Chapter 8, 9&10 Material, Spiritual, Political Self
Chapter 8, 9&10 Material, Spiritual, Political Self
Material Self
Material Self
✓ Its constituents
• Russel Belk (1988) posits that “…we regard our possessions as part of
ourselves. We are what we have and what we possess.” The
identification of the self to things started in our infancy stage when we
make a distinction among self and environment and others who may
desire our possessions.
• Material possession gains higher value in our lifetime if we use material
possession to find happiness, associate these things with significant
events, accomplishments, and people in our lives. There are even times,
when material possession of a person that is closely identified to the
person, gains acknowledgment with high regard even if the person
already passed away.
Chapter 9:
Spiritual Self
Soul and Spirit
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “And the God of peace Himself sanctify you
wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete,
without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This verse clearly
tells us that human beings are made up of three parts—the spirit, soul,
and body.
• Hebrews 4:12 makes an even finer distinction, saying, “For the word of
God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and
piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow,
and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” From this
verse, we can understand that the soul and the spirit are so close to one
another that the two require the word of God to divide them, to
separate them from each other.
Religion
• Rebecca Stein (Stein 2011) works on the definition of religion "as set of
cultural beliefs and practices that usually includes some or all of basic
characteristics. These characteristics are:
• A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and
gods.
• A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling
of reverence and awe
• Supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as
well as physical beings and objects.
• The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of
sacred object to communicate to supernatural beings and/or
influence or control events.
Religion
Beliefs
• Buddhism believes that life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are
suffering, pain, and frustrations. When people suffer, they want to
experience the goodness of life and avoid disappointments. It becomes
a habit known as the reactive cycle of wanting and hating, like and
dislike, and craving and aversion.
• This reactive cycle can be broken through the practice of mediation,
acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding, and acceptance of
things as they are.
Buddhism
Beliefs
• Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God the
Father (Creator), God the Son (Savior), and God the Holy - Spirit.
• Eternal life after death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ.
• Jesus Christ is, God the Son, who came into flesh, to spread the Good
News of Salvation. He died on the cross for the sin of the humanity but
resurrected from the death, so that anyone who believes in Him will be
saved and have eternal life.
• The Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is divided into two, the Old
Testament and New Testament
Christianity
Beliefs
• Hinduism covers a wide range of traditional beliefs and religious groups;
thus, there is no single founder or leader.
• Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth,
governed by Karma. Karma is a concept where the reincarnated life will
depend on how the past life was spent.
• Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives
and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life
was lived. Vedas are sacred scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and
Ramayana are two other important texts of the Hindus.
Hinduism
• Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the triumph of good
over evil.
Beliefs
• Muslims believe in Allah, who is their "One God." They believed in the
unity and universality of God.
• Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "ummah" and an
awareness of their solidarity with all Muslims worldwide.
• Islam means 'willing submission to God." Muslims believe that
Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God.
• Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE and received revelations from
God through the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years.
• The Holy Book of Islam is called the Quran, which was taught to be
recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate.
Islam
Beliefs
• The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated
the Hebrew slaves from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land through
the leadership of Moses and later, Joshua.
• Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred scripture
of the Jews is called the Torah or the Law.
• The Torah is the guide of the Jewish living. The study and interpretation
of Torah is part of the Jewish culture.
Judaism
• Main belief of this is that “man’s primary motivational force is search for
meaning.” Which aids individuals to find personal meaning of life,
whatever life situation they may be.
• Meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing a deed,
experiencing something, or encountering someone and the attitude
toward unavoidable suffering.
• It uses the philosophy of optimism in the face of tragedy, where people
are capable of “fuming suffering into human achievement and
accomplishment; deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself
for the better; and deriving from life’s transistorizes an incentive to take
responsible action.”
Logotherapy
• The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind, and spirit. First
assumption deals with body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (noos).
• Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable.
Assumption two is “ultimate meaning”
• People have a will to meaning. The third assumption is seen as our main
motivation for living and acting.
Logotherapy Assumptions
• People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find
meaning. Assumption four is that we are free to activate our will to find
meaning, and this can be done under any circumstances.
• Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are
to be meaningful. The meaning of the moment is more practical in daily
living than ultimate meaning.
• Purposeful Work. To find the meaning of life starts with holding a future
goal.
• Courage in the Face of Difficulty. A meaningful life is a life with suffering.
