I am a Catholic on my birth certificate but not entirely by heart, mind and soul. I boldly declare myself a Christian even if I bluntly disagree with many of the Church’s teachings and the Bible’s verses. I fully support the RH Bill, I'm quite loose on the idea of fidelity and I don't think that virginity is a virtue.

I believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as my Savior, but I don’t wear my faith on my sleeve. I’m not a Church-going, Bible-hugging, honk-if-you-love-Jesus kind of person.

I would, however, also call myself a Christian Universalist for I believe that religions are just different paths leading to the same destination, and that we acknowledge only one Supreme Being but worship him in different ways. I’m also against the “believe or burn” dogma of many Christians.

Having impersonally witnessed miracles of other religions such as the Hindu Milk Miracle and Allah’s name appearing on a watermelon, I’ve come to believe that there isn’t only ONE way.

Additionally, as a Universalist, I also find the concept of an eternal hell absurd since it just doesn’t fit the description of an omniscient, all-loving and ever-merciful God. If a man’s sins on Earth are finite, why, then, does his punishment have to be infinite? I also think that it’s just a ploy made up by Christian authorities to scare people into converting into Christianity and to gain more followers.

Although I love to explore other religions and even have friendly discussions about it, I actually dislike debating about it and claiming that there is only one true religion. I’ve spoken to a motley of people of different religious backgrounds – Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and even atheism – and I must say they broadened my religious views.

Even as a Christian, I find the teachings of other religions more logical and useful such as the Taoist concept of the Life Force, the Buddhist concept of Dharma and the ever-known Karma which many Christians believe in but is actually Hindu in origin.

I am as spiritual as a person can ever be, but I foremost use science, logic and my God-given reason to find answers to my problems. My faith, however, is intact. There are many answers in life which I’ve sought in quiet meditation with God at Church or just at home.

I don’t quote the Bible or preach about God’s love when consoling someone in anguish. I would rather refer to experience, elderly wisdom and psychological facts when giving advice.

Though not in the Bible, my religious motto is, “God helps those who help themselves,” something which I find more useful than most Bible verses. I believe in the power of prayer but God ultimately won’t swoop down from the sky to solve the world’s problems. I believe that our destiny is our own. It’s up to us to turn our lives into how we want it. And to quote Ms. Lea Salonga, “Forget prayers, I want action.”

Lastly, this entry is not meant to decry Christianity and to provoke religious debates. I aim to encourage religious open-mindedness.

"I've probably read 95% of the words in the Bible. Probably 60% of the Torah. 70% of the Koran. And the thing that is so amazing to me is how everybody, in essence, believes the same thing. I just can't understand how we get from such similar beliefs to murdering one another.”
-Will Smith