Rizal as the Filipino ChristEssay Preview: Rizal as the Filipino ChristReport this essayWell honestly, I was laughing hard when I knew that this would be one of the reports. The first thing that came into my mind was who on earth would think of this, but as time passed I somehow came to realize that the power of imagination of humans cant be underestimated.
It is an obvious fact that during the Spanish occupation, that the Filipinos were not properly or never been educated by the colonizers. Thus the human imagination comes to play. Ignorance of in the Filipinos was high during that time period. The Spanish used the bible to educate and used it as a textbook. They were known to use the scriptures and the church to control the whole nation. This is just some of the possible causes that lead of the belief that Rizal is being treated as Christ.
Some Filipinos in the past might want to coin a figure for their hope, and spread that Jose Rizal is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. As the Filipinos suffer under the Spanish yoke, they hoped for the return of God, to save and liberate them from the Spanish. Jose Rizal at that time was hailed for his intelligence, and physical endurance, so many of them believe that he is the “one”. Since he has a degree in medicine, the ignorant indiyos hailed it as miracles. This supported that Jose Rizal is really the Christ. The Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi and other religious groups believe that Dr. Jose Rizal is the reincarnation of Jesus, God the Son.
Since the bible is really distributed, and let us say that it was “mainstream” at that time. The believers were forced to compare the life of Jose Rizal to Jesus Christ himself in the scriptures. Jesus Christ and Jose Rizal have similarities sacred birth, ministry, maltreatment, and their death. Jose Rizal in Latin translation is JOVE REX AL. JOVE is secret name of God, Rex is king, Al is all or everyone, thus if you combine it, Jose Rizal is King of all or King of Kings. Therefore Jose Rizal is equal to Jesus Christ.
The Iglesia Watawat ng lahi believes in the birth of Jesus according to the Scriptures. The first writing of the organization regarding the birth of Jesus is the Ubornal, where they emphasized several points. The birth of Jose Rizal was a mystery. He was brought by a beggar to Donya Teodora wrapped in a blanket that was embodied with “JOVE REX AL” Adopting an abandoned chld is considered as lucky for Filipinos as the tradition goes on. In comparison of the lives of Jesus Christ and Jose Rizal are, they were both born at night. Both mothers have controversy; Mama Mary was a Virgin when She conceived Jesus Christ, in Her time, being pregnant before marriage is illegal and punishable by law, since they were Jewish. While Donya Teodora, the
During the time when the Bible was widely distributed and considered mainstream, believers were compelled to draw comparisons between the life of Jose Rizal and Jesus Christ. These comparisons centered around various aspects such as their sacred birth, ministry, maltreatment, and death. Interestingly, the Latin translation of Jose Rizal’s name, "JOVE REX AL," holds symbolic significance. "JOVE" is a secret name for God, "Rex" means king, and "Al" signifies all or everyone. When combined, it suggests that Jose Rizal is the King of all or the King of Kings, thus equating him with Jesus Christ.
The Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi, a religious organization, also believes in the birth of Jesus according to the Scriptures. Their first written account, the Ubornal, emphasizes several points regarding the birth of Jesus. In a similar vein, the birth of Jose Rizal is considered a mystery. According to the organization, he was brought by a beggar to Donya Teodora, wrapped in a blanket that bore the inscription "JOVE REX AL." The act of adopting an abandoned child is considered fortunate in Filipino tradition, which may explain the significance attributed to this event.
Further parallels can be drawn between the lives of Jesus Christ and Jose Rizal. Both were born at night, and both of their mothers faced controversy. Mama Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was a virgin when she conceived him. In her time, being pregnant before marriage was illegal and punishable by law, especially within the Jewish community. Similarly, Donya Teodora, the mother of Jose Rizal, also faced societal judgment due to her circumstances.
By exploring these similarities, believers sought to elevate Jose Rizal to a status akin to Jesus Christ. This comparison allowed them to find spiritual and symbolic connections between the two figures, further emphasizing Rizal’s significance in the context of Filipino history and culture.