Writing about God

Got a confession to make.  In my assignments as a freelance journalist, if there is an authentic, editorially defensible way to put the Lord in the picture, I do it.  Writing about God in a non-religious piece should be not hard-sell or shoving down the Gospel your reader's throat.  It has to be 'natural' and within the context of the article. It's not forced, neither is it a misreprsentation of the subject.  It gives glory to God while adding depth and layer to the content.  It leaves the reader something to affirm or reflect on without turning him off on spiritual things.



Most of the time, the opportunities happen when the people I interview happen to believe in God - and they don't have to be Bible-believing Christians.  This is where the 'natural' part comes in - the mention of the Lord and His blessings on their lives come from them.  I didn't even have to dig.  Case in point:  the Philippine business icon, Socorro Ramos, now 80+ years old who built National Book Store, a book and office supply empire that's practically a monopoly in my country.  During the interview, she marveled at how time and again her key buildings were spared from fire, some almost miraculously, like her warehouse which survived intact the inferno the Japanese made out of Manila in World War 2. The old lady -'Nanay' or 'Mother' as she is popularly known - said (and I quote) "It is God's will."

And to acknowledge His protection and guidance, she has a priest say Mass every time a National Book Store branch opens in the Philippines - there are more than a 100 NBS stores in our 7,107-island archipelago. Nanay is Catholic - but her quote, anecdotes, and this particular spiritual influence made it to the published article in Manila Bulletin.  As I said, authentic writing about God is not forced.

Now, it becomes a beauty when the Biblical faith is directly mentioned.  This happened when I was in the final five minutes of my evening interview with CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida.  Efren is a twentysomething science and math teacher who, despite great poverty,  finished his schooling and avoided early death and entry into the gang wars through educational scholarships.  Now wanting to give back by educating the kids in the slums where he grew up and still lives, Efren and his group of idealists literally bring literacy to the neighborhood through their 'kariton' or pushcart classrooms.  CNN took notice and, aided by millions of voters, awarded him their top prize.

I asked Efren how he intends to remain grounded as the flood of accolades and the rush of media spotlight have been known to derail or distract.  His answer (and I paraphrase):  apparently, he received the Lord in his elementary years.  It was the teachers of his local church who discipled him and found scholarships for him.  Now, that he is making a difference, he will continue to remain rooted to his faith, God, and his mentors to act as his check and balance. 

Again, that came out natural - and it made it in my Sunday Inquirer Magazine interview of Efren.

Now why am I doing this?  Honestly, it's not to evangelize - but in my own small way, I'm keeping the candle of awareness of God and a respect of His existence (whew!) burning in a global culture that is sacrificing religion and Christianity (in particular) on the altar of tolerance and civil liberties.  I don't think those four elements are exclusive - they can co-exist, but that's another for another blog. 

What's triggering my alarm bell is what I hear and read about a trend to ban any mention of God or Jesus in the public arena of many developed countries.  Prayer in public schools and even the U.S.' iconic National Prayer Day have been deemed unconstitutional (fine, but why not give the believers an option or a space where they can exerise their freedom of religion?).  I agree about not using public funds for Christiand decor like nativity scenes - but (as narrated by a U.S.-based friend) why create an environment where a non-Christian can sue a believer when the latter as a tax-paying private citizen puts up his own belen in his own backyard? 

Those are the days when I thank God I live in this country.  Yes, the Bible-believing church is still a small minority compared to the 90% Catholics, but at least this religious legacy of 300 years of Spanish rule has, in recent times, created a level playing field.  There are Catholic masses in government offices, yes, but nobody cries foul when Protestant public servants open the door to prayer meetings in lunch hours (some of our big churches started from those small lunch-hour Bible studies).  My boss in one day job is a Catholic who gathers all 100+ of us in a general assembly every month; the meeting is preceded by prayer which has been assigned to a particular employee that day.  The minority of us Protestants pray with the greater number who are our Catholic colleagues.  They make the sign of the cross, we don't.  We pray in the name of Jesus, sometimes their prayers are more traditional.

But we don't belabor the differences and fight over them.  The opportunity to dialogue and even evangelize is developed.  At any rate, the right to say the name of God reverently in a public space is preserved.

I hope to do the same in my occasional references to the Lord or writing about God in the secular media.  My own small way to keep the candle burning and to preseve our (Catholic, Protestant, even non-Christian) religious rights.  Keep the culture open to spiritual things, including Christianity - that's one way you keep the encroachment of aggressive atheism away.

[Source of photo:  ChristianPhotos.Net - Free High Resolution Photos for Christian Publications]