• Love. Popova (2017) quoted Dr. Frankl’s notes about his experience in
the Nazi Camp: “For hours I stood hacking at the icy ground. The guard
passed by, insulting me, and once again, I communed with my beloved.
More and more I felt that she was present, that she was with me; I had
the feeling that I was able to touch her, able to stretch out my hand and
grasp hers. The feeling was very strong: she was there. Then, at that very
moment, a bird flew down silently and perched just in front of me, on the
heap of soil which I had dug up from the ditch, and looked steadily at
me”
Frankl’s Sources of Meaning
• Dr. Frankl’s wife, parents, and some relatives were victims of gas
chambers. His love for his wife kept him fight for his life. Popova (2017)
also quoted Dr. Frankl’s definition of love: “Love is the only way to grasp
another human being in the innermost core of his personality.
• Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person
to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can
be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come
true”
• Castello (2015) captured Frankl’s message: “The ultimate secret on the
spiritual foundation of life is that love is salvation and joy eternity.” The
ultimate factor to find the meaning of life is love.
Chapter 10:
Political Self
Ethymology and Definition
• POLITICS
• The English word "politics" derives from the Greek word and the title of
Aristotle's classic work politiká (Πολιτικά; affairs of the cities).
• The science of government
• the activities of a political party.
• Filipino
• The word Filipino has roots from the Spanish colonization, more
specifically from “las Islas Filipinas” or "the Philippine Islands".
• a native or national of the Philippines, or a person of Filipino descent
• the national language of the Philippines
1. The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines tells us who the citizens of the
Philippines are.
• Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption
of this Constitution
• Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines
• Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect
Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority
• Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.
Who is a Filipino?
• Culture
• Traits
• Values
Filipino Traits and Values
• bringing out their best sets of plates and utensils for honored
guests and would even go as far as spending a lot of money and
going into debt.
Filipino Traits and Values
4. Self-Sacrifice
• Filipinos often wish comfort and better lives for their loved ones and
would even go to the extent of working abroad hundreds of miles away
to earn more money and save up for them (OFW).
Filipino Traits and Values
5. Bayanihan •
• Derived from the word Bayan which means town, nation, or a
community in general.
• Bayanihan literally means “being a bayan” and is thus used to refer to
the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos.
• A traditional system of mutual assistance in which the members of a
community work together to accomplish a difficult task. In later use
also: a spirit of civic unity and cooperation among Filipinos.
• Usually observed during calamities, but best exemplified by the old
tradition of neighbors helping to relocate a family by carrying the
whole house (bahay kubo).
Filipino Traits and Values
6. “Bahala na Culture”
• “Bahala na” is the Filipino version of the famous line “Hakuna Matata”
meaning no worries.
8. Manana Habit
9. Ningas Kugon
• “Ningas” is a Filipino term for flame and “kugon” is a term for Cogon
grass that easily burns out after it is put into flames.
10. Pride
• A high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit,
or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in
bearing, conduct, etc.
• Filipinos are known for being prideful (e.g. holding on to their pride as
if they are more precious than keeping a good relationship with
family and loved ones)
1. Proverbs or Salawikain
2. Superstitions
• A belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the
ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence,
proceeding, or the like.
• Some of Filipino superstitions are passed down from generation to
generation.
• Some of these maybe influenced by beliefs from other cultures but
Filipinos have retold these superstitions according to their own
experiences.
• Referred to as either “usog” or “bati”, this superstition says that
when a person with strong energy greets a child, the child may
soon after suffering from unexplainable discomfort.
Filipino Makers
• Political Identity.
• Identity is the story that we tell ourselves and others about who we are,
who we were, and who we foresee ourselves to be. Identity shapes
many of aspects of life, from how we see the world to how we behave.
• The concept of a political identity can best be understood as an inner
narrative of one’s political self.
• Orientation of political self
• National identity
• Various forms of specific knowledge, feelings, beliefs about
political institutions
• More transient views about specific policies, issues, programs,
personalities and events
Political Self and Active Citizenship
• Exercise your rights responsibly and with due regard for the rights of
others.
• This will help you recognize abuse of political power, and how to
contribute into making a better country.
• This will put you in perspective, not to take for granted the sacrifices
of our ancestors
How to be a Good Filipino
• A strong economy means there is stable work for more Filipinos, and
more investments within and from outside the country.
How to be a Good Filipino
There are other ways and other things you can do, to be a good Filipino,
but remember first and foremost your duty as a human, and that is to be
respectful and kind, not just to your fellow Filipinos, but to your fellow
humans.