Hacienda Luisita controversy linked to the Cojuanco-Aquino family. Which makes me think what might be the reaction of the Iglesia ni Cristo organization about this. I think this deserves a historical review between INC and the Hacienda Luisita.

Iglesia Ni Cristo members had a quite bitter experience on the Hacienda Luisita of the Cojuanco-Aquino family in Tarlac. INC members resigned from the union after being prompted by their church circular dated April 1, 1959. Expulsion from the INC church will be given to those who will violate the following circular.

TANGGAPAN NG IGLESIA NI CRISTO 154 Riverside, San Juan, Rizal Abril 1, 1959

SA LAHAT NG MGA KAPATID SA IGLESIA NI CRISTO SA KAPULUANG PILIPINAS

Buong higpit na aming ibinababala sa inyo na sinomang kapatid sa Iglesia ay huwag aanib sa anumang uri ng kapisanan o samahang labas sa Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ang sinomang kapatid na sa kasalukuyan ay kaanib sa anumang uri ng kapisanan o samahan, ay dapat na umalis at huwag ng kailanman uugnay sa mga ito. Ito ay salig sa utos ng Dios na tayo ay 'huwag makikipamatok ng kabilang sa mga hindi sumasampalataya' (II Cor. 6:14).

Si ROSENDO PAULINO, dating kaanib sa Iglesia ni Cristo, ay itiniwalag sa Iglesia mula ngayon. Siya ay itiniwalag sa Iglesia hindi lamang dahil sa ayaw niyang umalis sa kapisanang kaniyang kinaaniban kundi naman kaniya pang ipinagkanulo ang Iglesia. Kaya, itinatagubilin namin sa inyo na siya ay huwag ninyong kakausapin o babatiin man lamang at huwag din ninyo siyang tatanggapin sa inyong mga tahanan (II Juan 1:10-11).

Gayon din naman, aming ibinababala sa inyo na sinomang kapatid sa Iglesia ang lumabag sa mga tagubilin ng 'circular' na ito ay lubusang ititiwalag sa Iglesia upang kailanman ay huwag na muling mabalik.

UMAASA kami na ang mga tagubilin sa 'circular' na ito ay inyong tutuparing may katapatan upang manatili sa Iglesia at sa piling ng Sugo ng Dios sa Huling Araw.

Tulungan nawa tayo ng Dios.

Ang inyong kapatid sa Panginoon (Sgd.) 'T. RAMOS 'TEOFILO C. RAMOS'

The resignation of the INC members from the United Luisita Workers' Union (NLU), resulted to a friction and ire between them (INC members) and the Union labor leaders, local residents in the Hacienda and the Hacienda Luisita (Tarlac Development Corporation). INC administration led by Erano Manalo tried to intervene but to no avail. Erano Manalo's effort were useless. They held meetings between the INC representatives and the union leaders but no amicable solution were resolved. The INC 'pamamahala' decided to make a mass exodus of the INC members from the Hacienda Luisita. On February 1965, INC members made an exodus from the Hacienda Luisita to their new relocation site in Barrio Ma-Hgaya, Nueva Ecija.

Please be reminded that the time-frame when this conflict occurred was during the Marcos regime. Erano Manalo and his members was sort-of-forced to leave the Hacienda Luisita because of their doctrine and labor issue. In my opinion, I think the Iglesia Ni Cristo-Hacienda Luisita conflict may have triggered the decision of Erano Manalo and his followers to refuse any involvement with Cory Aquino. When the 1986 People Power happened, Erano Manalo and the INC members stood behind Marcos. They refused to heed the "call" of People Power with Cory Aquino.

Iglesia Ni Cristo did not supported Cory Aquino and stayed behind Ferdinand Marcos

Iglesia Ni Cristo did not chose DEMOCRACY over TYRANNY.

Do you think Iglesia Ni Cristo will support Noynoy Aquino?

Politics is cruel.

It can break any friendship, family and even your faith.

Let's just wait and see.

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