RELIGION is the oldest form of control. From the implicit consequences of pre-colonial missionary efforts to the tangible control over rhetoric, the pervasiveness of religious institutions throughout history cannot be ignored.
In the Philippines, many have gained prominence as religious leaders, and sad to say quite a number of them are using their so-called authority to advance personal gain.
For one, organized religion influences the periphery of our lives, both personally and over intangible distances.
Faith is meant to be positive, both within individualistic moral contexts and in broader social implications. Corruption and informed cruelty manifest when bigoted individuals become overly assured of their own beliefs, undermining the validity of any alternative possibilities.
However, this deconstruction only happens when a handful of people, to their benefit, try to define what religion is for anyone who subscribes to that particular system of belief.
Belief is inherently personal, and religion by extension prioritizes the nature of the self. The moral guidelines that religion establishes use this construct of a self-aware individual to make us cognizant of our effect on the people around us, using this route to create notions of social interactions and mutual benefit through cooperation.
While specific attribution may be toward smaller and varied denominations, the basic adherence to and belief in the community is based on the same ideas. Hence, the a need to recognize the existential values promoted by the culture.
This is what the man claiming to be the Appointed Son of God must have missed. He must have mistaken his Church as an Investment House where money flows freely and flesh comes free.